Power-knowledge
In critical theory, Power-knowledge is a term introduced by the French philosopher Michel Foucault (French: le savoir-pouvoir). According to Foucault’s understanding, power is based on knowledge and makes use of knowledge; on the other hand, power reproduces knowledge by shaping it in accordance with its anonymous intentions. Power creates and recreates its own fields of exercise through knowledge.
The relationship between power and knowledge has always been a central theme in the social sciences.
Michel Foucault argued that power and knowledge are inseparable, forming a power/knowledge nexus where power produces knowledge and knowledge reinforces power, shaping what is considered “truth” and determining acceptable social behavior. This concept describes how institutions and discourses create frameworks for interpreting reality, giving power to those who control the dissemination and acceptance of certain types of knowledge. Foucault’s analysis of institutions like prisons, schools, and hospitals illustrates how power functions through the creation and regulation of knowledge, even establishing the norms of what is considered normal versus deviant.
Key aspects of Foucault’s power/knowledge theory:
Interdependence: There is no power without a corresponding knowledge that establishes it, and no knowledge that is not inherently linked to power relationships.
Discourse and Knowledge: Power is expressed and maintained through discourse, which includes the language, practices, and ideas that define knowledge within a particular field.
Institutional Influence: Institutions like universities, hospitals, and legal systems are central to the production of knowledge and the exercise of power, shaping what is seen as legitimate knowledge.
Regulation and Social Control: By defining certain knowledge as “true” and establishing concepts of normal and abnormal behavior, power/knowledge systems create mechanisms of social discipline and control.
Inversion of Traditional Views: Foucault challenges the traditional idea that knowledge is a tool to be used by power. Instead, he argues that power produces knowledge by determining what can be known and how it can be understood.
Subjugated Knowledges: Foucault’s work also highlights subjugated knowledges, which are marginalized perspectives and alternative ways of understanding reality that exist outside the dominant power/knowledge frameworks.
Panopticon as a Model: The Panopticon, a prison design where inmates are under constant surveillance, serves as a generalized model of how power/knowledge operates by creating a feeling of being watched, which leads to self-regulation and conformity.
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[1] https://www.powercube.net/other-forms-of-power/foucault-power-is-everywhere/
[3] https://www.zacharyfruhling.com/philosophy-blog/foucaults-concept-of-power-knowledge-explained