Foucauldian Perspective Research Articles

Theorising Relationships and Sex Education (rse) as a Children’s Rights Issue Using A Foucauldian Lens

Abstract This article seeks to analyse the problems with provision of Relationships and Sex Education (rse) in English schools using a Foucauldian perspective. Through this analysis, I demonstrate that the rse curriculum is used as a tool for “governing” or controlling children’s exercise of their sexuality to ensure conformity with norms, behaviours and attitudes that adults perceive children should ascribe to. However, adults tend to deny children’s developing agency and their autonomy to make decisions in relation to their sexual lives. This ignores the realities of children’s lives, in which they are exposed to sexual knowledge and information through their interactions with others, or via the internet. Using Foucault’s conceptualisation of bio-power, I argue for shifting some of the power around rse discourses from adults to children themselves, through a children’s rights-based approach. This approach to rse will ensure that the curriculum is adequate, appropriate and effective for children.

Foucauldian perspectives on migration and society: The epistemological-political grids of “people” and “population”

Drawing on Foucault's approach to knowledge and power, this paper aims to strengthen theoretical perspectives on migration and to revise social theories by reflecting on the constitutive role of migration in the formation of society. Differing from studies that use a methodological approach based on Foucault, I draw on his work to develop a constructivist theory of society by examining and problematizing two dominant lenses through which migration is commonly problematized: the epistemological-political grids of the “people,” associated with sovereign power and nationalism, and the “population,” associated with biopower and capitalism. Both grids are crucial for understanding how migration is constructed as a specific object of knowledge and incorporated into mechanisms of power. Taken together, they allow us to reconnect the often separated debates on sovereign power and biopower—or nationalism and capitalism—and to reflect on the central tensions of contemporary migration societies. By highlighting the relevance of border and migration processes that Foucault barely addressed, I open up an alternative perspective on people and populations through an analysis of the marginal figures of “vagabondage” and “bad circulation” that are currently most associated with migration.

Children’s bodily positioning in accounts of naptime in early childhood education and care: a Foucauldian perspective

ABSTRACT Naptime practices of early childhood education and care (ECEC) have been found to place children’s bodies under adult governance, leaving children few possibilities for agency and influence (e.g. Kuukka 2015; Nothard et al. 2015). In this study, we explore children’s (aged five to seven) accounts of naptime in ECEC, asking how children’s bodily positioning is manifested in them. We analysed two data sets: (1) ethnographic conversations and interviews with children in ECEC, and (2) children’s imaginative narratives on naptime in ECEC. The children’s accounts manifested three bodily positionings: docile, demurring, and rebellious bodies. The findings indicate children have limited possibilities for agency and control over their bodies in this context, although, according to the UNCRC, they have a right to have an influence in matters affecting them (UNICEF 1989). The study highlights the significance of considering naptime anew from the perspective of diminishing adult governance of children’s bodies in ECEC.

Understanding teacher ethico‐political identity formation from a Foucauldian perspective

AbstractIn recent years, we have seen an increased politicisation and objectification of what teachers should know, what teachers should do and who teachers should be while they are doing it. While evident across the continua of teacher education, such politicised constructions are particularly acute at initial teacher education. Given such attention to constructing what has been described as a ‘preferred’ teacher identity, this paper explores how prospective teachers construct themselves in ethico‐political terms (i.e., how prospective teachers construct the relationship that they have with themselves and how they account for themselves in that regard). Informed by a Foucauldian perspective and using a composite case that draws on interview data (photovoice and semi‐structured interviews) from a small sample (n = 4) of prospective Irish primary school teachers at various stages during their final semester of initial teacher education, this paper addresses ethico‐political identity in terms of substance, authority sources, self‐practices and telos. Findings illuminate prospective teacher ethico‐political identity as: (i) substance as the basis for nascent teacher practical knowing‐in‐action and pedagogical sensitivities; (ii) temporally organised authority sources; (iii) dynamic and interrelated self‐practices; and (iv) telos as a form of identity prolepsis that emphasises three major valuational endpoints. The paper concludes by contemplating the generativity of an ethico‐political conceptualisation of teacher identity (re)formation for teacher education purposes in terms of its conceptual, contextual, critical and reflective utility.

