Governing the Self

Governing the Self is about the constitution of the self. Through self-constitution, the subject is implicated in its own governance within a discourse that is increasingly shaped by neoliberal economic theory. Managerialism has become the modern mode of discipline for self production – an inadequate model for education in that the subject of managerialism, homo economicus, cannot adequately account for the ‘other’ in the educational relation. Michel Foucault’s notion of governmentality is used to unravel the problematic connection between education and economics in the production of human capital. This book does not reject managerialism outright, calling instead for its disciplinary force to be delimited and some attention paid to the ‘other’ in the pedagogic relationship.

Patrick Fitzsimons has been engaged in education since his days as a young teacher in New Zealand. A pioneer at his craft, he explores the new, queries convention, and challenges authority. His doctoral research focused on the work of Michel Foucault in relation to education, an interest that he developed through his short but intense academic career. With a long list of publications and professional affiliations, his last appointment was at James Cook University.