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Gender and Foucault, 2008.
This paper discusses textual construction of gender differentiation in texts of Sigmund Freud, Nancy Chodorow and Michel Foucault.
1,000 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 57.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the issue of gender differentiation is a highly contentious one. The writer points out that this involves not only questions of how the process occurs in humans, but also its political associations in terms of power relations between the sexes, and institutional power in western societies in general. In order to understand the significance of the textual construction of gender differentiation the writer maintains that it would be useful to consider Foucault's analysis of how the medical community has played a major role in exploring this issue. Foucault's analysis is important for he does not simply consider the debates over gender differentiation to involve simply questions of biology and psychology, or even gender relations between the sexes. Instead, the writer notes that Foucault asks that we consider the textual explorations themselves as instruments of power by which medical institutions and society define and control sexuality.
From the Paper
"This "debate" between Chodorow and Freud with regard to the differentiation of gender can thus be seen as a struggle for gender power in society as a whole. The capacity to define one or the other gender as a normative state of humanity is clearly an assertion of power. However, in a larger analysis, Foucault would suggest that we see both researchers as been fundamentally similar in that they both partake of an institutional approach to infantile sexuality in the medical and scientific community which has, as its ultimate purpose, the assertion of control and domination over children's sexuality through processes of surveillance and behaviour modification. These processes with regard to the development of gender differentiation, Foucault argues, can be seen in the rendering as "perverse" such gendered states as "homosexuality" in children. This is revealing of the instrumentality through which western societies have, for at least the past few centuries, applied significant efforts to the control of individuals through the control of sexuality and - in particular - the power to define sexuality according to the interests of institutional powers."
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Foucault and Butler on Gender, 2006.
A comparative analysis of the different approaches of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler in tackling the construction of sexuality and gender.
1,828 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 94.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, in the introduction to the "History of Sexuality", Foucault argues that in the 17th century the role of sex and sexual activity in the discourse of western society made a fundamental and radical change. It also looks at how, in "Discipline and Punish", Foucault argues that obsessions over sexuality and society's approval or disapproval of specific actions occurs because of the infinite diffusion of power which is found as the basis of western society. In comparison, it looks at how two decades later, Butler employed themes from Foucault's philosophy in order to argue her case for the arbitrariness of anatomical sex, gender identity and gender performance. It shows that through the arguments in her work, "Gender Trouble", Butler concludes that there is no essential relationship between a person's anatomical sex, her self-identified gender and the gender performance she enacts to fulfill society's expectations of the norm.
From the Paper
"Foucault's analysis of discourses on sex comes as a reaction to the more commonly-held belief that there was a society-wide discourse of repression in regards to sex. Foucault argues against this; he questions whether or not "sexual repression is truly an established historical fact"; whether "prohibition, censorship, and denial truly the forms through which power is exercised in a general way, if not in every society, most certainly in our own"; and whether "there really was a historical rupture between the age of repression and the critical analysis of repression". Foucault argues that through the evolution of Christian pastoral practices, specifically that of confessions regarding sexual sins, society was compelled to begin an elaborate and never-ceasing discourse on sex. "
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Gender as Performance, 2007.
This paper provides an analysis of Judith Butler's perspective on gender as performance while reviewing her article "Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire".
1,968 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 5 sources, APA, AU$ 100.95
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Abstract
In this essay, the writer notes that explaining and critiquing Judith Butler's notion of gender as performance requires examining her article, "Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire" and comparing Butler's views to those of other feminists and sociologists. The writer points out that Butler's notion of gender as performance is primarily based on her interpretations of Foucault and Nietzsche and can best be described as calling upon women to challenge the language of internalization by physically signifying their very essence, style, and necessity. The writer concludes that Butler's approach to formulating a feminist language involves overcoming cultural constructs of gender by redefining gender as performance and rejecting outmoded forms of expressing gender identity and sexuality.
From the Paper
"In practical terms, this means that acts, gestures, and expressions of desires create the illusion of a socially conformist gender identity, which reflects society's determination to regulate sexuality in accordance with traditional standards of acceptable conduct and behavior."
"Through insights such as this, sociologists like Butler have contributed to a broader understanding of gender issues, for they have studied unexamined aspects of gender such as the sexuality of women who have desires considered to be on the margins of society, and have examined manifestations of gender behavior that lie outside the traditional areas of social interaction. Some of their conclusions have stirred controversy, but this is to be expected in a prevailing social and cultural environment which discourages frank discussions about sexuality."
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Resisting Truth: Foucault and Power, 2005.
An analysis of how philosopher Michael Foucault characterizes power, resistance, freedom and sexuality.
