Open AccessMobilizing affect, shaping market subjects: Tracing the connections of neuroliberalism and social finance in youth homelessness projects
Author(s) -
Manuel Wirth
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environment and planning. a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.74
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1472-3409
pISSN - 0308-518X
DOI - 10.1177/0308518x211009526
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , welfare , affect (linguistics) , psychological intervention , sociology , social welfare , ideal (ethics) , bond , social psychology , political science , psychology , economics , finance , market economy , communication , psychiatry , law
In this article, I take the framework of neuroliberalism as an analytical lens to explore the functioning and implementation of a social impact bond-funded welfare service for young homeless people in the UK. After reflecting on the lines of connections and divergences between social impact bonds and neuroliberal logics, I draw attention to the limitations that exist in welfare interventions inspired by neuroliberal thought. On the one hand, the studied intervention functioned mainly through designing trustful, ideal-type relationships as a means to ‘fix’ people, thereby focusing on behavioural and biographical deficiencies and spreading good life ideals of a marketized world. On the other hand, I demonstrate how this focus on adjusting micro-contexts and tinkering with the affective, relational infrastructure fails to understand systemic constraints. Those were particularly evident with regard to the precarious labour market environment and colliding welfare agendas individuals were confronted with.