The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism
With his concept of governmentality, Michel Foucault delivered one of the most innovative approaches to analyze neoliberalism, which is predominant on the international stage since “Thatcherism” (1979-90) and “Reagonomics” (1981-88). Even an own discipline developed around this concept (governmenta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS)
2015-03-01
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| Series: | Politikon |
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| Online Access: | https://politikon.iapss.org/index.php/politikon/article/view/125 |
| _version_ | 1797660176823615488 |
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| author | Ben Behrend |
| author_facet | Ben Behrend |
| author_sort | Ben Behrend |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
With his concept of governmentality, Michel Foucault delivered one of the most innovative approaches to analyze neoliberalism, which is predominant on the international stage since “Thatcherism” (1979-90) and “Reagonomics” (1981-88). Even an own discipline developed around this concept (governmentality studies), bringing fruitful theoretical merits. However, there is a huge gap. Benchmark for most researches in the governmentality studies is always the geographical and jurisdictional confined state. Thus, inter-, trans-, and supranational organizations such as the UN, IMF, EU, World Bank or INGOs are completely neglected. I try to fill that gap and to deliver starting points for further analysis of (neoliberal) governmentality on a supranational level by asking: How do neoliberal socio-economic programs of the IMF and European Commission (EC) for Greece work in a Foucauldian perspective? While conducting a theoretical discussion of the governing principles of Troika programs for Greece and using the concept of governmentality, I find that social security is reconcilable with neoliberalism, but an organization of it on a public basis is not. Public welfare is not excluded in neoliberalism; the neoliberal governmentality even insists on private, personal provision, which is based on individual responsibility of a rational acting subject. The objective is to transform social security to a private good. And the same principles are used by the Troika through their adjustment programs during the Greek crisis.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:26:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6164cf92aaaf488086b88f6adb0dd19d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6633 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:26:55Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Politikon |
| spelling | doaj.art-6164cf92aaaf488086b88f6adb0dd19d2023-10-13T18:23:20ZengInternational Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS)Politikon2414-66332015-03-012610.22151/politikon.26.3The Supranational Governmentality of NeoliberalismBen Behrend0Jacobs University Bremen With his concept of governmentality, Michel Foucault delivered one of the most innovative approaches to analyze neoliberalism, which is predominant on the international stage since “Thatcherism” (1979-90) and “Reagonomics” (1981-88). Even an own discipline developed around this concept (governmentality studies), bringing fruitful theoretical merits. However, there is a huge gap. Benchmark for most researches in the governmentality studies is always the geographical and jurisdictional confined state. Thus, inter-, trans-, and supranational organizations such as the UN, IMF, EU, World Bank or INGOs are completely neglected. I try to fill that gap and to deliver starting points for further analysis of (neoliberal) governmentality on a supranational level by asking: How do neoliberal socio-economic programs of the IMF and European Commission (EC) for Greece work in a Foucauldian perspective? While conducting a theoretical discussion of the governing principles of Troika programs for Greece and using the concept of governmentality, I find that social security is reconcilable with neoliberalism, but an organization of it on a public basis is not. Public welfare is not excluded in neoliberalism; the neoliberal governmentality even insists on private, personal provision, which is based on individual responsibility of a rational acting subject. The objective is to transform social security to a private good. And the same principles are used by the Troika through their adjustment programs during the Greek crisis. https://politikon.iapss.org/index.php/politikon/article/view/125Euro crisisgovernancegovernmentalityGreeceInternational Monetary FoundMichel Foucault |
| spellingShingle | Ben Behrend The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism Politikon Euro crisis governance governmentality Greece International Monetary Found Michel Foucault |
| title | The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism |
| title_full | The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism |
| title_fullStr | The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism |
| title_short | The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism |
| title_sort | supranational governmentality of neoliberalism |
| topic | Euro crisis governance governmentality Greece International Monetary Found Michel Foucault |
| url | https://politikon.iapss.org/index.php/politikon/article/view/125 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benbehrend thesupranationalgovernmentalityofneoliberalism AT benbehrend supranationalgovernmentalityofneoliberalism |