ABSTRACT
In order to prepare for the case study, this chapter critiques the work of Foucault, prefiguring connections between it and the Church. It explains the phrase "under Foucault's gaze". The concept gaze is usually associated with Foucault's notion of surveillance. Foucault's power/knowledge conceptualization provides the basis for a more sophisticated understanding of ecclesial authority, as it helps to show the epistemological significance of leaders, and how followers are marginalized under conditions of sovereign power. Nevertheless, Foucault has a meta-ethical perspective, which finds its sharpest focus in the themes of the subject and freedom. Foucault's interest in freedom, and the value of the human subject, is also expressed outside academia. With structural change: there are concerns that Foucault's approach to power-relations is not suited to addressing macro-level issues. Nevertheless, recent interest in Foucault's work on neoliberalism suggests new ways of approaching macro-level issues. The name of Foucault is associated with the concept of power, but he was expressly interested in power-relations.
