Compare and Contrast Two Social Science Views about the Odering of Social Life

Michel Foucault and Erving Goffman’s work was centralised around there two different concepts of how your identity is formed through the process of power and expert knowledge. This Essay will discuss the ideas of Michel Foucault who was a French Social Theorist. His theories addressed the relationship between power and knowledge and how both of these are used as a form of social control through society. The essay will look at Foucault’s work in The Body and Sexuality, Madness and Civilisation and Discipline and Punish which displays how he conceptualised Power and identity on a Marxist and macro basis of study. The Essay will also address the Ideas of Erving Goffman who was A Canadian Born Sociologist who’s key study was what

7. Monasticism- The way of life characteristic of monks or nuns, in which they withdraw entirely or in part from society to devote themselves to prayer, solitude, and contemplation.

Social institutions such as that of family, religion, education, economic and political standings, are set standards or patterns of governing within society. In many cases, this is used to rule over others, in matters of wealth and hierarchy. These social institutions are important because they provide some structure for society. However, not all forms of structure are appropriate. Many of these behaviors are used to control

Sociology is the study of society. Through the centuries, sociologists have tried to provide an explanation as to why and how humans interact with each other on a social basis. Sociologists have divided sociology into two levels, microsociology and macrosociology (Sociology). The level of microsociology studies is on a smaller perspective, as macrosociology is the study of society on a larger analysis. Today, sociology has three major theories: symbolic interactionism, functionalism and conflict.

The Panopticon was a metaphor that allowed Foucault to show the relationship between the people in a disciplinary situation and the systems of social control. From his view, the concept of power/knowledge comes from observing others. Michel Foucault is one of the European philosopher/historian who wrote prodigiously and influentially on the origins or ‘archaeology’ of European social orders since the seventeenth century. For understanding of his work on social control is central to ‘Siberian’ section of Nights at the Circus, especially chapter 3 and 4 show the escape of a group of prisoners. Social order is considered by Foucault through institutional practice or ‘discourse’ that apply punitive and

It would seem rather apparent that in the institutions Foucault mentions are deluded forms of the panoptic prison, with the same intentions of controlling the masses and doing so economically and efficiently. Nevertheless, I do not concur with Foucault that the system is as prevalent when it comes to society as a whole. Unless the government or your neighbor were conducting sustained espionage, I do not see a strong connection to Foucault’s thought of the omnipresence of those overseeing bodies and connect them with the constant observation a prisoner would experience in a panoptic prison. Nor would I tie that Society attempts to instruct what is universally accepted and what is not. Regardless, many get away with doing things that society is against all the time. Even with that said society often evolves with the times, something that was looked upon with contempt before may now not be seen in the same light. Not to mention, as much as the government would desire to have the efficiency that a panopticon has there is no way without a massive move to remove all forms of privacy would society as a whole have a high correlation to

According to Foucault, individualism is harmful and is constructed through the acts of disciplinary power. Thus, Foucault describes disciplinary power as a new from of governance that modern society uses to exercise power through the use of constant surveillance (Rabinow, 1984). Disciplinary power works by conditioning, training and supervising individuals to behave in a publically accepted manner. Prior to the emergence of disciplinary power, traditional sovereign power was demonstrated which encouraged physical violence and strict rules and regulations to control individual (Rabinow, 1984). Controversially, disciplinary power is now a subtle form of physical power which renders more control but strays away from corporal punishment.

Are we truly free to do what we please? Foucault argues that most of our normal activities and behaviors are not our choosing, instead being unknowingly forced upon us. Most of the societal “norms” we claim as our own were actually instituted by our society in public institutions. Foucault argues that this is the reason behind the transition from public “spectacles”

Some would say society is unpredictable and uncontrollable; which some may view this as either a negative or positive. There have been multiple theories of what a more organized and harmonious society would need, also known as social order theories. According to Reference.com, social order theory is “the way a society is organized which includes the rules and standards that are set in order to maintain that organization”. We can see one an example of a social order being put to practice in a society through the social science fiction film The Giver. We can also see how this theory fits under the collectivism and rational quadrant on the spectrum of order. And lastly, we see a greater connection between the social order in the film and Marx’s

To ensure the orderliness and functioning of a society, there is often a power system or government structure in place. Now, there are many different systems of power, each based upon a different ideology or set of values. There can be corrupt governmental power systems that control almost every aspect of a society, totalitarianism for example, and there can also be purely democratic societies where the fate of the country rests in the majority of its members, and there can be anything in between. Michel Foucault, author of “Panopticism,” talks about what he calls “power relations” (187). A power relation is the connection between who or what has the power and how that power is projected. Foucault analyzed the design of Jeremy Bentham’s “panopticon”

Many are drawn to believe that social theories are analytical frameworks and or paradigms that are commonly used to examine social phenomena. In fact, the term “social theory” embraces ideas about how societies change and develop, the ways of explaining and interpreting social behavior, about power and social structure, as well as gender, and ethnicity (Harrington, 2005). All in all, the authors are driven to help use understand social theory for the end all purpose of better understanding the world around us. This is done so by covering such issues as the nature of social order, the nature of social action, and presenting a brief overview of the founding fathers of social theory as they move from individual to collective reasoning.

Collaboration among individuals and groups plays a crucial role in the creating a stable social structure. Academia, has had evolving views of how society is structure. Thomas Hobbes emphasized humane nature, and therefore social structure, in a ruthless state of conflict and competition. On the contrary, Durkheim highlighted the importance of solidarity among individuals in the creation of the social world. Nevertheless, following Simmel and Goffman demonstrated that solidarity and collaboration are not the only elements at play in producing social space. In fact, Georg Simmel explored the idea of competitions not has state of nature, but has instruments for shaping social relations and objectifying social values. Furthermore, Goffman established how competition is one of the major keys of social activity used for building face, or establishing an identity.Although both Simmel

In a community some form of order is an essential foundation for people to live and interact together. ‘’Order is part of the way people both imagine and practise their social existence.’’ (Silva et al., 2009, p. 311) Taylor (2004, p.58) argued that ‘’ the human capacity to imagine order is at the foundation of society itself.’’ (Taylor, cited in Silva et al., 2009 p.311) Social order draw in imagination, practices, the fitting together of people and things, and ideas about the past and the future. (Silva et al., 2009)There are many explanations of how social order is produced, Erving Goffman (1959, 1971 and 1972) and Michel Foucault

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In this reading report, it discusses the various perspectives about power, authority and legitimacy in the chapter titled Power, Authority and the State by Shaun Best. In this chapter Best draws various theories from a number of theorists that contributes to power, authority and legitimacy. From their perspectives, three have been chosen which are Anthony Giddens, Max Weber, and Michel Foucault. Their perspectives on the topic will be summarised and how power, authority and legitimacy can be seen in society that supports their theories.