Foucault News

Springer, S. Neoliberalism as discourse: Between Foucauldian political economy and Marxian poststructuralism, Critical Discourse Studies, Volume 9, Issue 2, May 2012, Pages 133-147
https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2012.656375

Abstract
Contemporary theorizations of neoliberalism are framed by a false dichotomy between, on the one hand, studies influenced by Foucault in emphasizing neoliberalism as a form of governmentality, and on the other hand, inquiries influenced by Marx in foregrounding neoliberalism as a hegemonic ideology. This article seeks to shine some light on this division in an effort to open up new debates and recast existing ones in such a way that might lead to more flexible understandings of neoliberalism as a discourse. A discourse approach moves theorizations forward by recognizing neoliberalism is neither a ‘top-down’ nor ‘bottom-up’ phenomena, but rather a circuitous process of socio-spatial transformation.

Author keywords
discourse; governmentality; hegemony; neoliberalism; political economy; poststructuralism