Social policy as surveillance

Foucault (1976) - idea of surveillance

• Observation and monitoring

Foucault (1976) - power in society

• Power not only held by the state but diffused through society and found in all relationships

  • Professionals exercise power over clients

    • E.g. social workers turn people into a ‘case’

Donzelot - professionals as agents of social control

• Professionals use their knowledge to control, police and change families

Donzelot - surveillance by social class

• Surveillance focused on W/C families

  • ‘Problem’ (poor) families are seen as cause of crime and anti-social behaviour

  • Poor families more likely to be targeted by professionals for ‘improvement’

Condry (2007) - parenting orders

• State controls and regulates family life through parenting orders

  • Parents of young offenders/truants etc forced to attend ‘parenting classes’

CRITICISM of surveillance theory

• Who benefits from this surveillance ingrained in social policies?

  • Marxists say the capitalist class

  • Feminists say men