The rural panopticon. (April 2017)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- The rural panopticon. (April 2017)
- Main Title:
- The rural panopticon
- Authors:
- Philo, Chris
Parr, Hester
Burns, Nicola - Abstract:
- Abstract: As a contribution to both rural theory and a geography of rural disability, this paper tackles the idea of the 'rural panopticon'. Inspired by empirical research on mental ill-health in the Scottish Highlands, the authors specify certain workings of the rural panopticon, stressing interconnections between visibility, observation, surveillance, chatter and interiorised senses of self-disciplining (particularly for those with fragile mental health). There are suggestions that Bentham regarded his institutional brain-child, the Panopticon, as most logically and properly an urban phenomena, even calling it 'Panopticon Town', but there is a supplementary argument that identifies a rural vision – of a virtuous, self-regulating farming community – present in the margins of his Panopticon thinking. Through the figure of the 'glass palace' in the countryside, emphasising the pervasive watching, judging and censuring of conduct, a further link is made from Bentham's Panopticon to the rural panopticon. The paper explores this link both textually and though the Highlands case study, concluding by examining Foucault's dual attention to both Bentham's Panopticon and a rural colony for delinquent boys, Mettray, as twin exemplars of 'panopticism' in the disciplining of troublesome and troubled populations (those with disabilities included). Highlights: New theoretical development – specifying 'the rural panopticon'. Tracing rural dimensions of Bentham's original 'Panopticon'Abstract: As a contribution to both rural theory and a geography of rural disability, this paper tackles the idea of the 'rural panopticon'. Inspired by empirical research on mental ill-health in the Scottish Highlands, the authors specify certain workings of the rural panopticon, stressing interconnections between visibility, observation, surveillance, chatter and interiorised senses of self-disciplining (particularly for those with fragile mental health). There are suggestions that Bentham regarded his institutional brain-child, the Panopticon, as most logically and properly an urban phenomena, even calling it 'Panopticon Town', but there is a supplementary argument that identifies a rural vision – of a virtuous, self-regulating farming community – present in the margins of his Panopticon thinking. Through the figure of the 'glass palace' in the countryside, emphasising the pervasive watching, judging and censuring of conduct, a further link is made from Bentham's Panopticon to the rural panopticon. The paper explores this link both textually and though the Highlands case study, concluding by examining Foucault's dual attention to both Bentham's Panopticon and a rural colony for delinquent boys, Mettray, as twin exemplars of 'panopticism' in the disciplining of troublesome and troubled populations (those with disabilities included). Highlights: New theoretical development – specifying 'the rural panopticon'. Tracing rural dimensions of Bentham's original 'Panopticon' vision – never done at all systematically before. Applying the theoretical framework to a Highlands case study. Signposting new directions for work on rurality, rural geography and the geography of rural disability. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Journal of rural studies. Volume 51(2017)
- Journal:
- Journal of rural studies
- Issue:
- Volume 51(2017)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 51, Issue 2017 (2017)
- Year:
- 2017
- Volume:
- 51
- Issue:
- 2017
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2017-0051-2017-0000
- Page Start:
- 230
- Page End:
- 239
- Publication Date:
- 2017-04
- Subjects:
- Panopticon -- Rural panopticon -- Rural disability -- Rural mental health -- Bentham -- Mettray
Sociology, Rural -- Periodicals
Country life -- Periodicals
Rural development -- Periodicals
Land use, Rural -- Planning -- Periodicals
Rural conditions -- Periodicals
Sociologie rurale -- Périodiques
Vie rurale -- Périodiques
Développement rural -- Périodiques
Sol, Utilisation agricole du -- Planification -- Périodiques
Conditions rurales -- Périodiques
Country life
Land use, Rural -- Planning
Rural conditions
Rural development
Sociology, Rural
Periodicals
307.72 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07430167 ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.08.007 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0743-0167
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 5052.128900
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 55.xml