The Birth of the Prison

"The Birth of the Prison" is a book by Michel Foucault that explores how modern Western societies shifted from physical punishment, like torture, to a system of surveillance and discipline. Foucault argues that prisons, along with other institutions like schools and hospitals, became tools to exert control over people by monitoring and regulating their behavior. This transformation reflects broader social changes where power is exercised less through direct violence and more through subtle mechanisms that shape individuals' conduct, fostering a sense of internal discipline and conformity within society.