Power, Surveillance, and Resistance in the ESL Classroom: Empirical Insights from the University of Education, D.G. Khan Campus

Abstract

This study uses a Foucauldian approach to examine power relations among BS English students at the University of Education, D.G. Khan Campus. The study looks at how students perceive and experience power and manifest it in their behaviours within the institution. In order to find patterns and statistically significant links in students' perceptions of authority, involvement, autonomy, and institutional control, data were gathered through a structured survey and analysed using SPSS as part of a quantitative research design. The sample is taken from 40 students, and the reliability coefficient of Cronbach’s alpha is 0.858. According to the results, eighty-five per cent of respondents agreed that power operates beyond formal authorities, supporting Foucault’s claim of diffuse, relational power, and supporting Foucault's claim that power is not just imposed from above but rather is ingrained in daily activities. This work closes the gap between critical theory and quantitative methods in higher education research by practically measuring Foucauldian constructs, which are disciplinary rules, surveillance, and power/knowledge. It is important because it adds theoretical depth to Foucauldian studies in the context of Pakistani universities and gives administrators and teachers useful advice on attendance policies, grading rubrics, and classroom monitoring. It also functions as a productive disciplinary mechanism, offering empirical grounds for rethinking student participation frameworks to create more inclusive, reflective, and participatory learning environments.