----Worksheet 9: Governmentality & Care

This worksheet--Governmentality and Care--is part of the subject Transforming Lives through Care at La Trobe University. The aim of this worksheet is to develop a deeper understanding of governmentality by recognising, applying, and critiquing the concept in relation to care.

Introduction: Governmentality

 As you know, governmentality is a mentality that developed in the modern era. In this modern era, people are now rendered as citizens. Citizens should be allowed to live happy, productive lives to a ripe old age. Governments create policies to allow this. Governments try to help citizens live happy, healthy lives. But to do this, statistics and a new way of knowing the population through statistics is required. At the same time, docile minds and productive bodies are created. So we have a new kind of person and a new kind of subjectivity.

Recognising "Governmentality"

First, see if you can recognise when a scholar is applying this concept. Consider the passage from the Stevenson's Life beside itself:

Applying "Governmentality": Enlightenment & Declaration of Independence

Now, let's try to apply Foucault's ideas. 

The Enlightenment was a 1700s intellectual movement that emphasized reason, liberty, and equality. Rousseau, is a key Enlightenment thinker discussed by Foucault. He argued that legitimate government must reflect the general will of the people. Foucault's ideas about popular sovereignty, natural freedom, and civic responsibility influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

The US Declaration of Independence (1776) is probably the most famous testament to freedom and democracy. Here is a relevant section of that Enlightenment masterpiece written by the forefathers of the USA:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. 

The Declaration asserts that governments derive power from the consent of the governed and that people have the right to overthrow unjust rule. 

What is the new vision of “Man” outlined in this document? What is the role of government? Remembering Foucault's ideas about the Art of Government ("Governmentality"), what would Foucault make of all this?  

 In less than 150 words, analyse the quoted passage from the Declaration of Independence using Foucault's idea of governmentality.

Applying "Governmentality": Australia's "Measure up" campaign

Now let's try and apply the governmentality concept to a government health campaign.

The Australian Government's "Measure Up" campaign, launched in 2008 was part of the Australian Better Health Initiative. This nationwide campaign aimed to raise awareness about the link between waist circumference and the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. The campaign encouraged Australians to measure their waists as a simple way to assess their health risk. For most Australians, a waist measurement over 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women indicates an increased risk of developing chronic diseases. Measurements over 102 cm for men and 88 cm for women signify a greatly increased risk.

The Measure Up campaign TV advertisement. If the above doesn't work,
 try this link instead.

To facilitate this, the campaign distributed free measuring tapes and provided guidelines on how to measure waist circumference correctly. The campaign's materials were disseminated through various channels, including television, print, radio advertising, brochures, and community promotions.

In less than 150 words, use Foucault's governmentality to analyse this campaign. 

Critiquing "Governmentality"

You might think that governmentality is bad--it makes us more governable by the state and makes govern ourselves. You might be in a minority of people who think it is good--it helps us live longer, healthier, and maybe even happier lives. But your job here is not to say why the fact that governmentality is bad (or good). 

Instead your task is to analyse the usefulness of the concept of "governmentality". Is it a useful concept for understanding how care works in the modern world? Take the "Declaration of Independence", the "Measure Up" campaign, and the Canadian government policies for the Inuit as examples.