governmentality
A form of governance where cultural technologies like television translate political goals into diffuse, indirect guidelines for self-regulation without overt state coercion.
2 chapters across 1 book
Better Living through Reality TV: Television and Post-Welfare Citizenship (2008)Laurie Ouellette; James Hay
Chapter 2 analyzes the role of reality TV, particularly life intervention programs, in privatizing social services by promoting self-management and personal responsibility within a neoliberal framework. It traces the historical legacy of social work and contrasts it with contemporary reality TV's entrepreneurial approach to governing the self, emphasizing techniques that encourage individuals to become self-sufficient citizens. The chapter also situates these TV programs within broader political rationalities of welfare reform and cultural governance, highlighting their function as cultural technologies that shape citizen behavior beyond direct state intervention.
Chapter 4 examines how reality TV, exemplified by shows like It Takes a Thief, reflects and participates in contemporary strategies of risk and security management within neoliberal liberalism. It situates television as a cultural technology that enlists individuals to self-manage risks related to personal safety, financial security, and national security, paralleling broader governmental shifts toward privatization, personalization, and surveillance. Drawing on Foucault's analysis of liberal governmentality, the chapter traces the historical intertwining of public health, welfare, and policing with modern risk management, highlighting how these practices have evolved into complex public-private partnerships and individualized responsibilities in the post-welfare state era.