Session Information
13 SES 04 B, Ethical Dimension of Citizenship.
Paper Session
Contribution
In the constitution of Europe as/in the knowledge economy, citizenship is constructed in a particular way, in which learning is central (Edwards, 2002). There is a strong tendency to frame the development of democratic citizenship as a ‘learning problem’ and to translate current challenges in terms of developing democratic citizenship competencies (Biesta & Simons, 2009). In order to understand the construction of the European citizen, we focus here on processes of ‘governmental subjectivation’. Governmental subjectivation refers to the process that renders the self intelligible as a certain subject and leads to a particular kind of self-government. It is at the same time, however, a process of inscription in technologies of control and power that renders individuals governable. In other words, those being governed are incited to calculate themselves, their work and life according to the same patterns and to govern themselves accordingly (Rose & Miller, 1992). These processes of subjectivation cannot be disconnected from specific instruments, procedures and techniques or “socio-technical arrangements” (Law, 2004). As arrangements or devices they function as “human technologies” in the sense that what it is to be human – that is, how to render the self, others and the world intelligible, calculable and hence governable – is actually produced through these technologies (Rose, 1999, p.52). Thus, through specific devices, lifelong learning and citizenship are inscribed as a concrete and specific reality for people. In order to analyze the mode of governmental subjectivation in the European context, we have to focus on how the ‘learning devices’ and ‘citizenship devices’ operate in the construction of ‘citizenship’ in Europe today. Foucault’s four-part understanding of subjectivation offers a perspective for this analysis.
The first part of Foucault’s schema is entitled ‘substance’, that which will be worked on in one’s (self) government, that which is subject to our judgment as a learning citizen (Foucault, 1994, p.263; see also Dean, 1995). The second, the mode of subjectivation, refers to ‘the way in which people are incited to recognize their moral obligations’ (p.264) and, in our view, citizenship duties. The third aspect is concerned with ‘the means by which we can change ourselves’ (p.265) in order to become citizens, which Foucault refers to also as ‘self-forming activity’ or ‘asceticism in a very broad sense’ (p.265). The fourth aspect concerns ‘the kind of being we aspire to be’ when we behave as a learning citizen and Foucault terms this the telos (p.265).
We take up Foucault’s schema to explore the idea of voice in relation to the idea of political subjectivation, as a critique of the depoliticisation of the current construction of citizenship identified. Governmental subjectivation, as indicated earlier, involves a process of identification with or inscription in the order of society. In line with Rancière (1998) we explore political subjectivation as a paradoxical process of de-identification with the social order, but at the same time articulating one’s voice as equal within that social order in which one has no voice according to the ruling organisation of positions.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Biesta, G.J.J. & Simons, M. (2009). Introduction: Higher education and European citizenship as a matter of public concern. European Educational Research Journal 8(2): pp.142-145. Dean, M. (1995). Governing the unemployed self in an active society. Economy and Society, 24(4), 559-583. Edwards, R. (2002) ‘Mobilizing lifelong learning: Governmentality in educational practices’. Journal of Education Policy 17, 3, pp.353–365. Foucault, M. (1994) ‘On the Genealogy of Ethics: An Overview of Work in Progress’ in Rabinow, P. (Ed.) Essential Works of Foucault 1954-1984: Vol. 1 Ethics, London: Penguin Hodgson, N. (2010) ‘European Citizenship and Evidence-based Happiness’ in Smeyers, P. & Depaepe, M. (Eds) Educational research: The ethics and aesthetics of statistics, Dordrecht: Springer Law, J. (2004). After method. Mess in social science research. London: Routledge. Rancière, J. (1998) Aux bords du politique. Parijs: La fabrique. Rose, N. (1999). The Powers of Freedom. Reframing Political Thought, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rose, N. & Miller, P. (1992). Political Power Beyond the State: Problematics of Government. British Journal of Sociology, 43(2), 173-205. Simons, M. & Masschelein, J. (2008). From schools to learning environments: The dark side of being exceptional. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 42(3-4), pp.687-704.
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