The irony of Bentham's Panopticon

Article Type

Article

Description

The 1857 Indian insurrection, known as ghadr, saw Muslim religious scholars like Allama Fazl-Haqq Khairabadi lead a fearless rebellion, issuing fatwas via Urdu newspapers like Al-Zafar. These newspapers faced suppression by British authorities. Fazl-Haqq was exiled to Port Blair's infamous Kala Pani prison, a brutal embodiment of Jeremy Bentham's panopticon concept. Ironically, this prison inspired literary works, including Fazl-Haqq's Arabic poetry and Al-Thaura al-Hindiyya, documenting the rebels' suffering. The story intertwines colonial control, Bentham’s reforms, and Michel Foucault’s critique of surveillance.

Publication Source

DAWN

Publication Date

12-22-2024

Pages

07

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