BASIS (BAHASA DAN SASTRA INGGRIS)
Vol 12 No 1 (2025): JOURNAL BASIS UPB

POWER AND MADNESS: A FOUCAULDIAN ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL IN SHUTTER ISLAND

Maharani, Dhea Gladys (Unknown)
Nirmalawati, Widya (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 May 2025

Abstract

This study examines Michel Foucault's theories on power and madness through the film Shutter Island, focusing on how institutional control shapes perceptions of sanity and insanity. Using Madness and Civilization as a theoretical framework, the research explores how psychiatric institutions define and regulate madness, creating "docile bodies" through surveillance and discipline. The data source consists of selected scenes from Shutter Island that illustrate institutional control mechanisms. The study employs qualitative methods, including scene analysis and dialogue transcription, to uncover the film's depiction of power dynamics. The findings reveal that the institution on Shutter Island functions as both a physical and psychological prison, using isolation, sedation, and psychological manipulation to maintain authority over patients. The narrative critiques the normalization and pathologization of madness, demonstrating how compliance with institutional norms is rewarded while deviation is punished. Authority figures, particularly doctors, play a central role in shaping patients' realities, exposing the oppressive nature of psychiatric institutions disguised as therapeutic environments. This study offers a contemporary application of Foucault’s theories, highlighting the ethical implications of power in mental health care.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

basis

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Jurnal ini mempublish hasil penelitian maupun non-penelitian dengan tiga topik berkaitan langsung dengan ilmu Bahasa, diantaranya Tekhnik pembelajaran bahasa dan sastra, Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris. Jurnal ini wadah publish artikel secara online dan cetak bagi Mahasiswa, Guru maupun Dosen. Adapun isi ...