An Examination of Heba Al-Dubbagh's Just Five Minutes: Nine Years in the Prisons of Syria Through The Scope of Foucault’s Theory of Power Relations

The present study deals with Foucault’s theory of Power Relations in Prison Literature. It focuses on Heba Al-Dabbagh's Just Five Minutes: Nine Years in the Prisons of Syria. The study argues that examining Power Relations in this novel shows how prison narratives can reflect and challenge hierarchies, authority, and resistance in such environments. It also seeks to show how Al-Dabbagh represents the effect of power relation on prisoners and the prison guards in her novel by relying heavily upon the theoretical framework of Power Relation by Michael Foucault. Using a Foucauldian perspective, this research emphasizes how the Syrian regime's exertion of power was based on establishing an atmosphere of fear, in which the individual is reduced to a passive subject of the state.

Foucault and power: UK forest school as a socially constructed space for early years teachers and forest school leaders

ABSTRACT This paper examines power dynamics between early years teachers and Forest School leaders within the Forest School environment, drawing upon a Foucauldian perspective. Building upon Maynard’s (2007) work, the study explores encounters with Foucault's ideas in UK Forest School context to unravel socio-cultural dynamics and investigate how educators negotiate complex power relations. Four participants, comprising two early years teachers and two Forest School leaders, engaged in weekly Forest School sessions with their reception class, that is, children aged 4–5 years over the period of one year. Through thematic analysis, distinct themes of power dynamics, reimagining learning environments, and risk and resilience emerged. Adopting a Foucauldian lens sheds light on challenges encountered by educators in outdoor settings, revealing inherent power dynamics. This study contributes to discourse on theory-practice integration in outdoor education, emphasising the potential for Foucauldian analysis to deepen understanding of power relations within Forest School settings.

“English Is Not Really a Subject”: Language Ideologies and Language Learning in an Introduction Program

AbstractThis paper explores the construction of language ideologies and language learning within English‐language education in a Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is an individual transitional program for newly arrived migrant students that seeks to quickly transition adolescents into further education or the job market. High proficiency in English is important in Swedish society and insufficient knowledge of English might lead to consequences for individuals, but also long‐term consequences for society regarding inequality and inequity. The methodology is based on linguistic ethnography, with observations and interviews at two schools. Data from interviews with English teachers and principals at LIP are analyzed using Foucauldian perspectives to discuss power and individualization. Our results show that LIP is organized in a manner that reduces teachers' possibilities to cooperate and assist each other in planning, assessing, and in developing teaching practices. To a certain extent, principals withdraw from their responsibility and place a significant amount of organizational responsibility on individual English teachers. Furthermore, monolingual ideologies are prominent in educational practices, and LIP is often positioned as different from the rest of the school which increases isolation.

Shaping the ‘Other’: Foucauldian Insights Into Feminine Resistance in ‘Timbuktu’

This exploration delves into the complex portrayal of feminine resistance in Abderrahmane Sissako's 2014 film "Timbuktu," framed within a Foucauldian perspective. Set against the backdrop of the jihadist occupation of Timbuktu, Mali, the film immerses viewers in a world where traditional village life collides with extremist ideologies, resulting in a complex interplay of power and resistance. The narrative unfolds with subtle undercurrents of oppression, as the occupying jihadists enforce their rigid interpretation of Sharia law on the local populace. Focusing on the character of Satima, the wife of the protagonist Kidane and Zabou, the shamanes, this analysis delves into different feminine resistance to conformity, driven either by honour or justice to challenge the oppressive norms imposed by the jihadists. Drawing inspiration from Michel Foucault's discourse on power and resistance, this exploration reveals a rather multidirectional/multidimensional nature of feminine resistance. Satima's refusal to comply with the sexual advances of Abdelkerim and Zabou’s enchantments and audacity vis-à-vis the jihadists provide insights into the transformative potential of marginalized voices. The film ultimately confronts the idea that some situations remain beyond an individual's control, echoing an Old Testament-like sense of fate. Through an extraordinary long-take shot that captures the aftermath, the film underscores the limitations of power, even for those who seek to shape the "Other." This article thus invites a deeper examination of "Timbuktu," and feminine empowerment and agency in African cinema, shedding light on how resistance surpasses the confines of oppression, offering a gripping narrative of resilience in the face of extremism.

