Panopticon

Panopticon is an architectural model designed in 18th-century England by the jurist and philosopher Jeremy Bentham, based on the principle of central surveillance. The term derives from the Greek words “pan” (all) and “optikon” (seeing), signifying a gaze that sees everything. Bentham originally designed this structure for prisons; however, he later argued that the model could be applied to numerous institutions including hospitals, schools, asylums, and factories.

The fundamental principle underlying the Panopticon is not the continuity of surveillance but the continuity of the possibility of being observed. Inmates, uncertain whether they are being watched at any given moment, behave as if they are under observation at all times. This assumption creates an internal mechanism of self-regulation without the need for external coercion. The individual internalizes the possibility of surveillance and organizes their own behavior according to this invisible power.

Architectural and Operational Mechanism

The Panopticon structure is designed as a circular building with a central observation tower. From this central tower, the surrounding cells can be continuously monitored. However, the individuals in the cells cannot see the observer. This one-way surveillance relationship enables those under observation to live under the constant sensation of being controlled.

Bentham’s aim was not merely to establish a more orderly and economical prison system but also to develop a “rational” style of governance across various domains of society. According to him, the Panopticon was one of the most effective structural solutions for the reform and control of society.

Foucault and Disciplinary Societies

In the 20th century, Michel Foucault, in his work The Birth of the Prison (1975), interpreted the Panopticon not merely as an architectural form but as a metaphor for power. According to Foucault, power in modern societies operates in invisible, dispersed, yet effective ways. The Panopticon model serves as a tool to understand how this power functions on individuals.

According to Foucault’s definition, panopticism is the logic of surveillance-based power that operates not only in prisons but also in schools, barracks, hospitals, factories, and all other institutional structures. Disciplinary societies target not the body but the mind and behavior of individuals. Thus, the Panopticon becomes a structure in which not only prisoners but the entire society is surveilled.

Panopticism

In contemporary times, the functioning of the Panopticon has been transferred to a new dimension through digitalization. Security cameras, biometric systems, mobile applications, and social media platforms ensure that individuals live within a constant regime of monitoring and data collection. Surveillance no longer operates solely from top to bottom but also within horizontal relationships; individuals become both observers and observed.

Particularly Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms function as Panopticons where individuals display their behavior while simultaneously being monitored. This new regime of surveillance is referred to by some researchers as the “New Panopticon” or “Digital-Panopticon”. Here, although there is no central agent of surveillance, the internalized structure of the system brings individuals under control in a particular manner.

Panopticon in Urbanization and Modern Architecture

Panoptic surveillance is not only evident in individuals’ digital behaviors but also in urban planning and the organization of public spaces. Within the concept of “smart cities”, urban spaces have become structures that continuously monitor individual behavior through real-time tracking of social movements, data-supported analyses, and surveillance systems. Thus, the architectural arrangement of the Panopticon appears to have been integrated into contemporary urban life.