Cataloging Faces: From the Semantics of Facial Categorization to the Pragmatics of Biopower

This work studies the historical and semiotic underpinnings of facial categorization and its evolution into a tool of biopower. Beginning with early anatomical studies and the emergence of medical cataloging in 18th- and 19th-century Paris, it explores how the face became a focal point for both scientific inquiry and social control. Through a genealogical approach, the text traces the development of cataloging practices from anatomical collections by Bichat and Alibert to the physiognomic methodologies that sought to classify individuals based on facial features. These practices were not merely scientific but embedded in a broader ideological framework that used facial categorization as a means of power, enabling authorities to distinguish, classify, and marginalize. The study concludes by examining contemporary digital and AI-driven approaches to facial recognition, questioning the persistence of these categorizing logics and their implications for identity and privacy in modern society.