Punishment amid the birth of power: Foucault's courses at the Collège de France between 1970 and 1973

Abstract

Punishment is a dear topic to social theory. In the last three decades, sociology has tried to investigate with particular attention this subject and its latest developments, as well as to provide comprehensive explanations about the meaning of punishment in modernity. Michel Foucault's work, in this sense, stands as an unavoidable reference for the area. However, many incorporations of his oeuvre are seasoned with criticism and note that his contribution is dated. There is also a tendency to incorporate Foucault's contribution by using his later works on governmentality, which, despite their relevance, did not directly address the issue of punishment. This panorama is justified, considering that part of the material in which Foucault effectively discusses punishment has only recently been published. This project seeks to explore this new material, providing a deeper understanding of the Foucauldian idea of punishment. To do so, we will focus on the development of the theme throughout the first three courses given by the author at the Collège de France (1970-1973): Lectures on the will to know (1970-1971), Penal theories and institutions (1971-1972) and The punitive society (1972-1973). (AU)