Last class, we talked about Foucault’s Panopticon and how that can apply to a lot of different aspects of our lives, especially since new technology, such as the Facebook Portal, is emerging that can track more information about us. Today, I went to the Undocually Training during common hour. This training session focused on how people can help defend undocumented immigrants and understand the social, political, and economic problems that undocumented immigrants are facing. We read quotes and stories about how border patrol, the police, and immigration policy/views towards immigration under the Trump administration has impacted how undocumented people go about their daily lives. The fear of being targeted from border patrol results in a lot of undocumented people being afraid to go outside. Here is a quote from one person that was interviewed: “I used to go to the beach or a game with friends, but now I don’t. I go from home to work and that’s it.” Others reported how they are afraid to just go to the convenience store and get gas because border patrol frequently targets people there. I immediately related these stories to the panopticon where undocumented immigrants are in a position where they have to self-regulate, isolate, and imprison themselves to avoid being targeted by border patrol. They constantly live in fear of going about their daily lives and are unable to form a community and a social support network. I shared and explained the panopticon metaphor with the group and how it relates to undocumented immigrants’ position and they agreed that it was a really great way of explaining how it feels. Mary Vickers, the student running the training, said that a lot of the undocumented people interviewed said they felt like they were trapped in a cell and had to constantly self-regulate themselves when out in public so that they don’t draw attention to themselves.
This is such an interesting example because it makes me think about self-regulation and how it is so restricting to all of us. Of course, it helps society in many ways, but it also leads to a lot of problems. We think that we have to act a certain way; we think that we will be perceived in certain ways; and ultimately, marginalized groups do not feel that they can express themselves in their natural identity.
ReplyDeleteThis relates to the 'male-gaze' which we talked about in class. Obviously, not all men carry the same opinions, beliefs, or ideology on discipline. However, we are all under 'the male gaze' because men have traditionally held power over all of us. Specifically in America, where only men have been elected as presidents and majority men hold positions in top government positions and even corporations. The panopticon is filled with diverse groups: LGBTQ+ members, African Americans, illegal immigrants, etc...all members of society. It is hard for all of us, but specifically individuals within these groups to not self-regulate under the male-gaze because they have been punished for acting as themselves in the past. The issue is so pervasive that in class, we even said how even women view other women under the male gaze which leads to even more judgment and comparison between women.
It was really helpful to have this discussion in class because I think that my initial post on Foucault might not have been fully understood.