Engagemangets Villkor

This essay explores power relations within Swedish civil society from a Governmentality perspective developed firstly by Michael Foucault. It suggests that we need to reconceptualize the common notion of civil society as an independent sphere where autonomous citizens and their personal interests can be developed. The methodology is developed from a qualitative text approach and uses theories of civil society, political participation and citizenship for its analysis. The empirical material of a government proposal covering the future politics of civil society laid forward by the right led Swedish government in 2009 is critically examined. Our understanding of the role of citizens in society as a whole and civil society in particular is concerned. An implicit normative ambition for the production of welfare services within civil society by citizens is also highlighted. The study concludes that citizenship, as a concept is more complicated and ambiguous than what has been proclaimed in social sciences before and continues on the recent scholarly discussion of a development of an ideal active citizen, which I am arguing affect the conditions for community involvement