neoliberalization-of-social-work
The process by which reality TV reprivatizes social work by framing self-help and behavioral guidance within market logics of self-entrepreneurialism and commerce.
1 chapter 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.