Care Anthropology / Anthropology of Caring

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 pa...

Welcome to Module 10 of Transforming Lives through Care , a first-year Anthropology subject at La Trobe University.  In this module, we anlayse welfare and care in terms of governmentality . The basic idea is that modern systems of care though non-violent, actually create greater control over the population. This is not overtly violent but it is more effective. 🎯 Learning Goals By the end of this week, you should be able to: explain the idea of  governmentality use  governmentality  to analyse caring practices  critique the idea of  governmentality 🚦  Introduction Governmentality is a mentality. Most people are unaware that they have this mentality. Although this mentality has only emerged in Europe's modern period, it seems to us to normal and natural. We think that governments should help people live long and happy lives. To achieve this we expect governments not to control us but to take  care   for of us. We, in turn, make ourselves g...