PANOPTICISM: DISCIPLINE OR SOVEREIGNTY?

This is a short essay to analyze the concept of modern panopticism, whether it has the potential to bring discipline in the society and in its members or it is just another way to strengthen the sovereignty.

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? | A short essay by Tuba Naz.

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

Power has always been an inseparable element of human nature. The urge to have control over the world, nature and even over the fellow humans, lies in the very nature of human beings. Nietzsche called this urge the will to power. According to him, all life is governed by this need to be in charge, the will to power. This will to power is often disguised as improving life, controlling, managing, understanding, or influencing life, nature, the environment, society and human behavior. Power is generally taken in its negative sense, but it is essential to control the intersubjective relationship in the society. There are always some social evils prevail in the society, that need to be eliminated or controlled. Michel Foucault introduced another side of power, though his concept of power has been criticized for its vagueness and its generality. According to Foucault, power is not merely something that individuals, groups, or classes exercise, although it can be this but he argues that we are all entangled within the networks of power. As he claimed on several occasions, power is everywhere and everything, and is therefore dangerous. However, power, he argues, can be positive as well as negative, productive as well as exploitive. What is more, he insists that every instance of power brings with it an instance of resistance to power. In Discipline and Punish, Foucault provides a social theory; called panopticism which he claimed produces homogenous effects of power.1 Bentham was first to propose this concept by describing an architectural design of the prison. The prison is structured in such a way that it had total grip over prisoners bodies and mind. His panopticon

concept has two major features: isolation, and visibility, which meant to discipline the

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 202

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

lives of those within, the criminals, insane, workers or school children. The structure of the prison is a multi-floor circular building consists on individual separate cells so that the inmates are left with no means of communication, with windows in the outside wall of the cells so that the sunlight brighten the cells and the actions of inmates could be seen. A tower was situated in the center of the prison, and from the tower, the guards are able to watch each cell but it is impossible for inmates to locate when they were or were not being observed because the windows on the tower are fitted with blinds or other mechanisms. Foucault perceived this prison taking shape as a model for how society should work. The panopticon was also a laboratory; it could be used as a machine to carry out experiments, to alter behavior, to train or correct individuals.2 By transforming the structure of other institutions, like work places, school and hospitals, according to the panoptic conception to examine their personalities so as to control and improve individuals behavior. According to Foucault, panoptic is a mechanism of power through which individuals are controlled in such a way that they will conform to the system. This system is neither referred to a single authority, nor to any set of values. In the modern liberal society, it is impossible to track down the origin of power, since the liberal values like freedom, equality; relativism and other have narrowed the space for an absolute authority. Power is not static, but it is constantly circulating in the society. It is scattered among the institutions in the society, every institution as well as individual, more or less, hold the
2

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 203

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

power and this is the reason why the positive effectiveness of panopticon mechanism can be seen in such a society. Foucault explained that, to manipulate people by violence and punishment were the old method used back in 16th centaury where origins of power and authorities were visible. Public execution and torture were important for the order of discipline and to justify the control and power of authority, the audiences were needed to see the ritual so the fear would be engraved in their mind. Foucault announced that Benthams panopticon concept has changed the course of these old traditional methods. Now, there is no need for the public torture, also there is no space for such inhuman things to show to the people living in the world where human rights are one of the pillars of political and social anatomy. While, on the one hand, the disciplinary establishments increase, their mechanisms have a certain tendency to become 'de-institutionalized', to emerge from the closed fortresses in which they once functioned and to circulate in a 'free' state; the massive, compact disciplines are broken down into flexible methods of control, which may be transferred and adapted.3 What are these new, "flexible" methods? They are techniques of examination and gathering information about individuals and creating a profile about them. The processes of observation and collecting information are collected by medical tests at workplaces and schools. There are similarities here with the concept of the "clinical

