Governing the Present

A convincing and disturbing account of the hegemonic power of the economy, government and public life in our modern world. Tribune This book explores the nature and form of governmentality in an intriguing and challenging way. It asks how it is that some things appear as problems that need management and regulation. It explores what constitutes the basis of these problems and the processes which underpin them. This is sociology at its best and the results are fascinating. Ulrich Beck, Universitt Munchen Miller and Rose present analyses of the expanded modern controls over, and recognition of, the individual. The imagery comes from Foucault, the studies focus on the professional analysts, and the conclusions suggest comparisons with earlier time periods. The book will interest all those concerned with modern rationalized individualism. John Meyer, University of Stanford Over the last decade Peter Miller and Nikolas Rose have opened up a new continent in the social sciences, the material and discursive constitution of the modern individual human subject. Governing the Present is a brilliant account of this exploration. After it, social theory will never be the same again. Michel Callon, Centre de Sociologie de l'Innovation, Paris

Nik Rose is Convenor of the Department of Sociology and Peter Miller is Professor of Management Accounting at The London School of Economics and Political Science.

Acknowledgements vi 1 Introduction: Governing Economic and Social Life 1 2 Governing Economic Life 26 3 Political Power beyond the State: Problematics of Government 53 4 The Death of the Social? Re-figuring the Territory of Government 84 5 Mobilizing the Consumer: Assembling the Subject of Consumption 114 6 On Therapeutic Authority: Psychoanalytical Expertise under Advanced Liberalism 142 7 Production, Identity and Democracy 173 8 Governing Advanced Liberal Democracies 199 Bibliography 219 Index 239