# Forced to Live: Controlled Forced Feeding of Political Prisoners and the Challenge to Nation‐States’ Civilising Processes

## TL;DR

The paper explores how forced feeding of political prisoners challenges state control over life and death, and reflects changing societal norms.

## Contribution

The study introduces figurational sociology to analyze how public perceptions and state actions influence the use of force-feeding.

## Key findings

- Forced feeding is used by states to assert control over political prisoners.
- Public attitudes and societal integration influence the continuation or cessation of force-feeding.
- Comparative analysis reveals differences in state responses based on societal integration levels.

## Abstract

Since the nineteenth century, struggles between state power and political prisoners' right to die have aroused considerable interest. State enforcement to ‘make live’ through force‐feeding also raises important questions concerning processes that inform government approaches, often through methods considered to be brutal, and how these actions fit within perceptions of civilised behaviour. The social scientific focus of hunger strikes tends to be informed by Foucauldian bio‐power and governmentality which we draw upon when applying insights from figurational sociology. These insights allow us to better capture shifting social processes and changing public attitudes and behaviours that weaken state control over life and death. Different empirical examples are drawn upon, namely prison based forced feeding programmes that are directed at international ‘Islamicists’, Irish republicans and British suffragettes. Comparing groups' levels of integration within controlling states' societies, highlight distinctions in power balances, layers of mutual identification and entwined public perceptions and state reactions that help explain the implementation, cessation or continuation of force‐feeding.