Faith-based initiatives and pastoral power

Abstract

The paper offers a critical analysis of the 'Faith-Based and Community Initiatives' established by the Bush administration in 2001 and expanded under the Obama administration. After situating the programme in the context of the welfare reform of 1996 and the 'new paternalism' (Lawrence Mead) built into it, the paper proceeds to introduce and discuss Michel Foucault's concept of 'pastoral power' as it is developed in his lectures on the history of governmentality. Using this concept as a critical heuristic device the paper analyses and problematizes the relations of care and concomitant processes of subjectification prevalent in faith-based organizations and, particularly, their mentoring programmes. In a final step, the paper argues that these relations of care can be interpreted as a departure from or at least a partial transformation of neoliberalism that produces not only new subjectivities but also novel forms of governing that combine the activating rhetoric of neoliberalism with religious (spiritual transformation) and illiberal (supervisory intervention) elements.

Faith-Based Organisations as Welfare Providers in Brazil: The Conflict over Gender in Cases of Domestic Violence

“…Women's rights, female subjectivity and the ways in which women understand and negotiate violence are shaped through welfare provision, making these services highly political. In Brazil, the growth of faith-based organisations (FBOs) is consistent with a world-wide trend in which religious organisations play an increasing role in welfare, linked to neo-liberalism and austerity measures (Hjelm, 2015), and there is a growing body of literature examining the role of FBOs in providing state services (e.g., see Bäckström, Davie, Edgardh, & Petterson, 2010;Biebricher, 2011;Ghatak & Abel, 2013;Mead, 2005;Sager, 2010). However, few studies have taken a gendered perspective of FBOs (for exceptions see Bäckström et al, 2010;Østebø, Haukanes, & Blystad, 2013).…”

Gyakori vallásszociológiai témák nem-vallásspecifikus folyóirat-cikkekben

“…A politikai blokkba tartozó 7 tanulmányból három (Biebricher 2011, Hemming 2011, Müller-Neundorf 2012 az állam és a vallás közti kapcsolatokat vizsgálja. Biebricher a Bush-adminisztráció által megkezdett és Obama elnöksége alatt folytatott Hitalapú és Közösségi Kezdeményezések (Faith-Based and Community Initiatives) programját veszi kritikai elemzés alá; Foucault "pasztorális hatalom" fogalmát használva eszközként e kritika kialakításához.…”

Where's the ‘Faith’ in ‘Faith-Based’ Organisations? The Evolution and Practice of Faith-Based Homelessness Services in the UK

“…Perhaps surprisingly in light of such developments, there has as yet been little in the way of empirical examination of the difference that a religious affiliation or heritage makes to what is provided; even less regarding how faith-based programmes are experienced by beneficiaries (Biebricher, 2011; Kramer, 2010; Sager, 2011). A number of important questions thus remain unanswered.…”