The social as a programme for governance: A Foucaudian perspective

In contrast to global theories of the state, certain thinkers have followed Foucault in seeking to reflect upon the nature of government within 'modern' societies. Linked to this is the idea of the emergence of 'the social' as a specific domain of government and a specific sector of practices, interventions, and knowledges. I attempt to get at the strategic notion of the state and governance that emerges from Foucault and others. It is also an attempt to consider how we might think about this 'social' sector as it appears in phrases such as 'social policy' and 'social welfare'.