Foucault and Punishment Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is Foucault’s view on the relationship between power and knowledge?
Power is subtle and relies on knowledge; to have power over someone, you must have knowledge about them.
What approach did Foucault take in his analysis of punishment?
A phenomenological approach—studying detailed practices and procedures to understand their meanings, contrasting with Marxist structuralism.
What does Foucault describe in the execution of Damiens?
A brutal public execution used as a symbol of sovereign power, meant to instill fear and awe in the population.
What are the two ‘penal styles’ according to Foucault?
The ‘execution of Damiens’ and the ‘house of young offenders’
What is the significance of the “House of Young Offenders” rules?
They show a shift toward routine, discipline, and internalised control, contrasting with the spectacle of earlier punishments.
What is the ‘Great Transformation’ in state punishment (1750–1850)?
A shift from public, physical punishment to disciplinary techniques aimed at reform and control.
What are the features of ‘sovereign’ vs ‘disciplinary’ punishment?
Sovereign: Displays power through spectacle.
Disciplinary: Uses surveillance, knowledge, and routine to reform individuals.
What are key elements of disciplinary punishment?
Constant surveillance, behaviour monitoring, correction of abnormality, and creating ‘docile bodies
What is the Panopticon and what does it symbolise?
A design for prisons by Bentham; symbolises the all-seeing eye, where surveillance leads to self-regulation.
What is the ‘carceral continuum’?
The idea that disciplinary methods (like rules, monitoring, training) happen everywhere—not just in prisons, but in:
Schools, Workplaces, Hospitals
e.g. Parents, teachers, doctors, bosses—they all help enforce rules and shape how we act.
What does Foucault mean by the “carceral archipelago”?
Society is made up of connected institutions of control (like islands), with prison being just one part of a broader disciplinary network.
How is Foucault’s theory relevant in today’s surveillance society?
Modern technologies (CCTV, AI, smartphones) enforce constant surveillance and social control, normalising self-discipline
What is the ‘dark side’ of penal welfarism and rehabilitation?
It involves intrusive state interventions (e.g. therapy, behavioural programs) that aim to mould individuals rather than just punish.
punishing people before they’ve even committed a crime e.g. ‘early-intervention’
What effect did sovereign power have on punishment?
It was brutal and public
Used to scare people and showcase the power of the ruler
What effect does disciplinary power have on punishment?
punishing by locking them up, watching them, and trying to change their behaviour.
Training them to behave in a certain way
what are the elements of disciplinary punishment?
Surveillance – Being constantly watched (like CCTV, school registers, etc.)
Routine – Following strict schedules (like in prison or school)
Correction – Teaching people how to behave “normally”
Self-control – People start behaving “properly” even when no one is watching, because they think they might be watched
what are examples of ‘penal welfarism’?
Family therapy, early interventions, cognitive behavioural therapy
How does Foucault link discipline to capitalism?
argues that discipline helps create obedient, efficient workers
(e.g. who follow schedules, listen to authority, and control themselves.)
Just like prisons train prisoners, schools and workplaces train people to behave in ways that support the needs of capitalism.
