Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8789

Title: Using theory to ‘speak back’ to neoliberal performativity: the Northern Territory Intervention and the inventing of a neoliberal subject as a case in point
Authors: Howard-Wagner, Deirdre
Sociology and Social Policy
Keywords: Northern Territory Intervention
neoliberalism
poststructuralism
governmentality
critical whiteness studies
postcolonialism
Issue Date: 26-Nov-2012
Series/Report no.: Theorising Indigenous Sociology: Australian Perspectives
Abstract: The paper reflects on the Northern Territory Intervention as a neoliberal regime governing the conduct of Australia’s Aboriginal population in the Northern Territory. In doing so, it only provides a critical commentary and is formative in its reflection, rather than providing an in-depth substantiation of the theoretical propositions put forward. It is divided into three parts. First, the paper reflects on the critical scholarship analysing the Northern Territory Intervention as a neoliberal phenomenon, discussing broadly the contributions of such theoretical accounts. Second, it adds to this scholarship, which aims to decolonise the discursive dimensions of neoliberal performativity, by briefly considering performativity in the context of failure and exposing the pernicious effects of neoliberal performativity, as well as engaging Aboriginal voices to invert failure. As such, its role is to continue the discussion about (and make a small contribution to this discussion of) how critical scholars are engaging with the theoretical tools of poststructuralism, postcolonialism, critical whiteness studies and a governmentality approach, for example, to ‘speak back’ to the Northern Territory Intervention as a neoliberal phenomenon.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8789
Department/Unit/Centre: Sociology and Social Policy
Appears in Collections:Theorising Indigenous Sociology: Australian Perspectives

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