Foucault’s way of understanding was centered on the framework of power, knowledge, and discourse. Power is defined in many ways but the most significant things about power are that it is produced in unequal relationships and that it is created with an intention in mind. Power depends on certain situations but those with power dictate how knowledge gets created and talked about. Knowledge is what people are exposed to and what they know about something. Discourse is understood as things we know, how they are talked about, and what reactions they cause. One thing to stress is that those with power create knowledge but at the same time can skew knowledge in their favor. Foucault also introduced the term of bio-power. Foucault’s understanding of bio-power was described as a way for the state to have total control over the bodies and the population. It's a technique that involves the suppression the bodies and controls the populations.
Foucault’s way of understanding power and docile bodies can be seen in the militarization of women’s lives, more specifically on the topic of militarization and women’s sexuality. Militarization means that things in society center on military. It is strange to think that the military and women’s sexuality are interconnected but militarization has had an affect in places where military bases are located, especially in the Philippines. A large amount of women in the Philippines work as sex workers in military bases where American military men participate in sexual intercourse with these women. In order for the military to keep a clean image, military policy makers control the men’s sexual activity through women’s sexuality. Laws such as the Contagious Diseases Act are imposed on women to stop the spread of STDs and AIDS by testing women for diseases and if they are found to have STDs they are placed in quarantine. Women of the Philippines do not protest these laws and they continue to work as sex workers because they have high hopes of marrying American men and having the American dream. They are also unaware as to how military policy markers have control over their expression of sexuality.
Militarization of women’s sexuality in the Philippines depicts Foucault’s framework of power. The policy markers and military officials have the power to hide sexual wrongdoings of the military men and they are able to control women through law enforcement. These powerful individuals also control the knowledge that is exposed to the women in the Philippines and to the general public, which they do a good job at concealing the men’s sexual violence against women; things such as rape, pregnancy, and extramarital affairs. The issue of discourse is also present in the militarization of women by separating women into two categories. One category is the respected women, those are the military men’s wives and girlfriends back home. The opposite of these women are know as “fallen women,” these are the women in foreign countries that work as sex workers for military men overseas.
Foucault’s term of bio-power can also be applied to the Philippine women sex workers that live by the military bases. The military policy makers have control of the women’s bodies and discipline them through laws such as the Contagious Diseases Act and they also have the control of tourist locations in the Philippines where American military men visit and where sex workers work. Bio-power also means having a large degree of control over the population. This is the case for women that work around the military bases, population is control by not providing resources for women who result in being pregnant from a sexual relationship with a military men. Evidently, military officials have the bio-power and express the framework of power over the women in foreign countries that are sexual active with American military men.
Foucault’s way of understanding power and docile bodies can be seen in the militarization of women’s lives, more specifically on the topic of militarization and women’s sexuality. Militarization means that things in society center on military. It is strange to think that the military and women’s sexuality are interconnected but militarization has had an affect in places where military bases are located, especially in the Philippines. A large amount of women in the Philippines work as sex workers in military bases where American military men participate in sexual intercourse with these women. In order for the military to keep a clean image, military policy makers control the men’s sexual activity through women’s sexuality. Laws such as the Contagious Diseases Act are imposed on women to stop the spread of STDs and AIDS by testing women for diseases and if they are found to have STDs they are placed in quarantine. Women of the Philippines do not protest these laws and they continue to work as sex workers because they have high hopes of marrying American men and having the American dream. They are also unaware as to how military policy markers have control over their expression of sexuality.
Militarization of women’s sexuality in the Philippines depicts Foucault’s framework of power. The policy markers and military officials have the power to hide sexual wrongdoings of the military men and they are able to control women through law enforcement. These powerful individuals also control the knowledge that is exposed to the women in the Philippines and to the general public, which they do a good job at concealing the men’s sexual violence against women; things such as rape, pregnancy, and extramarital affairs. The issue of discourse is also present in the militarization of women by separating women into two categories. One category is the respected women, those are the military men’s wives and girlfriends back home. The opposite of these women are know as “fallen women,” these are the women in foreign countries that work as sex workers for military men overseas.
Foucault’s term of bio-power can also be applied to the Philippine women sex workers that live by the military bases. The military policy makers have control of the women’s bodies and discipline them through laws such as the Contagious Diseases Act and they also have the control of tourist locations in the Philippines where American military men visit and where sex workers work. Bio-power also means having a large degree of control over the population. This is the case for women that work around the military bases, population is control by not providing resources for women who result in being pregnant from a sexual relationship with a military men. Evidently, military officials have the bio-power and express the framework of power over the women in foreign countries that are sexual active with American military men.