A critical perspective oninstitutional violence against hospitalized children: Testimonies by health professionals and family members.

The purpose of this study is to understand institutional violence (IV) in the relationships between health professionals, hospitalized children, and family members. This is a qualitative study developed at the pediatric inpatient unit of a university hospital in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The research participants consisted of 39 health professionals who specialized in pediatrics and 10 family members of hospitalized children. Semi-structured interviews were the method used for data collection. Using discourse analysis as a basis and taking a Foucauldian perspective, the researchers observed that the expressions of IV could be traced to abusive power relations within the system. We found four discursive forms within the data set: communication problems as IV, violence through inattention and neglect, violence as an action and consequent materialization on the body,and psychological violence as a submission mechanism. Based on these findings, we argue that professionals, managers, the scientific community, and users might be able to better guarantee the safety of children by recognizing IV and effectively intervening in it.

Educating for political campaigning on social media via enhancing technical expertise: An analysis of the candidate education practices in a Finnish conservative-liberal party

Social media are increasingly impacting election campaigns, presenting challenges for political parties when educating their candidates regarding campaigning during general elections. Consequently, this study aims to elucidate the educational grammar at play in the candidate education practices related to social media within a Finnish conservative-liberal parliamentary party. Our idea of educational grammar draws on practice theories and the Foucauldian perspective on the entanglement of power and knowledge. The research question is: How is educational grammar concerning social media constituted in the studied political party’s candidate education practices? The empirical material comprises online educational resources available on YouTube, produced by the National Coalition Party for its candidates in the 2023 Finnish parliamentary election. The analysis reveals three perspectives on how the grammar of technical expertise is constituted—requesting culturally and discursively constituted authenticity from candidates, paying attention to the materially and economically constituted measurability of campaign work, and requiring socially and politically constituted goal-orientation when approaching the public. Consequently, the educational grammar concerning campaigning on social media is constituted as an issue of technical expertise through the interplay between calls for authenticity and assessment, advocating for moderation to represent a key feature of both the ideal candidate and the ideal campaign.

Cozy Heterotopias in JRPGs: A Foucauldian Perspective on the Spatiality of Coziness in Japanese Role-Playing Games

Cozy Heterotopias in JRPGs: A Foucauldian Perspective on the Spatiality of Coziness in Japanese Role-Playing Games

Counter Conduct and Autonomy Politics in the Era of Neoliberal Governmentality

ABSTRACT This study, first, explores the connections between neoliberal governmentality and neo-conservative nationalism, which breeds a global tendency of autocratization, from a Foucauldian perspective. Neoliberal rationality and strategy of governing is increasingly being encapsulated by the social and political hegemony which is under construction by contemporary forms of neo-conservative nationalism. We argue that both neoliberal governmentality and neo-conservative nationalism, as distinct but connected governmental rationalities, operate by way of minoritization. This power mechanism is questioned and opposed by the minoritized in their struggles for their dignity and autonomy. We define these struggles as contemporary forms of counter-conduct and bring cases from contemporary Turkey. Counter-memory practices, counter-archiving, artistic creativity, solidarity networks and collectives outside of market competition are significant here. The minoritized groups of people strive for self-definition, self-invention and self-determination beyond the imposed categorizations and limitations dictated by market competition and neo-conservative nationalism through these practices.

English as a gatekeeper

This paper investigates power structures in English-language education within Sweden's Language Introduction Program (LIP). In Swedish society, a high proficiency in English plays an important role in accessing further education and the job market. Inadequate proficiency in English can lead to inequality in education, and thus to inequality in society in a long-term perspective. The methodology of this study is based on linguistic ethnography using interview data from seven semi-structured individual interviews with principals, mentors, a student counselor, and a special-needs educator involved in LIP at a Swedish school. Foucauldian perspectives of power and Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis are used to examine power structures and language ideologies within the organization. The results show how LIP’s organizational structures disadvantage the international language of English. Furthermore, power structures of governmentality within the organization steer students towards vocational programs rather than of theoretical programs

Domination criticism and freedom criticism on flood news in online media from a Foucauldian view

