‘Panopticism’ is a concept that refers to external spying. Who among the following coined this term?

The correct option is Michel Foucault.

Understanding Panopticism:
"Panopticism" is a social theory and concept developed by the French philosopher and social theorist Michel Foucault in his influential 1975 book, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
The term is derived from the "Panopticon," an architectural design for a model prison proposed by the English philosopher and theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. Bentham's design allowed a single watchman to observe all inmates of an institution without the inmates being able to tell whether or not they are being watched.

Foucault's Application of the Concept:
Foucault took Bentham's architectural idea and conceptualized it as a broader metaphor for modern disciplinary societies and their systems of surveillance. In a panoptic setup, because the subjects (such as prisoners, workers, students, or citizens) never know exactly when they are being observed, they must behave as if they are always under surveillance. This leads to the internalization of authority and self-regulation, representing a powerful mechanism of social control and external spying or observation.

Overview of Other Thinkers:
- Antonio Gramsci is primarily known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which explains how the ruling class maintains control through cultural institutions.
- Slavoj Žižek is a contemporary cultural theorist and psychoanalytic philosopher known for his work on ideology and modern media.
- Roland Barthes was a key figure in structuralism and semiotics, famous for essays like The Death of the Author.