Biopolitics and Biopower
생체정치와 생명권력
A transformative post-structuralist theory showing how modern state power shifted from sovereign rights over death to regulatory techniques managing the biological life, health, and reproduction of entire populations.
| Field | Sociology · Political Science · Cultural Studies |
|---|---|
| Level of analysis | Macro · Structures & Institutions |
| Paradigm | Post-Structuralism Critical Theory |
| Key figures | 👤 Michel Foucault (미셸 푸코) |
| Year | 1976 |
Key Claims
Michel Foucault analyzed the historic pivot from sovereign power over death to modern ‘biopower’—an anatomical discipline of the individual body combined with regulatory biopolitics of the population species (birth rates, mortality, epidemics, hygiene) to maximize state productive capacity.
Further Reading
- Foucault, M. (1976). Histoire de la sexualité, tome 1: La volonté de savoir. Gallimard. (English: The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction, 1978, Pantheon Books).
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