Michel Foucault's later works on the nature of governing, governmental rationalities and forms of power, and the subsequent governmentality literature provide a useful conceptual framework for thinking about the forms of government conducted through the internet and other new information and communication technologies.
This seminar presentation will begin by outlining Foucault's account of governing and the governmentality framework he inspired. It will discuss how the relationship between governmental rationalities and governmental technologies is conceptualised. An account of different forms of power, namely sovereign, pastoral, neo-liberal, biopower, will also be given.
The presentation will then present the forms the governmentality of e-government is taking, as evidenced from an ongoing three year study of e-government in Australia's social security/welfare, taxation and primary health care sectors. Aspects of this emerging e-government governmentality that are discussed include, network forms of governance, neo-liberal and pastoral forms of power, targeted and conditional forms of governing, greater governmental complexity, and questions of efficiency and speed.