881 words (approx. 3.5 pages), 5 sources, APA, AU$ 50.95
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Abstract
Philosopher Michael Foucault has had an extraordinary impact on the way in which power and sexuality are understood in modern society. This paper aims to enlighten the reader towards a broader understanding of sexuality and power according to Foucault. It also tests and questions Foucault's theories as they exist when practically applied.
Outline
Introduction
Foucault on Power
Foucault on Resistance and Freedom
Foucault and Sexuality
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Foucault has gone on in his later work to clarify the practice of freedom. Foucault talks of a subject as a work of art and as being ruled by the self upon the self, with intentional and voluntary acts . It is within this later work that Foucault appears to contradict himself. He requires that this rule not be prescriptive from an outside source and yet in his earlier work he made it clear that self-regulation with regards to an external, prevailing discourse is so prevalent in modern society as to be barely discernible. Whilst it may not be a true contradiction, it is hard to marry the two theories and to distinguish between the negative self-regulation and the positive rule applied by self upon self. "
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"Gender Trouble", 2002.
An analysis of the book, "Gender Trouble", by Judith Butler.
1,506 words (approx. 6.0 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 79.95
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Abstract
In "Gender Trouble", Judith Butler provides an in-depth inquiry into the nature of social differences between the genders in the tradition of feminist critical theory. This paper explains how, building upon the traditional theories of those such as Julia Kristeva, Butler addresses the role of women in the psychology of Freud, Lacan, Foucault and others. It shows that, rather than taking Kristeva?s approach, however, Butler critiques Freud in another way, questioning the idea of male or female self-identification. Butler wishes to demonstrate that gender is an act, a set of customs and norms that are internalized for the sake of maintaining social ties and interactions in a ?male vs. female? world.
From the Paper
"Butler illustrates that there is a category, ?woman,? and seeks to discover its nature. She notes that in the work of Lacan and his contemporaries, ?woman? was always the other of ?man,? and that women were not part of the equation: if one could say that psychology has a protagonist, the protagonist of the work of psychologists like Lacan and Freud was male or at the very least traditional. However, she notes that in feminist theory, the existence of the same category, ?women? precludes other categorical notions that could preclude gender identity, such as race or class identity. As such, she claims that women are estranged in both psychoanalytical and feminist equations and that ?women? is seen as a stronger category than other qualifiers such as class or cultural tradition."
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"Gender" and "Sex", 2002.
A look at the important clarification of the terms "gender" and "sex".
2,276 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 15 sources, MLA, AU$ 113.95
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Abstract
This essay examines the emerging trend and, indeed, necessity to distinguish between the two terms "gender" and "sex". It examines the introduction and usage of both terms and the subsequent historical development, including the power benefits that the biological reductionism of "sex theory" encompasses. Through specific reference to sociological schools of thought, such as structural functionalism, feminist critique, role theory, social constructionism and post-structuralist theory, an argument for the need for distinction between "gender" and "sex" is established. With references to Foucault, Derrida, and Judith Butler, this essay examines the need for a biological ("sex") and social ("gender") specificity of sexuality, proposing a conceptually accurate path forward for the future.
From the Paper
"The terms ?sex role,? ?sex role socialisation,? ?gender role,? and the term ?role? itself, have become so confused and definitionally abstract that it is often inadequate or even incorrect to use such terms. Many individuals do however. The terms ?sex? and ?gender? are infinitely bandied about, consistently interchanged, and often stand proxy for one another, in every imaginable discourse and social institution. This is because ?sex? and ?gender? are the foundational concepts upon which society is built. Sex and gender is integral to every social structure, having far-reaching implications that shape individuals? opportunities for safety, employment, education, family, legal access, fecundity, knowledge production and much, much more. However, the challenge here is to understand such implications within a conceptually accurate framework. The development of sex/gender theorising has met this challenge, and the fact that some sociologists today reject the terms ?sex roles? and ?sex role socialisation? is a reflection of the changing and developing nature of the theoretical framework. It is only through an examination of the history of sex/gender theory however that it is possible to determine how and why these same sociologists have rejected the frameworks that they have."
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Comparing Michel Foucault and Jean-Francois Lyotard, 2007.
This paper compares the philosophies of Michel Foucault and Jean-Francois Lyotard through two of their works.
2,832 words (approx. 11.3 pages), 4 sources, APA, AU$ 136.95
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Abstract
This paper compares Michel Foucault and Jean-Francois Lyotard, both early postmodern philosophers, through the use of two of their works, as well as other sources. These works are Foucault's "The Body of the Condemned" and Lyotard's "The Postmodern Condition". In addition to these works, other information about Foucault and Lyotard is used to indicate the similarities and differences between these two works, their philosophies and their beliefs. While the two works are analyzed, the overall philosophies of Foucault and Lyotard are also addressed.
