In investigating the major works of Michel Foucault, Barry Smart focuses on the analysis of the relations of power and knowledge and modes of objectification through which human beings are made subjects. He also addresses controversial issues concerning the state and resistance to power. The development of Foucault's work from his early work on madness to the final studies of sexuality, and the question of the work's methodological value and status as a form of critical analysis, are reviewed comprehensively. Barry Smart's detailed discussion of the contribution of Foucault's work to social analysis and research illuminates the stimulating originality of Foucault's project. It will be an essential starting point for anybody interested in learing about Foucault's work.