This article discusses the issue of flood disaster polemics in online media using McKerrow’s critical rhetorical theory analysis, with the main aim of getting closer to discourse formations that have not been discussed in previous research on political interest contestation. This research uses Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis method to reveal flood news articles from 2019-2021 on Tirto.id. Meanwhile, the Foucauldian perspective in this study is used as a review of McKerrow’s critical rhetoric to analyze power, right and truth. Furthermore, this triangulation is explained in two criticisms, namely, criticism of domination and freedom in the online media Tirto.id in reporting on the flood. This study found that in terms of power, Tirto.id discusses criticism of power as a struggle for power in the social status of the upper and lower middle classes. Dominance tends to appear in social disparities and discrepancies in the effects of development on poor communities and the surrounding ecosystem. In terms of rights, Tirto.id discusses demands for ecological justice for lower middle class society. Finally, in terms of truth, the discourse about flood victims includes the lower classes as a result of land grabbing. This study concludes that criticism of domination shows that the government is not very serious about the concept of ecological justice for all groups. Criticism of freedom shows that Tirto.id expresses satire that floods are only suffered by poor people, not rich people.

How does accounting save lives? An econometric analysis exploring the effectiveness of the Crispi-Pagliani Health Reform (1888) in Italy

This study compares the healthcare management systems for cholera epidemics in Italy before and after the Crispi-Pagliani Health Reform of 1888. Specifically, we compare the monitoring, accounting, and reporting systems of deaths and infections during the 1884 and 1893 epidemics. Based on an econometric analysis of data from the Italian National Statistical Institute, we demonstrate that the post-reform system was more effective in reducing deaths by optimising medical personnel allocation in areas with higher epidemic intensity. From a Foucauldian perspective, we provide insights into the role of accounting in supporting noso-politics, bio-politics, and bio-power. Further, this study advances our understanding of reporting systems and the dynamics that governments trigger as part of strategies for preventing or containing contagion during epidemics. Finally, this study supports the use of econometrics in accounting history.

Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetists’ and Critical Care Registered Nurses’ perception of knowledge/power in teamwork with Anaesthesiologists in Sweden: a mixed-method study

Efficient teamwork is crucial to provide optimal health care. This paper focuses on teamwork between Anaesthesiologists (ANES), Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetists’ (CRNA) and Critical Care Registered Nurses (CCRN) working in challenging environments such as the intensive care unit (ICU) and the operating room (OR). Conflicts are common between physicians and nurses, negatively impacting teamwork. Social hierarchies based on professional status and power inequalities between nurses and physicians plays a vital role in influencing teamwork. Foucault was a famous thinker especially known for his reasoning regarding power/knowledge. A Foucauldian perspective was therefore incorporated into this paper and the overall aim was to explore CCRN/CRNA perception of knowledge/power in teamwork with ANES.Methods A mixed-method approach was applied in this study. Data was collected using a web-based questionnaire containing both closed-end and open-ended questions. A total of 289 CCRNs and CRNAs completed the questionnaire. Data analysis was then conducted through five stages as outlined by Onwuebugzie and Teddlie; analysing quantitative data in SPSS 27.0 and qualitative data with a directed content analysis, finally merging data together in ATLAS.ti v.23.Results The result reveals a dissonance between quantitative and qualitative data; quantitative data indicates a well-functioning interdisciplinary teamwork between CCRN/CRNA and ANES - qualitative data highlights that there are several barriers and inequalities between the two groups. Medicine was perceived as superior to nursing, which was reinforced by both social and organisational structures at the ICU and OR.Conclusion Unconscious rules underlying current power structures in the ICU and OR works in favour of the ANES and biomedical paradigm, supporting medical knowledge. To achieve a more equal power distribution between CCRN/CRNAs and ANES, the structural hierarchies between nursing and medicine needs to be addressed. A more equal power balance between the two disciplines can improve teamwork and thereby reduce patient mortality and improve patient outcomes.

