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Foucault: The History Of Sexuality

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Foucault resumes his shift from theory to the analysis of power in The History of Sexuality, volume 1: An Introduction (1990) by stating that power is not centralized. He argues that power is “the multiplicity of force relations (Foucault, 1990, p.92). This quote refers to power as a process where many aspects come together, without attracting forces, to form a dominant sphere within society. Power can found everywhere, since it is established locally on smaller scales. This process of struggle creates structures within these local societies to impose guidelines that must be followed by the subjected. This reinforces Foucault’s idea that reality is an illusion, constructed by “powerful” individuals that want the population to believe that their ideologies are the Universal truth, when in fact there is no universal truth. This process of power is ever changing in regards to …show more content…

Power can come from occupying a certain position in a hierarchy, but it is not a property since as power relations change, so does its design and meaning. Relations of power can also be linked to “other types of relationships such as economic processes, knowledge relationships or sexual relation” (Foucault, 1990, p.94). The difference is that power relations are the outcomes of the inequality found in other types of relations, which will also be further discussed in the description of discourses. Foucault continues by stating that power does not have top down features, but it actually is found in the network of power relations. It is the “relationships of force that take shape and come into play in the machinery of production, in families, limited groups, and institutions, are the basis for wide-ranging effects of cleavage that run through the social body as a whole (Foucault, 1990, p.94). Since power can be found everywhere, it is the production from below that creates a “cleavage”, an inequality in the distribution of power within

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Content Response 1 For centuries, power has been a way of establishing hierarchy and social pyramids that have helped us create the society we live in today. However, we have become more aware of the constant influence that power has in human lives thanks to the perspective of critical theory, which has showed us that power is something that constitutes all of human interactions and relationships. Michel Foucault defines power as a behavior or process that permeates all human interaction (Allen, 2011). He states that power resides in every human encounter for the purpose of transforming structures of communication and meaning. Power is not limited to only a person in a power position, but it is present in any reciprocal relationship.

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The concept of power is analogous to the deceptive appearance of a rose. Although people are allured to the blossom due its silky petals and crimson color, much like they are attracted to power because of the opportunities it withholds, the blossom also contains thorns, representative of the corruption one can create by abusing their powers. Consequently, it is no surprise that those who hold great power often become corrupt because they utilize their powers for their own selfish desires. There is a great responsibility that is attributed to possessing power, and those who fail to use their influence with good intentions tend to fall victim to their own selfish needs. Meanwhile, powerlessness is far less corruptive than power.

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936 Words | 4 Pages

Power can come in all different forms. Throughout history, societies have enslaved others because of race and similarities to that race. Class power dictates the economic structure of all societies, having class power, whether it is in wealth or having it socially, builds up the structure. Gender power comes from the roles, behavior, and attitudes for men and women. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell is a white poor southern woman who accuses Tom Robinson, a black man of rape.

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Power and control is seen achieved my means of Gramsci’s concept of Hegemonic institutions, Foucault’s concept of the limitation of the self as a result of his discussions regarding

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199 Words | 1 Pages

I am proud to be a part of a Company that supports diversity, community and good will. I feel it’s important for Walt Disney World to provide the many resources it does to create growth and development in the community. We need to continue strengthening and providing positive change in the community we support, and in turn we will become a stronger company. Making a difference every day, I strive to follow the example of The Walt Disney Company by inspiring responsibly towards our environment and the human race. I take strides towards making the world a better place by reducing my environmental impact in the home and at work on a daily basis.

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1356 Words | 6 Pages

Moreover, power is a relationship and network. Traditional theory of power supposed power is an ability or resource which can be competed, transferred. Foucault claims that it is a relationship, this power can be seen in the flow of the process cycle, especially hierarchical observation mentioned in the book. Power is produced in the relation network.

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(ii) Power and Conflict: The capacity the one person has the influence over the other persons such that other persons act in accordance with his/her wishes can be defined as ‘Power’. Conflicts could be both positive and negative. Good conflicts could be encouraged but bad conflicts ought to be prevented.

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1987 Words | 8 Pages

Power is an invisible form and has the capacity to control or influence the behaviour of a person. The claim given states that ‘employees are not the bearers of power but they suffer the effects of power’ draws attention to the key aspect of power in the organisations. For this reason, this essay will points toward the Weber’s theory for bureaucracy and how Foucault use the Panopticon as a metaphor to define the concept of power. Despite bearing some complementary perspectives, the differences between Weber and Foucault approaches to concepts of power and domination are pronounced. Weber (1968) defined power as the ability of an individual or group to achieve goals even against the resistance of others (Lukes, 1986).

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Power and influence in society have a huge impact on the way things happen and affects perception. A prime example is the power that presidents and prime ministers have. Given this power they can effectively influence and persuade others. Power and influence is often associated with gender, conflict and roles and relationships. The importance of the power and influence can be thoroughly examined using texts that demonstrate ideas presented as truths.

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785 Words | 4 Pages

The answer lies in the relationship that sex has with knowledge and power. Focusing on how power controls sex by laying down rules and regulations to follow, he said that power insisted domination and submission. He said power hides its true intentions by calling it beneficial. Foucault argued that we need to develop analytics of power in order to understand sex. He said that westerners think of power as emanating from the law.

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Foucault’s (1975) conception of power is a common part of this subject. Essentially, power is a relationship between people in which one affects another 's actions. Power differs from force or violence, which affect the body physically. It involves making a free subject do something that he would not have done otherwise: power therefore involves restricting or altering someone 's will.

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Michel Foucault’s The History of Sexuality(1976), indicate that the history of sexuality is the history of oppression .The relationship of sex oppression always as power, knowledge and sex. Sex becomes an object to be oppress because it is unproductive in a capitalism society. The bourgeoisie not allow the workers use energy on sex, since workers’ energy is for production.

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This means that power is attributed to particular kinds of agents, not structures. This notion of power can recognise a crucial aspect of it: power is exercised by individual actors who can decide whether not to use it. Although actors can choose not to exercise power, structures cannot. Since agents do have power within structures, the argument that claims structures have power, for instance capitalism has power is redundant or misleading (Dowding 1996: 28; 2003: 306). Therefore, Dowding takes power to be attributable to individual agents, not to

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997 Words | 4 Pages

This leads the concepts of power to shift away from theories that associate power with just the economy and the state. It thus moves towards an ideal beneath which power functions at the most micro level of social relations (Gaventa, 2003). This is a pro because instead of ignoring the power hierarchies between individuals and the various power dynamics within society, Foucault essentially focuses on them. Other critiques have failed to mention historical contextualisation and have been inclined to occur in isolation from questions that regard the broader production of knowledge (Hook, 2004). This helps us to understand power relations and hierarchies better within society.

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1372 Words | 6 Pages

Firstly the traditional approach. According to Miller, (2015: 118) the traditional approach “considers power to be a relative entity that people or group possess”, which means that each and every individual, group or organization have power within them. Secondly, the symbological approach, which “views power as a product of communicative interactions and relationships” (Mumby, 2014). This means that power emerges through interactions between people or organizations and even so through their relationships, as power is a product of

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