Outline:
Michel Foucault
Jean-Francois Lyotard
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Foucault fits into the general philosophical tradition, but it is the critical tradition, similar to Kant, and most of what Foucault writes about and proclaims is a very critical history where human nature and thought is concerned (Foucault, n.d.). This does not mean that the history of ideas that he discusses is also an analysis of the errors that might be seen when issues are examined after the fact. Instead, it should be taken to mean that Foucault's work is an analysis based on the relationship between object and subject, and what conditions are seen to either form or modify those relationships (Foucault, n.d.)."
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Identity, Gender and Academic Theory, 2005.
A review of a number of articles discussing identity, gender and academic issues.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 4 sources, AU$ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper briefly summarizes articles by Stuart Hall, Michael Foucault, Judith Butler and Lisa Duggan. The paper responds to set questions pertaining to identity, gender, the body in relation to the human being and gaps between academic theory, culture and social reality. The paper discusses the articles broadly towards critical responses.
From the Paper
"Responses to Readings in Relation to Questions I Stuart Hall. "Cultural Identity and Diaspora", in J.E. Braziel and A. Mannur. (ed) Theorizing Diaspora. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1988), 233-246. Stuart Hall notes the rise of a Caribbean cinema that he sees as indicative of various 'Third Cinemas', addressing post-colonial subjects, in contrast with Western depictions of the Afro-Caribbean or Asian of Caribbean origin. He notes which identities have come to be enunciated, as opposed to projected upon non-Western groups to observe them, and writes in terms of identity, and also, in terms of identity as a production, or an unfinished project that is continually debated, in our day. (p. 234)"
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Michel Foucault?s ?Discipline and Punish?, 2002.
This paper reviews a chapter, titled ?Illegalities and Delinquency?, from the book, ?Discipline and Punish?, by philosopher Michel Foucault, which examines the history of the modern penal system.
765 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses that, in the chapter titled ?Illegalities and Delinquency?, Foucault focuses specifically on the concept of imprisonment. The author explains that Foucault calls the prison system a "carceral system", a method of discipline that extends beyond the physical prison itself into society. The paper states that Foucault points out that, despite the repeated failures, the fundamental principles of prison have remained the same for 150 years.
From the Paper
"Finally, the penal system indirectly contributes to delinquency by throwing the prisoner?s entire family into destitution. When the head of the family is thrown in prison, the mother is usually unable to earn enough to feed her children. This encourages abandonment. The whole family is reduced to ?vagabondage and begging? (229). Often the temptation to steal out of desperation or hunger becomes too great to resist."
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Foucault and Subjectivity, 2003.
An examination of Foucault's complex conception of the human subject.
2,498 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 121.95
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Abstract
Michel Foucault rejected the vast majority, if not all, of political and social theory. Foucault was inspired by Nietzsche's conception of the human world, but thought that "power" could not only explain the individual's condition, but also that of social life. Foucault's ideas on individuation, subjectivity, disicipline, sovereignty and power are all carefully explained, focusing on the relationship between body and subject.
From the Paper
"One of the most striking aspects in the work of Michel Foucault is his relationship between power and subjectivity. Foucault strongly rejects the notion of psychoanalysis, that human beings are individual subjects first and social agents second. Foucault believes that such a claim is far too simple. Human beings are neither individuals nor social agents, but individualised through power, beyond the specifics of sociological study. However the power that Foucault explores does not exist in and of itself. Rather, it is a relationship between institutions and bodies, extracting, harnessing, destroying and creating certain forces and drives in bodies. This process changes human beings from physical bodies into subjects. That is not to suggest that the process of individuation is uniform and generic. The opposite is in fact true. Foucault looks at several modes of subjectivication and while they are not mutually exclusive, nor are entirely independent, it is important to note and examine their differences. Different methods of applying power to bodies results in different individuals being produced. It is against this backdrop of subjectivication where we will begin our exploration. Originally, this essay will carefully consider Foucault?s estimations of sovereign and disciplinary power, both as separate structures and in contrast with each other. From that point, we can proceed into making an evaluation of Foucault?s explanations, with note as to the advantages and disadvantages of Foucault?s striking conception of the human subject."
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Michel Foucault, on Subjectivity, 2005.
An examination of Michel Foucault's theory of subjectivity.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at Foucault's theory of subjectivity and how it is developed. The paper is based on work from Foucault's book, "Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth" and attempts to explain Foucault's claim that subjectivity is not given but is an effect of power, knowledge and other techniques.
