GOVERNMENTALITY Meaning and
Definition
-
Governmentality is a concept that originated from the work of French philosopher Michel Foucault and refers to the way in which governments exercise control over individuals and populations through a complex network of power relations, techniques, and technologies. It encompasses the various strategies, discourses, and practices employed by governments to shape and govern not only the actions and behaviors of individuals but also their thoughts, desires, and identities.
Governmentality goes beyond traditional understandings of government as a centralized authority with the sole purpose of enforcing laws and regulations. It encompasses a broader range of concepts and techniques, including surveillance, discipline, normalization, and biopolitics. These techniques shape and maintain social order, but they also produce certain subjectivities and govern the conduct of individuals and populations.
The concept of governmentality highlights the ways in which power operates at both macro and micro levels of society and how it is dispersed among various institutions, such as schools, hospitals, prisons, and other disciplinary mechanisms. It emphasizes the role of knowledge, expertise, and technologies in shaping individual behaviors and societal norms. Governmentality recognizes that power is not only repressive but can also be productive, enabling individuals to govern themselves and conform to societal norms.
In summary, governmentality refers to the complex interplay between power, knowledge, and techniques of governance employed by governments to shape and control individuals and populations, ultimately influencing their behaviors, thoughts, and identities.
Common Misspellings for GOVERNMENTALITY
- fovernmentality
- vovernmentality
- bovernmentality
- hovernmentality
- yovernmentality
- tovernmentality
- givernmentality
- gkvernmentality
- glvernmentality
- gpvernmentality
- g0vernmentality
- g9vernmentality
- gocernmentality
- gobernmentality
- gogernmentality
- gofernmentality
- govwrnmentality
- govsrnmentality
- govdrnmentality
- govrrnmentality
- govermentiality
- govermentallity
- governmentialty
Etymology of GOVERNMENTALITY
The word "governmentality" is a neologism coined by the French philosopher and social theorist Michel Foucault in the late 1970s. It is derived from the combination of two words: "government" and "mentality".
Foucault introduced this term in his lectures and writings to describe a complex network of power relationships that extend beyond traditional forms of political governance. Rather than solely focusing on the state and its institutions, governmentality refers to the broader set of techniques, strategies, and rationalities employed by various power structures to shape and control populations.
The term emphasizes the idea that governance is not limited to formal institutions or the exercise of sovereign power alone, but can also exist in everyday practices, knowledge systems, and discourses. It encompasses a wide range of techniques such as surveillance, discipline, normalization, and self-regulation which allow power relations to operate at multiple levels within society.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
