Donzelot - policing the family

• how do they see social policy?


  -a form of state power and control over families via monitoring
• what do professionals do?

  -carry out surveillance of families

  -use their knowledge to control & change families to be 'cases'

  -rejects march of progress view
• uses Foucault's concept of surveillance 


  -sees power as something diffused through society

  -power found within all relationships
• surveillance


  -not targeted equally on social classes

  -poor families more likely to be seen as 'problem' families
• Condry


  -state may seek to control & regulate family life by imposing compulsory Parenting Orders through courts

  -parents of young offenders, badly behaved kids may be forced to attend parenting classes
• Donzelot rejects functionalist view


  -sees social policy as form of state control of family

  -rejects view of social policy and professionals who carry it out have created a better, freer / more humane society