Unravelling governmentality in project ecologies

Stewart Clegg*, Johan Ninan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
91 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Under the rubric of project governance, governmentality has been defined as a general mode of governing people in projects, whether these projects are organized in an authoritarian, liberal, or neo-liberal mode in their approach to authority relations. We argue that governmentality is a specifically neo-liberal form of social integration, one that stresses the freedom of its subjects, and discuss how it extends governance beyond enforcing contracts and includes all stakeholders. Examples of governmentality in the modern era of projects are discussed as a proactive strategy conceptualized in five contexts in which the concept of governmentality, as governing through freedoms, has been applied in project ecologies. These include governance by contract, governance by alliancing, governance by influence, governance by co-optation, and governance by incorporation. The degree of governmentality in play increases through the sequence.
Original languageEnglish
Article number100099
Number of pages10
JournalProject Leadership and Society
Volume4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Governmentality
  • Project governance
  • Foucault
  • Neo-liberal
  • Rio Tinto
  • East Kimberley Clean Energy project

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