COMPARISON OF MICHEL FOUCAULT’S “GOVERNMENTALITY” AND MICHAEL MANN’S “INFRASTRUCTURAL POWER”

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss two thinkers who stand out with their theoretical approaches to the capabilities of modern state power. Michel Foucault and Michael Mann provide important roadmaps to understand the current skills of the state through their conceptual developments. In this context, contemplating Foucault's "governmentality" alongside Mann's "infrastructural power" will offer an enlightening reading on the modern state. Accordingly, the first section explains Foucault's theoretical approach and specifically elaborates on the concept of governmentality. The second section delves into Mann's concept of infrastructural power. The final section discusses the similarities and differences between the concepts. The original contribution of the article lies in this exploration. In conclusion, the article attempts to provide a comprehensive definition of modern state power in the context of "capacity" and "rationality" by highlighting the similarities and differences between the concepts of the two thinkers.