https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i3.038
The Dynamics of Power: a Foucauldian Reading of Spatial Partitioning and Social Organization in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic
SREELAKSHMI M. NAIR
Student
BCM College Kottayam, Kerala
MS. ANCY CYRIAC
Assistant Professor of English
BCM College Kottayam, Kerala
Abstract: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented challenges worldwide, forcing governments to implement strict measures to control the spread of the virus. The pandemic has bestowed the governments with immense power, which allowed the authorities to look into the everyday activities of the individuals. According to Michel Foucault, the postmodern condition is characterized by the spatial reorganization of social forces and the increased surveillance that goes along with it. This shows how power functions outside of overt coercion and repression. The pandemic can be interpreted from a Foucauldian perspective as a time when disciplinary and biopolitical mechanisms converged to control space, health, and life. Moreover, the enforcement of lockdowns and the regulation of public and private spaces demonstrate the process of spatial partitioning, a key feature in Foucault’s analysis of disciplinary societies. Individuals were confined to specific zones, their mobility restricted and constantly monitored, thereby reinforcing the idea of controlled bodies within regulated spaces.The emphasis on hygiene practices, social distancing, and self-isolation contributed to the normalization of disciplined behavior, where individuals began to regulate themselves in accordance with prescribed norms. This reflects the shift from external enforcement to internalized control, a hallmark of Foucauldian power.Through this lens, the study argues that COVID-19 functioned as a critical moment that made visible the intricate and often invisible operations of power, shaping both individual behavior and collective social realities in profound ways.
Keywords: COVID-19, Disciplinary power, Biopower, Spatial partitioning, Normalization, Government
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