Governmentality

Governmentality is a theory of power developed by French philosopher Michel Foucault, which analyses ''governmental" power through both the power states have over the population and the means by which subjects govern themselves.

As a form of power, governmentality differs from state discipline or punishment, which relies upon coercion to force individuals into specific action. Rather, governmentality also comprises the power that individuals have within a population to self-govern, which the state may influence or guide through non-coercive means such as education.

The concept of governmentality have found application and reception in the fields of anthropology, history, law, philosophy, political science, and sociology. Prominent scholars include Peter Miller, Nikolas Rose and Mitchell Dean.

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