Listening to the Body in Physical Education and Sport

Purpose: Within physical education (PE) and sport, the body is constituted by ideas and discourses that legitimize certain forms of truth about image, health, and competence. This study used the Listening Guide method to explore voices in undergraduate students’ experiences of the body in relation to dominant PE and sport discourses. Method: Participants were four undergraduate third-year students (2 male, 2 female, aged 20–25 years) attending a 4-year 240 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System Bachelor program in PE and sport science. Interviews were analyzed using a Foucauldian perspective on the working of discourses and power, via the four steps of the Listening Guide. Results: We identified joy of life (body as nature) and guiding (living norms) voices when participants referred to PE and struggle (body as machine) and questioning (functionality norms) voices when they talked about sport. Discussion/Conclusion: Voices spoke while moving between a “pull to train” paradigm and a “push back and think” perspective, aligning with the discursive logic of participants’ social context. This discursive logic transmitted ways of constituting knowledge about the body, together with social practices, or forms of subjectivity that perpetuated dominant understandings. We propose that the Listening Guide method can peel away layers of consciousness related to dominant discourses in PE and sport.

Female Body's in Advertisements: A Foucauldian Analysis

This research study examines the articulation of the female body in advertisements through the intersecting lenses of Foucauldian perspectives. In the context of contemporary consumer culture where advertisements play a pivotal role in shaping social perceptions of gender and beauty, this research seeks to unravel the complex web of power, discourse, and commodification regarding the portrayal of women's bodies. The analysis delves into how capitalism commodifies the female body, turning it into a product to circulate in the market. The study investigates the economic relations and labor conditions involved in the production of these images, shedding light on the exploitative mechanisms within the advertising industry. It also explores how consumerism and the pursuit of profit contribute to the perpetuation of idealized beauty standards. Simultaneously, drawing from Foucault's theories, the research investigates the ways in which power operates within the discourse of advertisements. It uncovers how advertising normalizes specific beauty ideals, imposes disciplinary domains regimes, and invites viewers to engage in a surveillance-based gaze that judges and categorizes female bodies. This study revealed that advertisements commodify the female body, reducing women to objects that can be bought and sold, perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards and creating a culture where women feel alienated from their own bodies, all driven by the profit motive of corporations and reinforcing the capitalist notion that everything, including beauty, has a price. By elucidating these dynamics, the research contributes to a critical discourse on the role of advertising in reinforcing or challenging gender norms and the broader socio-economic system.

Normativity and Body: Efficient Control Mechanisms in Society and School

Objectives: The objective of this discussion is to establish a relationship between concepts and historicity of the body, sexuality and domination, from the perspective of Michel Foucault. This is because we understand the body as involved in existing power relations, from and in the various instances of society. In this sense, biopower presents itself as a control mechanism, once well instituted and established in society it is diluted in micro relationships. Methodology: as part of the challenges of the Education in the Cerrado and Citizenship Research Group, a set of debates were carried out by members of the group. Using Discourse Analysis from a Foucauldian perspective as a tool, the search was to explain historical aspects specific to the constitution of subjects in different sociocultural positions, thus, we sought to make an ethical and aesthetic approach. Results and conclusion: sexual discourse covered in disguise is no longer supported by mechanisms of oppression, but by mechanisms of ideology that cannot be escaped, as they are everywhere. In this way, we understand that the discourse on the modern repression of sex is sustained by micro relationships and no longer by oppression, an ideological bias passed from father to son, reinforced at school, endorsed by the teacher-student relationship. Implications of the research: the research leaves questions: will schools being restricted from dealing with the dilemmas of sexuality and gender identities contribute to this move towards freedom of sexual language and the understanding of the real meaning of sex, if restricted to family cultural values? Would it be a return to the values ​​and customs of the traditional Brazilian family?

Prominent discourses in South African education from the perspective of community psychology: Challenges and opportunities for youth liberation and well-being

Community psychology takes an explicitly political stance by identifying where power lies and how it is exercised in ways that maintain privilege and discrimination against particular groups. From this perspective, we consider the challenges facing school education in South Africa today. Education is positioned as an important site for the liberation and well-being of our country's majority. However, the state of education is marked by persistent inequalities. From a Foucauldian perspective, this paper presents a meta-synthesis of school education literature and identifies prominent discourses circulating around the country's basic education sector: the discourses of democracy, human rights, and good governance; rights; development; scarce skills; the crisis in education; and privatisation are discussed. We consider the role of these discourses in the wider social processes of legitimation and power in education, and subjective implications for youth. We note the various ways in which discourses responsibilise youth and surrounding stakeholders, and how others position them as resources for the neoliberal capitalist economy. We argue for the role of counter-discourses and a collective emancipatory perspective to advance transformational educational change and embrace opportunities in the future.