Når styringens ambitioner udfordres af praksis. Om at analysere rummet imellem styringens intentioner og situationel praksis

Abstract

Studier, der analyserer det sociale med inspiration fra Foucaults tanker om governmentality, kritiseres i stigende omfang for at afskaere sig fra at analysere de praktiske relationer, som politisk styring konkret indlejres i. I artiklen tager vi afsaet i denne kritik og viser, med et studie af forholdet mellem et kommunalt jobcenter og et lokalt beskaeftigelsesrad, hvordan governmental magtanalyse kan indfange styringens uforudsigelige, mangefacetterede og immanente karakter ved at fokusere pa styringsintentionernes mode med den praktiske virkelighed, der soges styret. Formelt er radet nedsat til at overvage og kontrollere jobcentret, men i den praktiske relation er det snarere jobcentret, som overvager og kontrollerer radet. Artiklen viser, hvordan dette er muligt ved at analysere jobcentrets arbejde med radet ved hjaelp af en raekke centrale begreber fra Foucaults forfatterskab. Empirisk traekker studiet foruden formelle myndighedsdokumenter, der beskriver radets tiltaenkte rolle, pa praksisinformerende empiri i form af kvalitative interviews og modereferater over en fire-arig periode. ENGELSK ABSTRACT: Mathias Herup Nielsen and Niklas Andreas Andersen: When Praxis Challenges the Ambitions of Governing. Analyzing the Space between the Intentions of Governing and Situational Praxis Studies working with the Foucauldian concept of ”governmentality” are frequently criticized for their apparent disregard of empirical reality. This article takes this critique as its point of departure and demonstrates the application of the concept of governmentality in a concrete empirical case study in order to grasp the unpredictable and multifaceted nature of modern day power. The case investigated here is the relationship between a Danish Jobcentre and a so-called local employment council (LBR). The latter was created to ”control” and ”monitor” the former organization. However, in practice, it is rather the other way around – the Jobcentre is controlling and monitoring the members of the LBR. This article draws on a number of well-known Foucauldian concepts to show how this relation of power is practically structured. Empirically the article draws on documents from central authorities as well as on a number of qualitative interviews with the actors involved – hence, the article attempts to meet with the dominant overall critique of the governmentality perspective for disregarding empirical reality. Keywords: governmentality, Michel Foucault, unemployment policy, jobcentre.