panopticon

The **panopticon** is an architectural figure created by Jeremy Bentham which is an annular building. A tower stands central to this annular building that is divided into cells. Each cell extends the entire thickness of the building to allow inner and outer windows. Each cell is backlit. A central guarded tower may or may not occupied by a guard. At any given time prisoners are unaware of the guards gaze because they cannot see them. The guards hide from the prisoners view.

//Seeing without being seen.//

Bentham derived a list of benefits from his ‘inspection-house’ • Morals reformed • Health preserved • Industry invigorated • Instruction diffused • Public burdens lightened

Panopticism is an architectural model, originally for prison that can be seen a metaphor for the way in which power works. Prisoners feel the gaze upon them and regulate their behaviour accordingly due to the central guard tower that looks out on these prison cells. Structure of surveillance whether active or not produces conforming behaviour and acts as a powerful metaphor for the way the circulation of power produces particular kinds of behaviours. Panopticism was Foucault’s theory used to characterize the ways that modern social subjects regulate their own behavior. These kinds of systems are in place to encourage one to self regulate, and then internalize a managerial gaze that watches over, thus, this imagined gaze makes one behave and conform.



Picture from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/Panopticon.jpg


 * Bibliography**

1. Strurken, Marita and Lisa Carthwright. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford University Press: Great Britain. 96 - 100. 2. Webster, Frank. The Information Society Reader. Routledge: London. 302 - 312.