Governmentality and the creative class: harnessing Bohemia, diversity and freedom for competitiveness

Martin Fougere and Nikodemus Solitander

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2010, vol. 4, issue 1, 41-59

Abstract: Richard Florida's works are the holy writings of the 'creative economy'. Some commentators have stressed the elitist, insidious neo-liberal implications of this new 'class' discourse. Drawing on Foucault's concept of governmentality and the framework introduced by Dean, we study: 1) what is being governed: the creative class… and everyone else; 2) how government is achieved: through the introduction of the three Ts (technology, talent and tolerance) and the correlations established between them and economic success; 3) who we become when governed: workaholic, consumerist and apolitical 'Bohemians' who value individuality, meritocracy, diversity and openness – and flexible immaterial labour, working in increasingly precarious conditions; 4) why we are governed this way: because being part of the creative class is both socially worthy and personally desirable. These norms are instrumental in the reproduction of a deeply unequal economic and social system, designed to exploit both the conspicuous winners and the excluded losers.

Keywords: Richard Florida; creative class; governmentality; competitiveness; creative economy; government. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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