Panopticism

Panopticism looks at institutional power and systems of it, such as prisons, discipline and punishment. Michael Foucault looks at the madness shift and the systems of madness. Madmen in the 17th Century we not what we perceive mad men of today are. They were the village idiot, quirky, idyllic the term 'mad men' was not used as a negative term. Foucault noted that mad houses or 'houses of confinement' hid away deviant people, they didn't just hold mad men but beggars, unemployed, criminals and idle people. Inside these houses, the criminals fought against each other instead of growing together, the houses were abolished and the asylum was born. They were treated as children, rewarded and chastised, this is when society shifts from physical discipline to mental, controlling the mind they realised that subtle forms of mental discipline proved more successful than physical, the first steps of surveillance were formed. The idea of discipline was altering the mind set to make people more productive more useful. The panopticon is a model of how society organizes its power, knowledge, surveillance of training our bodies. The Panoptic prison was designed with a central tower, surrounded by wings, all of the cells look into the central tower, where the guards are constantly staring out to the prisoners and 'institutional gaze.' The prisoners are permanently visible, bright with lights the central tower is not visible and blocked of with blinds, the prisoners would be in an innate state they cant see the prisoner but the prisoner can see them, they have the possibility of always being watched without knowing when, they cant do anything, talk to anyone, plot to escape they are living under the constant fear of being watched becoming more and more paranoid. Living in this state the prisoner ends up not needing to be watched, because the prisoner ends up controlling and correcting themselves. The perfect model of power! 

Task 1

Panopticism in modern society.

There are many many areas in society where panopticism affects us, generally in a more subtle manor that the panoptic prison. We are constantly under surveillance where we self regulate -

Offices, they used to be cellular now they are open plan with the aim for 'team work' however the effect is to the manager/the surveyor can see everyone leaving the workers under pressure to work harder achieve the goals and targets. 

Bars - most new bars are open plan so the observers/bouncers/staff can manage and watch over the people in the bar. There are no snugs or hideaways where people are hidden and can do wrong without being watched. 

Google Earth - CCTV - Leeds Uni Library - Prisons - Hospitals - Schools.

We are told open plan offices promote team work, encourage us and promote more opportunities to observe and learn from other workers with more experience or different skills, when in actual fact they are extremely panoptic. "the gaze is alert everywhere" (Panopticism - Michael Foucault pg76) Foucault describes the surveyors gaze, which in this case is the manager/supervisor of the office, they are located in the room, so he/she can see every one no-one is hidden by small cellular offices, they are on full view to the surveyor encouraging self regulation. Some open plan offices are arranged so the workers can not see of hear each other freely, "no more bars, no more chains, no more heavy locks; all that the separations should clear and the openings well arranged." (Panopticism - Michael Foucault pg 83) Similar to the panoptic prisons promoting self regulation, the workers must be productive, achieve and work hard as the surveyor can see each individual desk where the workers are and what they are doing "this enclosed, segmented space, observed at every point, in which the individuals are inserted in a fixed place." (Michael Foucault - Panopticism pg 77) Most open plan offices located in high rise buildings, typically with the head or top office at the top of the building, giving you a sense of hierarchy but not just that, you are constantly reminded that you ware being looked down on by the boss Foucault describes this "he is seen but he does not see" (Micahel Foucault - Panopticism pg 80) you may never have seen or know who the top managers of the building are or who is even watching you. But you now you are being watched so you have to stay in order, behave and act appropriately. Most of open plan high rise offices have large windows in taking a large amount of light keeping the room bring and in view at all times. "full lighting and the eye of the supervisor capture better than darkness, which ultimately protected, visibility is a trap." (Michael Faucault - Panopticism pg 80) The open plan structure of the office gives no opportunity to hide away again promoting self regulation, making the workers more productive and useful.