Pomo theorist: Focault

Objective: -to be able to understand Focault’s theory

Outcome:-be able to apply his theory to media ‘texts’

starter

• Let’s set up…..

1 2

KatiaPatrycia

KellyJudy

TaylaCourtney

NoorGelsomina

Leticia

Starter 1

• A) 3 prison officers, 5 prisoners– Officers in centre– Prisoners around them

• B) 3 prison officers, 5 prisoners– Officers in classroom– Prisoners in small room (cell)

Starter 1 - Questions• Scene A

– How did you feel?– Why did you feel that way?– How did you behave?– Why do you think you behaved that way?

• Scene B– How did you feel?– Why did you feel that way?– How did you behave?– Why do you think you behaved that way?

• The difference?– How do did you behave differently from scene a to b?– Why do you think you behaved differently?

Starter 2

• Imagine your ‘best’ Facebook profile picture– Does it actually look like the ‘real’ you?– How did you make yourself look ideal?– Why did you make yourself look ideal?– Why do you think the idea of an audience looking at this

picture/profile changes you and your behaviour?– What is the ‘effect’ of ‘idealising’ yourself online?

Key terms

• Pan = ?

• Optic = ?

• Voyeurism = ?

Key terms

• Pan = sweeping movement to reveal more (broad view or broad in scope)

• Optic = using sight

• Voyeurism = the act of watching

Key Terms

• Panopticon = circular prison well cells around outside with central surveillance station

• Panoptic/Panoptical = including everything visible in 1 view

Panopticon – the prison

• The Panopiticon was an innovate prison design by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1785. In it, he designed a prison in which all inmates could be constantly watched or be under the threat of being watched.

Michel Foucault (1926-1984)

• Foucault's ideas centred on History, particularly around how we know about the world around us and each other. He wrote extensively on the history of sexuality and gender and was a pioneer of "Queer Theory" he main contributions include.

• Panopticalisation • Knowledge and Power

• He died from an AID's related illness in 1984

Focault – main points • Foucault's ideas explain why we are so obsessed with Voyeurism in

Postmodernity.

• Foucault thought that ‘the panopticon’ was interesting and started to apply the idea to Society

• Foucault suggested that the act of watching (voyeurism) was an act of power and control on part of the viewer. We are never ourselves in social situations until we are alone away from others controlling sight.

• Because of this people act differently and the act of watching becomes an act of control. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

• Recently Foucault's ideas have been used to understand Reality TV and the Media.

Model

CCTV

Public being watched (under surveillance)

They can see cameras and know they are placed all

around

Police/authority have control over public

public./criminals might act a certain way to prevent getting caught as they know they are being

watched

(not break law)(or do it anyways!!!)

Controversy: can’t people be trusted?

Being watched all the time could be invasion of

privacy

This footage might even get used in TV reality shows (police) where people can often get

misrepresented

When authority watch, they are being voyeurs

TaskGroup 1 Group 2 Group 3

Catfish

*think about different types of watching – there

are many layers!

Reality TV shows:

Such as….-big brother/

-I’m a celeb, get me out of here!

-X factor

*try to compare similarities/differences

between them

Social Networking:

Facebook, twitter etc

Task• To what extent are these texts ‘Panopticon’s?

• How does the feeling change for the audience vs. the people being watched?

• Are the people in the texts (contestants/people’s profile) real or hyperreal? How? Why?

• How does it feel watching these texts?

• The audience are voyeurs; are they dependant on observing others? Why?

• How is the audience ‘in control’ while watching/observing these texts?

Presentations

• Present your sheets

Summary of Focualt

Voyeurism (the act of watching) changes the way people behave/present themselves

Reality TV reflects a voyeuristic Postmodern society

Social Networking and the internet give us greater control over voyeurism

Homework – Due _____

• Choose 1, 2, 3 of the ‘texts’ today.

• Task: Write a written response applying Focault’s theory

– Start essay by explaining context of the panopticon and Focault’s theory (main points)

– Use the questions as prompts

– If doing 2-3 texts, compare similarities/differences

– About 1-1 ½ pages