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 211

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

gaze" that Foucault relates in his history of medicine, The Birth of the Clinic. Other examination is carried in schools by looking for underlying reasons for a student's poor behavior by inquiring about his family life or talking to neighbors, and friends. In short, they are all around us. In Discipline and Punish, the chapter Panopticism can be considered as the heart of the book, where Foucault discusses a plague-stricken society that sets a ideal example of perfect governance. To eliminate the affected people and to control the disease, all people had been placed into separated houses with no means of communication from outside world, and examination and observation have been carried out. But why did Foucault describe a plague-stricken society? The plague represents the loss of order, and if the examination and controlling measures is not taken, there are chances of abnormality spread in society, and it would not be viable to estimate that how many people have been affected. Perhaps a society is always under some sort of plague. This decade has contributed the word terrorism in the list, which is now being used in many contexts. After the 9/11 incident, the major shift occurred in thoughts and perspectives which is a significant reason of the current condition of the societies. Several measures have been taken against terrorism, but still any activity against the liberal value or human rights is now associated with terrorism, without hesitation. Religion is also considered as a threat after this incident. Extremist religious people have been considered a danger to the society. The traces of Foucaults panopticon conception can be easily traced in our society. One aspect of how this disciplinary mechanism is applied to todays society is through the

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

subject of security. He highlighted the disciplinary potential of surveillance system. He explained the power embedded in the act of collecting information and its analysis which could transform the society in the desirable structure. The surveillance is offered for our own security purpose, but this appealing strategy has another side. Though all the security is for our sake, to keep us safe, but on the other hand, arent we also being the one observed? All of us are being observed in the same way as if we are all accused and only waiting to be caught red-handed, as all the criminals were also the respected citizen before they were discovered as an unhealthy part of the society. Panopticism is the general principle of a new political anatomy whose object and end are not the relations of sovereignty, but the relations of discipline.4 In this quote, Foucault has stated that the panoticon concept is not meant to justify or accumulate the sovereignty, but it is a mechanism suitable for the new political anatomy. However, we will see that how much the modern panoptic mechanism is workable to carry out equal effects of power, and what measurements are applied in order to make a disciplinary society, and are these measures have sole purpose to bring discipline in individuals lives or it is also a scheme to attain sovereignty? The tragedy of the modern society is that people are deliberately blinded by the shining of liberal ideas of freedom and human rights, and therefore they have blindly bought the destructive instruments for those notions which they want to protect. The appealing feature of this disciplinary mechanism is that it looks vulnerable. It talks about your protection of freedom and rights, but on the other hand, it is the one who exploits them.
4

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 218

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

Why do the billions dollars worth of satellites sent into space? Is their only purpose to fulfill the requirements of people? Why do internet, cell phones, credit cards have become accessible to an ordinary man? Is it only for the notion of fair distribution? They make transparent offices because they look beautiful? The purpose of cell phone is to receive and send message to contact someone, so why it has cameras installed in it? Of course it is to make your life more fancy and luxurious. But doesnt it make people feel insecure at the same time? Everyone knows that in malls, schools, offices, gyms, hospitals and more than that in everyones cell phones, cameras are installed everywhere, the fear of being captured in a moment by anyone is engraved in our consciousness. We all are caught up in the trap of visibility. It would not be wrong to call this age cam-era.5 Benthams architect panopticism has been gradually replaced by technological panopticism. It is not a surprised because apart from healthy and useful development in science and technology, it has also been used as a great weapon to control and destroy whether it is nature or human freedom. Foucault discusses that there is no need to harass people by old traditional methods in order to conform them to the system, because we have discovered an effective weapon i.e. visibility, to manipulate individuals minds. Because, without any physical instrument other than architecture and geometry, it acts directly on individuals, it gives power of mind over mind.6 This is the Foucaults discussion of power of gaze. Visibility is a

www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/camera.pdf

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 206

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

trap.7 Certainly, if a person is in a visible situation and he is content with the feeling of being watched, even if no one is actually watching him, he will still feel uncomfortable and insecure to act against the laws and will avoid any immoral act, because he is an constant fear of being discovered, even if he has never attempted any immoral act in his life. Visibility is a weapon through which the control over human mind is achieved and then to manipulate individuals is not a difficult task. The difference between the Benthams panopticism and the modern form of panopticism is that now we dont see the observation tower. Todays panopticism plays god. Since one cannot locate the eyes which observe us, he will be unconsciously restrained from immoral actions. A person who believes in god would not commit those actions which are prohibited by god, even he is alone in the room, and he is certain that no one is watching him, but his faith in god will not let him do anything against his religion or beliefs. Similarly, we know that an eye is watching us, but it is invisible from us. This invisible power does not submit to any top position, like king or prince because the liberal society does not need any king. This is the reason why this mechanism is perfect for our society where anyone can be accused for doing wrong. How many people are honest with their duties and responsible when their actions are not being watched? Will a government clerk not use the government land line for his personal use? How many students will not cheat in exams when teacher has left the examination room? But certainly, if they are consciously aware the fact that they are being observed, they wont try to risk their respectable image as a student or employee. This is the

