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Foucault - The Key Ideas: Madness and civilization

By Paul Oliver

 

Foucault noted that the contemporary use of the term ‘insane’ describes people in a number of different categories, ranging from those who have committed extremely violent acts to those whose behaviour might simply be described as eccentric. Foucault thought of the term ‘insanity’ not as reflecting a single characteristic, but rather a complex variety of psychological responses and reactions. He did not think that insanity could be defined in absolute terms, but rather that it was defined in relativistic terms, depending upon the perceptions of society at a particular time. The term was thus a social construction, defined by society according to a flexible series of criteria. Foucault did not necessarily regard insanity as a negative characteristic because he felt that those defined as mad often possessed insights into the human condition that could be useful and productive. He studied the way in which insanity was viewed at different periods in history and noted the expansion of the incarceration of the insane at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was also interested in the modern study of insanity, but felt that the science of psychiatry was not necessarily as supportive of the insane as was often claimed.



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Foucault - The Key Ideas: Teach Yourself

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