Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison
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In Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Michel Foucault examines the historical shift in punishment from public spectacle to the more internalized discipline of the modern prison. He argues that this transformation reflects a broader change in how power operates in society, moving from overt coercion to subtle forms of control and surveillance.12
Foucault traces this evolution by analyzing penal practices, highlighting the transition from physical torture and public executions to the development of institutions like prisons. These institutions, he contends, aim to mold individuals through discipline, normalization, and the constant possibility of observation, as exemplified by the Panopticon design. The book explores how this disciplinary power shapes not only criminals but also other populations, influencing social structures and individual behavior.1
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