Book

Governmentality: Current Issues and Future Challenges

by Ulrich Bröckling, Susanne Krasmann, and Thomas Lemke

📖 Overview

Governmentality: Current Issues and Future Challenges examines Michel Foucault's concept of governmentality and its applications to contemporary political and social issues. The text brings together contributions from scholars across disciplines who analyze power relations, political rationalities, and technologies of governance in modern societies. The book covers topics including neoliberal governance, risk management, security practices, and the politics of life itself. Through case studies and theoretical discussions, the authors explore how various institutions and practices shape human conduct and social order. Key sections address the relationship between power and knowledge, the role of experts and expertise in governance, and emerging forms of self-regulation and control. The collection includes analyses of specific policy areas like crime prevention, public health, and environmental regulation. This volume demonstrates the ongoing relevance of governmentality as an analytical framework for understanding contemporary power relations and political rationalities. The work contributes to debates about neoliberalism, biopolitics, and the changing nature of state power in globalized societies.

👀 Reviews

Limited reader reviews exist online for this academic text. The few available reviews come from scholars and researchers rather than general readers. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of governmentality concepts beyond Foucault's original work - Strong focus on contemporary applications and case studies - Quality of contributing authors/researchers - Detailed analysis of neoliberal governance Main criticisms: - Dense academic language limits accessibility - Some chapters more theoretical than practical - High price point for hardcover edition - Limited engagement with critiques of governmentality theory Available Ratings: Goodreads: No ratings Amazon: No customer reviews Google Books: No user reviews WorldCat: No reader reviews The book appears primarily used in graduate-level courses and academic research, with most discussion occurring in scholarly journals rather than consumer review platforms. Note: This summary relies on a small sample of available reviews and academic citations.

📚 Similar books

Security, Territory, Population by Michel Foucault This collection of lectures explores the origins of governmentality and biopolitics through historical analysis of state power mechanisms from the 16th to 18th centuries.

The Birth of Biopolitics by Michel Foucault The text examines neoliberal governmentality and its impact on political rationality through lectures focusing on German ordoliberalism and American neoliberalism.

The Government of Self and Others by Michel Foucault These lectures investigate the relationship between government, truth-telling, and self-formation in ancient Greek political thought and practice.

Nikolas Rose: Key Sociological Thinkers by Peter Miller The book presents Rose's contributions to governmentality studies through analysis of modern power relations, subjectification, and political rationalities.

Governing the Present by Nikolas Rose, Peter Miller This work analyzes how modern political power operates through expertise, technology, and calculated management of populations.

🤔 Interesting facts

🔹 The concept of "governmentality," first developed by Michel Foucault, examines how power operates not just through obvious force, but through subtle ways that shape how people think and behave in their everyday lives. 🔹 Co-author Thomas Lemke is considered one of the leading scholars in governmentality studies and has significantly contributed to bringing Foucault's theories into dialogue with contemporary social issues. 🔹 The book explores how modern forms of governance extend beyond traditional state power to include seemingly neutral institutions like schools, hospitals, and workplace management systems. 🔹 Published in 2011, this work emerged during a crucial period when scholars were beginning to apply governmentality frameworks to understand new forms of digital surveillance and social media control. 🔹 The German-speaking authors brought together diverse European perspectives on governmentality, helping bridge the gap between Anglo-American and Continental approaches to power analysis.