The Essays of John Berger, Laura Kipnis and Michele Foucault - Literature review Example

Michael foucault (1926-1984) was a French philosopher and theorist.... Though, foucault's views were revolutionary in the beginning, today they have become a part of normal medical practice (Nettleton, 1992).... According to Gilbert (2005), foucault was highly interested in the "manner in which knowledge and power circulated in a social setting.... foucault focused on the dangers posed by psychoanalysis in the development of a disciplinary society (Milchman, Rosenberg 2003)....

If there is one statement which really defines foucault it his own words describing him when he openly states 'Do not ask me who I am and do not ask me to remain the same' (foucault)(Smart).... foucault was one of the most controversial and influential European intellectuals in the second half of the 20th century.... hellip; foucault's wide range of influence ranging from history, to psychology, philosophy to politics and freedom is synthesis of his upbringing, education and very intense thinking....

Twenty years ago, Michel foucault was the most criticized postmodern theorists, while today he is recognized as the most influential thinker of our time and his ideas have become the part of human understanding of the world.... foucault's works have challenged virtually all fields and medicine (history, political economy, sociology, literature and psychology).... One of the ideas associate with foucault is that people are completely dominated by and subject to power....

One of the major characteristics of the specific work of foucault is the continuous reference to surveillance as a main element of the social and political life.... In… ce with foucault this sense of surveillance can begin by the town (as a representation of the society) in which ‘the existence of each street is placed under the authority of a syndic, who keeps it under surveillance' (foucault, 1995).... This structure resembles with a prison and in this way the argument of foucault that prison could be considered to have the same ‘structure' as a hospital or a school, could be justified....

Challenging and provocative, foucault's Panopticism, nonetheless, provides a realistic account of a sophisticated surveillance system, designed to stop the plague epidemic in the… Bentham's Panopticon is used as the foundational element of foucault's vision: designed as an annular building with the tower at its centre, the Panopticon is pierced with wide windows and divided into large cells (foucault).... The latter extend the width of 15 October foucault's Panopticism Panopticism is one of the most interesting and controversial works in the history of philosophy....

The paper under the title 'Michel foucault Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics' focuses on Michael foucault, an eminent social scientist who has been highly vociferous on the subject of power relationships within society and across global politics.... He describes it as a relation that is only visible when it is applied or used strategically in a situation to achieve one's own vested interests (foucault, 1982; Mills, 2003).... Thus, foucault's concept of power can easily be applied to international relations....

The author examines the involvement of foucault in the political life of the 20th century which can be characterized as of importance not only because this criticism referred to as many aspects as possible of people's lives but also because his criticism played a catalytic role to the reform … The direct criticism of political power by foucault has led – through the years - to the development of a series of 'trends' – like the 'Foucauldianism' presented above – but mostly it has led to the increase of criticism over the decisions of states regarding the regulation of various social activities and rights  In accordance with an article published in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 'almost all of foucault's works can be fruitfully read as philosophical in either or both of two ways: as a carrying out of philosophy's traditional critical project in a new (historical) manner; and as a critical engagement with the thought of traditional philosophers' (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2003, online article)....

In this essay, I discuss the differing standpoints of the two philosophers as presented in the essays.... Moreover, I try to establish the points of connections in the thinking based on the rhetorical questions entailed within the essays.... This essay "Panopticism by Michel foucault" describes the areas of differences and agreements in relation to the learning contexts.... nbsp;Both foucault and Freire's methodologies of interpersonal relations help the society, teachers to analyze common concerns in the education system....