Foucault, Michel (1926-1984)

French philosopher. In his work, he critiques forms of power, which are pervasive in society because they are involved with institutions that are omnipresent in society. In his book Discipline and Punish (1975), he described our society as a “society of discipline”, which exercises power with the help of institutions that confine individuals (the school, the military barracks, the factory, the hospital, the insane asylum, and above all, the prison system).