What is Biopolitics? | Michel Foucault | Keyword

Michel Foucault's "The History of Sexuality" is a groundbreaking work that challenges traditional understandings of sexuality and its relationship to power. Foucault argues that sexuality is not a timeless essence but a historically constructed concept, shaped by social and political forces. He examines the ways in which discourse and institutions have regulated and controlled sexuality, exploring the emergence of concepts like repression and confession. The book offers a critical analysis of the ways in which sexuality has been used to define and control individuals and populations. Foucault's work has had a profound impact on the fields of history, sociology, and gender studies, influencing discussions about power, knowledge, and identity.

In 'The Birth of the Clinic,' Michel Foucault examines the transformation of medical perception and practice during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He introduces the concept of the 'medical gaze,' a new way of observing and interpreting the body that shifted from theoretical constructs to direct observation and examination. Foucault argues that this shift was not merely an improvement in medical knowledge but a fundamental change in the structures of knowledge itself, reflecting broader societal and power changes. The book critiques traditional histories of medicine, highlighting how the clinic became a site of pedagogy and power, where the transmission of knowledge was tied to the practice of observation and the examination of the body. Foucault also explores the socio-political implications of these changes, including the objectification of the patient and the increasing authority of medical professionals.