Public Policy Chapter 5

Introduction to Foucault

  • French philosopher (1926-1984), influential in critical theory.

  • Key works include:

    • Discipline and Punish

    • History of Sexuality

  • Focus is on power relations, knowledge, and subjectivity.

Context of The Subject and Power

  • Written in 1982, provides an overview of Foucault's work on power.

  • Addresses how individuals become 'subjects' under power.

  • Shifts focus from disciplinary power to biopolitics.

What is Power?

  • Power is not merely coercive; it is also productive.

  • Exists within relationships rather than a centralized authority.

  • Diffused through institutions, discourse, and social practices.

Three Modes of Objectification

  1. Scientific classification: Examples include mental illness, criminology.

  2. Dividing practices: Examples include exclusion of the insane, separation of prisoners.

  3. Subjectivation: Involves internalizing norms and identities.

Subject and Object

  • Power transforms people into 'subjects' through processes of classification.

  • The term 'subject' can refer to:

    • A self-aware agent

    • An individual who is subjugated

  • Examples include:

    • The 'mad' individual in asylums

    • Prisoners in contemporary systems

Discipline and Power

  • Foucault’s earlier works focused on forms of disciplinary power.

  • Key mechanisms of disciplinary power include:

    • Surveillance

    • Normalization

    • Examination

  • Example discussed is:

    • Panopticism in modern institutions such as schools and prisons.

Biopower and Governmentality

  • Shift in focus from individual discipline to management of populations.

  • Biopower refers to the control over life through:

    • Health policies

    • Demographic regulations

  • Governmentality explains how states regulate behaviors through policies.

Power and Resistance

  • Power is relational; resistance occurs in places where power exists.

  • Resistance is not always radical; it encompasses everyday refusals.

  • The lecture invites participants to consider examples of activism that challenge norms.

Power as Strategic, Not Possessive

  • Power cannot be seen merely as something one 'has'; it is exercised.

  • It functions within networks of relationships.

  • Workplace hierarchies and management practices serve as an example.

Subject Formation and Identity

  • Identities arise from discourses and power relations.

  • Example discussed is the criminal justice perception of the 'delinquent.'

  • Raises a philosophical question: Are individuals ever free from being subjects?

Critiques of Foucault

  • Concerns regarding determinism: Is resistance truly possible?

  • Question about the absence of a clear alternative: What follows after critique?

  • Foucault's response: He viewed critique as a continuous process, never reaching a definitive conclusion.

Foucault vs. Traditional Theories of Power

  • Contrasts with Marxist doctrines; Foucault does not view power as strictly top-down.

  • Differentiates from liberal theories by rejecting the concept of power as solely legal authority.

Contemporary Examples of Subjectification

  • Social media algorithms significantly influence self-identity formation.

  • Mental health classifications outlined in the DSM represent modern classifications.

  • Public health policies affect citizen behavior profoundly.

Ethics and Self-Formation

  • Later in his work, Foucault transitions to ethics and explores 'technologies of the self.'

  • Suggests that individuals have the capability to reshape their own subjectivity.

  • Example: Self-care practices are presented as forms of resistance against established norms.

Summary of Key Ideas

  • Power is inherently relational and productive.

  • Central to modern governance is the process of subject formation.

  • Resistance is a fundamental aspect embedded within power structures.

Disciplinary Mechanism Hunt

  • Engages participants in reflecting on environments that might alter their actions due to perceived surveillance.

  • Prompts discussion on settings where individuals might act differently because they feel they are being watched, fostering contemplation of power dynamics in daily life.