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Activation measures through the lens of governmentality

Bengtsson, Staffan ; Panican, Alexandru LU orcid and Ulmestig, Rickard LU (2022) In Critical and Radical Social Work - an international journal
Abstract
This article focuses on young unemployed in Sweden involved in two activation measures. Using the analytical framework of governmentality, it analyses how the participants perceive and value activation measures as government-driven intervention aimed at bringing young people into the labour market, based on a neoliberal discourse in the welfare state. The article highlights that the welfare system not only tries to promote behavioural changes, but also tries to change the way people think. At the centre of the study are the people-changing technologies embedded in the Swedish norms of a strong work ethic. The analysis underlines how these technologies are internalised and even become a part of the participant’s own free will.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Activation, governmentality, labour market, neoliberal, welfare state, work ethic, technologies, norms, discourse, participants, unemployed, activation measures, intervention, activation, governmentality, labour market, neoliberal welfare state, work ethic
in
Critical and Radical Social Work - an international journal
pages
17 pages
publisher
Bristol University Press
ISSN
2049-8608
DOI
10.1332/204986022X16546738761661
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3b2e8c65-c988-446a-b411-98c27342cc81
date added to LUP
2022-07-27 12:35:28
date last changed
2023-02-06 11:49:45
@article{3b2e8c65-c988-446a-b411-98c27342cc81,
  abstract     = {{This article focuses on young unemployed in Sweden involved in two activation measures. Using the analytical framework of governmentality, it analyses how the participants perceive and value activation measures as government-driven intervention aimed at bringing young people into the labour market, based on a neoliberal discourse in the welfare state. The article highlights that the welfare system not only tries to promote behavioural changes, but also tries to change the way people think. At the centre of the study are the people-changing technologies embedded in the Swedish norms of a strong work ethic. The analysis underlines how these technologies are internalised and even become a part of the participant’s own free will.}},
  author       = {{Bengtsson, Staffan and Panican, Alexandru and Ulmestig, Rickard}},
  issn         = {{2049-8608}},
  keywords     = {{Activation; governmentality; labour market; neoliberal; welfare state; work ethic; technologies; norms; discourse; participants; unemployed; activation measures; intervention; activation; governmentality; labour market; neoliberal welfare state; work ethic}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  publisher    = {{Bristol University Press}},
  series       = {{Critical and Radical Social Work - an international journal}},
  title        = {{Activation measures through the lens of governmentality}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/204986022X16546738761661}},
  doi          = {{10.1332/204986022X16546738761661}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}