From the Paper
"Subjectivity is the way in which an individual perceives the world and it differs from one human being to another. Unlike objectivity in which the object under consideration is considered based on observable facts that are perceived the same way by everyone, subjectivity is based on an individual's own experience of life and his own ideas. Subjectivity is based upon analysis of an individual's opinions which in turn are based on his past experiences and what he knows from what he has learned in the course of his..."
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Foucault on Disciplinary Power, 2005.
An analysis of Michel Foucault's concept of disciplinary power in his book "Discipline and Punish".
1,925 words (approx. 7.7 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 99.95
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Abstract
In his book "Discipline and Punish", Michel Foucault analyses the rise of a new type of disciplinary power, one linked to knowledge, techniques of surveillance, and the production of 'truth'. This paper looks at Foucault's analysis of the 'technological take-off in the productivity of power' and how he saw power as utilising the 'techniques' of the production of truth, knowledge, and surveillance. It also covers the idea of power acting through the subjectification of individuals. Finally, it attempts to analyse Foucault's framework for understanding culture, and the extent to which it is useful for this purpose.
From the Paper
"To understand how Foucault uses the idea of knowledge as power, it is perhaps most useful for us to first look at how truth is produced, i.e. how 'regimes of truth' came about, and how these are used to legitimise knowledge in order for knowledge to have status and thus be used in power relations. For the production of truth both makes claim to power and sustains and justifies it. Foucault questions the absolute truth of knowledge and sees truth as being something constructed to impose ideas of what is right and true (Fillingham 1993:5-7). "
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Michel Foucault, 2002.
An analysis of the philosophy and writings of Michel Foucault.
981 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper gives a biography of the life and works of the French philosopher Michel Foucault. It shows through his writings, how Foucault was more than simply a philosopher, but was also a scholar and a thinker and how his definition of truth may be one of the most "truthful" and meaningful definitions we have today, especially when power is brought into the equation. The paper discusses how he believed that power and truth and untruth indeed go hand in hand and how Foucault's philosophy of thought had everything to do with his outlook, his teachings and his ultimate domination of the field of thought and philosophical thinking.
From the Paper
"Emotionally, it does not seem that philosophy has anything to do with discovering the ultimate truth, but without philosophy, how would one even know to wonder what truth is? Foucault's definition may be cynical, but it does indeed cause the reader to think, and do look for their own definition of the truth, and isn't that what philosophy is really all about? It encourages thought and discovery, just as Foucault's works inspire thought and discovery. We do not have to agree with the philosopher or his philosophy as long as we discover our own."
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Foucault and Garlands' Styles., 2005.
A comparative review of "Discipline and Punish" by Michael Foucault and "Punishment and Welfare" by David Garland.
2,250 words (approx. 9.0 pages), 2 sources, AU$ 143.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses and compares the books by Michel Foucault, "Discipline and Punish" and David Garland "Punishment and Welfare". The paper describes the way in which both explore similar historical and theoretical territory in their respective examinations of the evolution of the theory and practice of prisons and penalty since the eighteenth century. The essay demonstrates that while they often address similar issues Garland's text differs significantly from Foucault's in terms of both details and overall perspective upon the modern history of prisons.
From the Paper
"Comparative Book Review: Foucault and Garland on the Theory and Practice of Punishment Introduction Michel Foucault, in Discipline and Punish, and David Garland in Punishment and Welfare, both explore similar historical and theoretical territory in their respective examinations of the evolution of the theory and practice of prisons and penalty since the eighteenth century. As this essay will demonstrate, while they often address similar issues, Garland's text differs significantly from Foucault's in terms of both details and overall perspective upon the modern history of prisons. The thesis will be argued that the key distinction between the two works lies in their respective identification of the key period in the evolution of modern theories of punishment and penalty."
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Michel Foucault's "Panopticism", 2005.
This paper discusses the origin of Michel Foucault's concept of the panopticon.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 3 sources, AU$ 114.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Michel Foucault's concept of the panopticon derives from the French intellectual's background in philosophy with emphasis on psychology and the practices of medical institutions. The author points out that the concept is not simply a philosophical thought construct but has direct relevance to the structures and organization of political power in modern society. The paper focuses on Foucault's application of the principal of panopticism to the analysis of contemporary society and culture.
From the Paper
Michel Foucault's "Panopticism" and its Relevance to Contemporary Society Michel Foucault's concept of the "Panopticon" derives from an the French intellectual's background in philosophy with a particular emphasis upon psychology and the practices of medical institutions (Seidman, 178-179). This being said, it must be acknowledged that the concept is not simply a philosophical thought construct but, in fact, has direct relevance to the structures and organization of political power in modern society."
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