Foucault, Docile Bodies and Post-Compulsory Education in Australia

Abstract Australian post-compulsory education policies have been subjected to theoretical critiques which question assumptions behind the articulation of policy. One line of critique derives from Foucault's analysis of power, and makes particular use of the theme of ‘docile bodies’. A limitation of these critiques is the adoption of a ‘top-down’ model of policy which fails to test the model against empirical evidence. This article draws upon recent research evidence ‘at the extremities’ to test the applicability of Foucault's ideas within the Australian context. The research challenges the monolithic image that results from a Hop down’ analysis and counteracts untested assumptions about the inevitability of current policies. While it suggests ways in which Foucault's ideas might enables us to lay bare the disjunctures between policy and its plurality in practice, it also highlights the limitations of Foucault's imagery of power.