1. Power and History
MICHEL FOUCAULT
“‘post-modern’ philosopher of history” (Flynn, 1984)
By Kitty Hawkins, Ella Okore, Lexy Blake, Katie Price
2. Theory: Michel Foucault
“relations of power and knowledge and modes of objectification through which
human beings are made subjects” (Smart, 2002)
“the state and resistance to power” (Smart, 2002)
‘The Panoptican’ = architectural phenomenon
Prisoners isolated in a single room around a centre tower where they can be
watched at all times but couldn’t see the observer or anyone else. (Fillingham,
1993)
Seen as a NEW architecture of power – using SURVEILANCE as a SYSTEM to
make people behave “Morals reformed – health preserved – industry
invigorated” (Bentham, 1748-1832).
“If one tries to errect a theory of power one will always be obliged to view it as
emerging at a given place and hence to deduce it” (Foucault, n.d)
Power = prominent EVERYWHERE, theories make it seem LESS important?
3. CONNECTIONS – LITERARY EXPLORATION
‘1984’ – George Orwell
• This novel focuses on the idea of surveillance and oppression.
“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the
past.” (Orwell, 1949).
• Idea that control of HISTORY is linked to the future
e.g idyllic past – people will try and re-create it
Difficult past – people will try and prevent it
• Control of PRESENT can affect how people react to the past – through
SURVEILLANCE
• Truth = POWER – party create a version of the past, which becomes TRUTH
and affects future
“…dialogues are structured, so as to shed some light on the extent to which
hierarchy and power are linguistically determined.” (Ermida, 2005).
Power = through SPEECH?
4. CONNECTIONS – POLITICAL POWER
Military Camps TOTAL ORGANISATION/CONTROL = POSSIBLE
PARISIAN ECOTE MILITAIRE:
• Inmates CONTINUALLY watched – peepholes/on going
examinations/half-door toilets
• “The model of the military camp provided control through hierarchy and
observation” (Dreyfus and Rabinow, 1982).
E.G in ‘The Tempest’ Prospero creates a HIERARCHY of power and uses this to
CONTROL the island
SURVIELLANCE = IMPORTANT – Ariel is used to keep a balance and control
people’s actions
“The act of looking over and being looked over will be a central means by which
individuals are linked together in a disciplinary space” (Dreyfus and Rabinow, 1982).
5. CONNECTIONS – POLITICAL POWER
Military Camps
NAZI’S:
• RADICAL means of control BUT used idea of BAD present to manipulate
supporters
• Hitler CONSOLIDATED his power through SURVEILLANCE
E.G Dictated what children would be taught – encouraged to report on
deviating behaviour, even against their parents
• Propaganda used – ALL media controlled, affected what people saw/way
they saw it and their OPINIONS
• Used power of SPEECH through rallys to control public
E.G Prospero CONTROLLED how Miranda saw the world
• Control of minorities through IMPRISONMENT – started off in Ghettos and led to
concentration camps = TOTAL control
6. CONNECTIONS – PRESENT DAY
Media
• “There are up to 4.2m CCTV cameras in Britain - about one for every 14
people.” (BBC NEWS, 2006).
Idea that surveillance is ALWAYS there but don’t really realise it? – USED to
being watched
• ‘Big Brother’ – people SEEK out surveillance = OBSESSION with fame?
Creates a superficial reality – if one can CONTROL surveillance, one can
control how they are seen?
BUT often doesn’t happen in this way
E.G editing takes things out of CONTEXT – manipulates public, so context
NEEDED to see TRUTH?
• Celebrities hate paparazzi BUT NEEDED to remain in the public eye/earn
money = become a WAY of life?
7. Bibliography
• Smart, B., 2002. Michel Foucault. [e-book] Taylor & Francis. Available
through: <http://lib.myilibrary.com?ID=10957> [Accessed 6 March 2012].
• Gutting, G. e.d., 1994. The Cambridge Companion to Foucault. USA.
Cambridge University Press.
• Fillingham, L., 1993. Foucault for Beginners. New York. Writers and
Readers Publishing, Inc.
• SparkNotes LLC, 2012. 1984 George Orwell. [online] Available at:
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/1984/context.html> [Accessed on 6
March 2012].
• Dreyfus, H. and Rabinow, P., 1982. Michel Foucault Beyond Structuralism
and Hermeneutics. Great Britain. Harvester Press Ltd.
• Ermida, I., 2006. Linguistic mechanisms of power in Nineteen Eighty-Four:
Applying politeness theory to Orwell's world. [e-journal] 6 (38) Available
through: Elsevier B.V. [Accessed 6 March 2012].
• BBC NEWS, 2006. Britain is 'surveillance society‘. [online] Available at:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm> [Accessed 6 March 2012].
