PANOPTICON

Choose an example of one aspect of contemporary culture that is, in your opinion, panoptic. Write an explanation of this, in approximately 200-300 words, employing key Foucauldian language, such as 'Docile Bodies' or 'self-regulation, and using not less than 5 quotes from the text 'Panopticism' in Thomas, J. (2000) 'Reading Images', NY, Palgrave McMillan.


The hospital could be seen as a modern day equivalent to Michel Foucault's theory on Panopticism. "Each individual, in his place, is securely confined to a cell from which he is seen from the front by the supervisor; but the side walls prevent him from coming into contact with his companions. He is seen, but he does not see; he is the object of information, never a subject in communication."(P.85). The patient maybe in his/her room, and can see outside, but other patients can't see in, except the nurse/surgeon. In some circumstances the patient maybe in a coma or unconscious, in which case somebody else makes the decision to operate and seen as the 'object'.
They are set out in this way, so that they do not infect other people with their illnesses, "if they are patients, there is no danger of contagion..". (P.85)


The patient doesn't know when they are being watched, even when leaving the room, the camera's around the hospital are still 'watching'. This makes people in the hospital behave in a certain way, they are obedient to the hospital rules. Even when there is no one supervising, patients would still be obedient, and become a docile body.
"Hence the major effect of the Panopticon: to induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power.' (P.85)


The surveillance in the hospital relates to Foucault's panopticon theory, where the patients are registered in the hospital, and all their personal information (name, age, sex, health) is at the reception, or documents on the computer. "Surveillance is based on a system of permanent registration: reports from the syndics to the intendants, from the intendants to the magistrates or mayor." (A, Easthope & K, McGowan, 'A Critical and Cultural Theory Reader', Open University Press, Buckingham, p.82) The hierachy of people that the information gets passed on to can also be seen in the hospital.. from nurse to surgeon, for example.