On the other hand, Foucault looks more on the macro-social level in order to show how social order through levels of discourses and intuitions, By studying, three types of power, Surveillance, Sovereign power and disciplinary power he seen the impact on how they had an impact on individuals self-control. (Staples, et, al., 2009, pg50). In contrast, Foucault’s work, he suggested that individuals are an object of knowledge, looking into past historic documents of differences in power For in order for Social order to be made and remade; individuals have to be talked and written about to allow opinions and thoughts to be spoken through discourses.(online activity 23)
It’s stated that those discourses make it possible for individuals to know if they behave in a certain way, they are normal. Where Certain individuals have authority to intervene into certain individuals social life, such as parents, teachers, doctors and the police, have an authority to intervene in social order of the practices of the law and what is expected with punishment, management, parenthood and education. The Norms of self control and self ordering is learnt from an early age of children, by their parents, then of teachers while the child goes through education, later into adulthood the employers have sets of rules, to what to do and how to behave. The individuals could be watched through gaze, cameras and one-way screens. All through, each individual are aware of the laws, as they are applied through discourses. Furthermore, discourses provide the assumptions and prescriptions that mould everyday practices and relationships. (Silva, 2009, p.320)
Social intuitions are those of family, education, workplace and welfare systems they all have different powers that intervene the regulations of individuals in their everyday lives. He suggests every individual is learnt the right way to behave, but those who don’t comply to those norms, the power of different organisations disciple who are seen as abnormal, however, Foucault looked at the larger scale of society which included, the use of surveillance which is controlled in order to control individuals to allow them to know their being watched by certain organisations to enable the norms are being followed. Being seen has following the norms they are seen as self disciples are self-controlled.
Lastly, Foucault looks into the sovereign power; these are the makings of social order. This power authority’s the society’s rules to punish the individuals that don’t ably by the laws and don’t comply by the norms. Sovereign powers make discourses, but those can be challenged and changed. Foucault looked into historical documents which shown how punishment today is completely different from the past. He showed that every discourse had to be rethought, rewritten and the use of ideas had to be changed in order for social order to be made and remade.
In 1960 it was predicted that cars would rule in UK, in 1949, cars accounted for 44 per cent of motor vehicles. In 2006 this raised to 79 per cent. With the high growth of vehicles, flexible arrangements come into place for order of social life. (Silva, 2009, pg 327)
Colin Buchannan, an engineer was commissioned in 1961, to work on the report of traffic in towns. This report was to order traffic spacing in order to widen space and allow humans and vehicles to be managed. The main point to the report was to isolate rooms for pedestrians and allow corridors for vehicles for social order to continue in the UK, this was to include kerbs, warning signs, markings, traffic lights and calming measures of speed humps and cameras to maintain order. Furthermore for traffic to be retained and created, vehicles had to be restricted and towns had to be remade to accommodate a high volume of traffic, Similar to Foucault by using historical documents the report is based on rational and quantitative research of historical documents, surveys and expert knowledge so traffic regulation could be precisely calculated. However it also could have impact on individuals’ process and neglecting individuals’ personality which overall could have an impact on social order. In 1960s this social ordering of traffic spacing came into effect, towns were segregated into cul-de-sacs and residential blocks while traffic was allowed into those zones. Towns today are always being remade in order to the increasing of vehicles and congestion.
Finally, Mondermans’ thesis believed that vehicles and predestines should use interaction in order to control traffic spacing, what he named ‘shared space’.
Monderman used experiments in Netherlands in 1982, known as the shared space scheme. Where he stripped a village of highways, signs, barriers and markings, he claimed drivers cut their speed by 40 per cent and were more aware of their surroundings. Monderman, similar to Goffman used experiments and observations as part of his evidence. In these experiments Monderman narrowed roads, planted flower beds and trees he saw this of having a psychological calming, to reducing speed. Furthermore he claimed that having visible signs, like children and shops, had more of an impact on drivers’ behaviour more than warning signs and barriers.
Both Buchannan and Monderman have similarities has they both look at ways to improve social life through traffic regulation, both show the use of relationally, and designing areas by enhancing material surveillance and security. Lastly were given the power but both produced their powers through writing and talking about traffic spacing being made and remade.
In conclusion, social order will continue to ever being made and remade. Has its shown most of social order is invisible; many have tried to show different concepts and theories in order to show how it’s visible. Looking at both Goffman and Foucault, either one claimed to conclude on a general theory of social order, but were both concerned with how society was produced and reproduced. Looking at the case studies to traffic regulation is could be said that Foucault’s ideas would be a good understanding and of use when the social order is being made and remade.
References
(Open University, Online Activity 23, May 2012, )
Staples, M., Meegan, j., Jeffries, E. And Bromley, s. (2009) Learning Companion 2, introducing the social sciences, Milton Keynes, the Open University.
Silva, E. (2009) ‘making social order’, in Taylor, s., Hinchliff, S., Clarke, J. And Bromley, S. (eds) Making social lives, Milton Keynes, The Open Univerity.
Self Reflection
Starting this essay, I found easy to gather the information and had a very realistic plan. Starting to put all my notes together I found it harder and to gather enough information and sticking to the word count. However, i am hoping I have covered the question with the relevant information
I have enjoyed how the whole strands have came together as a whole subject has it didn’t appear starting the course. I have found my writing style to get better not as much as I would hope but not going to give up, my spelling and grammar is starting to improve also.
by
katie-boo (student)