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 200

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

power of this disciplinary mechanism. No one has shown anyone the violent tortures, but only the fear of unknown stops them to get involved in any immoral or illegal activities. This fear of unknown which is out of ones control and comfort zone. Human beings have the need to be in control of their lives and this unknown does not let them to do it. The fear of unknown is the ideal to restrict a person to cross the line determined for him. We know that we are not constantly being watched, but we dont know when and where we will be traced with the appliances with which we are surrounded. New technological innovations allow federal agencies to track down anyones movements. Many things people use in their daily life can be used to trace their actions, for instance all the websites u browse on the internet, the stuffs you buy with your credit card, social security numbers, your ATMs, every number you dial on your phone, if all things can be traced by FBI or government agencies, so it can also be traced by some blackmailer hacker. Google earth is a pretty accessible tool and it can easily use for tracing. Modern panopticon mechanism has been taken in negative sense and has been criticized severally. However the facts are, for every society, it is always needed to control mass. Individuals are born from this mass when the discipline prevails through it. Individuals in a society are in a complex network of power relationship whether they desire or not. At some point, everyone holds a position of authority, or is subjected to it. But most of them take it for granted. Even the smallest amount of authority can be dangerous if it is used cleverly. Laws do not just happen to be there; but they are the product of circumstance. The precautions are always taken when there is a sense of

PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

danger. The more complex any society becomes, the great control is needed to synthesize it. In buildings, hospitals, especially in public places like shopping malls and banks, there are cameras placed everywhere, but this technology has become much sophisticated that in order to remove blind spots; they place some micro hidden cameras which cannot be seen by people. When you go to the super market, you may have noticed security cameras at the end of shelves and rows, also sometime there is a red label on walls of marts that reads, the eye of the camera is watching you. As if we are thieves, and we are waiting for a chance to slide in some goods. But in reality, how many of us are responsible citizen or even an honest person? Lets consider a situation, someone breaks a cup in a supermarket, and by coincidence no one was around and there isnt any camera nearby. Will he take the responsibility and pay for the broken glass? He might do so, but how many of us are honest and are ready to take responsibility of our actions. The ratio of dishonesty will be more than honesty. Panopticism does not only help to develop the power but also offers an ideal manner in which the state exercises the power. Not only in political context but-"it can be integrated into any function (education, medical treatment, production, punishment in short, it arranges things in such a way that the exercise of power is not added on from the outside, like rigid, heavy constraint, to the functions it invests, but is so subtly present in them as to increase their efficiency by itself increasing its own point of

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PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

contact.8 It is not any inflexible control applied by some authority from outside, but it is penetrated in the society and in its members. History is full of unfortunate events caused by unfair distribution and abuse of power. However, the power produced by panopticon, claimed by Foucault, is productive in a way that it increases welfare, education, wealth, and helps to improve social condiation by detecting and eliminating social evils. The progress and efficiency in panoptic mechanism raises when the number of controlled people increases and the number of the people in control decreases. Space is necessary to exercise power; the prison provides the space to exercise the power of panopticiam. Panopticon disciplinary mechanism, provided by Foucault, is applied in different contexts in urban spaces, but its purpose is same, which is to benefit individual and establish discipline. The modern architecture shift can also be seen as another implication of panopticism. But its nature is different from the old architecture panopticon. As compared to Benthams panopticon prison, the visibility was one way. Only the guards could see the inmates in their cells, but the inmates cannot be certain that by whom and when they are being observed. The observer remains invisible, hidden in the tower, but the modern architecture has different potential to influence peoples behavior. The fondness to build fancy houses and building has always been in the society as a symbol of status and luxury, but in which the preference has been changed along the change in thoughts prevail in the society. Now the use of transparent glass in offices, houses, and apartment buildings are becoming popular among people.

Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 206

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PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

The idea of transparency as the aesthetic feature of modern construction design has influenced the minds of people. Transparent fronts of apartment buildings, glass walls in offices and large windows and transparent sliding doors style are considered fashionable regardless the underlying potential this structure has to bring change in people behaviors. In this way the habitants can see each other, and the disciplinary potential grows both ways. The role of media in the awareness of terrorist activities is prominent. First, the fear of insecurity is implanted, and then the solution of this insecurity is provided which could have unexpected insecure consequences. People fine themselves trapped in an undefined surveillance grid that at the same time threatens and protects their freedoms.9 The implementations of modern security protocols like the facial recognition surveillance mechanisms, naked-body scanners in the airports and other visual surveillance apparatus left policy makers, commentator and public leave wondered about its results. These inquiry surveillance systems are brutal invading the privacy of people behind the label for their own security purpose. Facial recognition systems are tools for detaching and sorting out suspected dangerous persons in the urban environment and reducing fear through the collection of knowledge. They magnify and sharpen vision and awareness, with the hope that observers will be able to see a threat before it can become reality. But seeking to protect society from insecurity with the pervasive gaze of facial recognition may generate heretofore-unimagined insecurities.10

10

http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/modulating www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/facial.pdf

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PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

Paradoxically, the services of such system may add essential insecurity in peoples life by changing society in unpredicted directions. The prediction about what is not yet, may be a useful precaution to save the future but what if the predictions are wrong, and still the society is enforced to change for only the possibility of what if which probably would never happen. Facial recognition software signifies a leap in the disciplinary mechanism, because it inherits the power and potential of the surveillance to efficiently collect information and analysis. Its limitless gaze over the public and private spaces of urban life makes it reliable and desirable despite its intruding nature in private spheres. In contrast with facial recognition system, the naked-body scanner is highly criticized and opposed by critics, civil liberties organizations, commentators, and public. Israeli security expert Rafi Sela, for example, suggests that naked body scanners are useless (Schmidt 2010)11. Apart from moral issue, it has boldly put aside all civil liberal rights of citizens. Passengers, regardless their age and gender are made to prove their innocence by submitting to surveillance regimes that degrade and harass; citizens rights are removed as security protocols are intensified.12 The panopticon prison conception is now carried into the broader world of social relations. Sovereignty is distributed and dominant authorities from past are no longer in absolute power. Now, government agencies, police, and military authority is made to run people but the people running them are also citizen. However, criminal activities are reported to these authorities, and we are aware that we are being observed in the same way that we expect the wrong-doers to be observed. We are a part of this whole mechanism. We transmit and receive information about ourselves and others; we
11 12

www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/facial.pdf Ibid pg. 11

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PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

partake and also treated as an object of information. We remain segment, as are the inmates of Benthams imagined prison; yet, we are not physically separated from our fellow prisoners. Apparently we move freely in the society and interact with each other with no restrictions, but we still carry with us our own invisible cell, i.e., the awareness that we are in the gaze of others as well as the observation towers focused upon us. We are the panoptic mechanism; yet, we do not control it. We enable it, yet it does not truly control us. We are unrelated at this point, yet deeply embedded in our societal discourses that it cannot be efficiently be run by one person or group of people. The panoptic model causes us to control ourselves, and it runs without our conscious manipulation conscious manipulation. This is the framework in which we are living in.

Panopticism: Discipline or Sovereignty? Submitted to: Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Meher. Professor of Philosophy, University of Karachi. Submitted by: Tuba Naz M.A. in Philosophy. University of Karachi. Dated: December 2011.

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PANOPTICISM: Discipline or Sovereignty? A short essay by Tuba Naz.

REFERENCES 1. Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 202 2. Ibid pg. 203 3. Ibid pg. 211 4. Ibid pg. 218 5. www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/camera.pdf 6. Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish: the Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan (New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977) pg. 206 7. Ibid pg. 200 8. Ibid pg. 206 9. http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php/surveillance-andsociety/article/view/modulating 10. www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/facial.pdf 11. www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(3)/facial.pdf 12. Ibid pg. 11

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