panopticism

Panopticism

            In “discipline and punish: the birth of the prison,” Michel Foucault basis his interpretation of discipline, power and observation through his description of a Panopticon. Panopticon originated from Bentham who described it as an architectural figure that contains structures that fulfills the very essence of power. His focus on the panopticon is mentioned so he could provide the reader with the bigger picture of his argument. Foucault describes it as a building in which the exercise of power may be supervised by society as whole (294).   He points out that a panopticon resembles hospitals, schools, and factories, which means our society has in fact turned into some sort of prison that is controlled by power.