Conceptualization of Biopolitics by Foucault and Agamben: A Comparative Analysis on the Relationship Between Power and Life

Abstract

This study comparatively examines the relationship between power and life through the theoretical approaches of Michel Foucault and Giorgio Agamben within the framework of biopolitics. The concept of biopolitics, situated at the intersection of political theory, sociology, philosophy, and biology, represents the mechanisms of power's control over the body and life. This concept provides a crucial analytical tool for understanding how the modern state regulates and governs its citizens' lives. The concept, which gained significance in social science literature particularly through the works of Paul Rabinow and Nikolas Rose, has established a broad research field across various disciplines including law, international relations, demography, and medical history. The research focuses on the divergent approaches of Foucault and Agamben while analyzing the historical transformation of biopolitics and its modern manifestations. While Foucault emphasizes the evolution of power from a strategy of killing to one of sustaining life within the framework of governmentality, Agamben argues that biopower has existed since antiquity and that "bare life" occupies the center of biopolitics. The fundamental difference between these two theorists lies in their distinct interpretations of biopolitics' historical origins and operational mechanisms. While Foucault suggests that biopolitics acquired a new form with the emergence of the modern state, Agamben interprets this as a modern manifestation of a logic inherent in Western political tradition. The study also discusses the new forms of biopolitics within contemporary technological developments and the global capitalist system, analyzing the changing dynamics of power-individual relationships. Particularly, the proliferation of digital surveillance technologies, biometric control systems, and artificial intelligence applications has significantly expanded the scope and impact of biopolitical control mechanisms. In this context, the study thoroughly examines how power practices over individual bodies and lives have transformed in modern societies and the social, political, and ethical implications of this transformation.