Constructing families and disciplining bodies : a socio-technical study of computers, policy and governance in Australia's Department of Social Security

Abstract

Sociologists often overlook technology when studying society, and this is no less truenof the study of government. In considering how technology shapes then conceptualisation, nature and practices of government, this thesis conducts a detailednexamination of the use of computer technology in Australia'snCommonwealth Government Department of Social Security (DSS).nTheoretically, the thesis draws upon two fields of literature, the sociology of technologynand the sociology of governance. Actor-Network Theory, as developed by BrunonLatour, Michel Callon and John Law, provides the conceptualisation of technology'snrelationship with the rest of the world. To that approach I add three analytics:nmateriality, socio-cultural construction and embodiment. These further the analyticalnstrength of Actor-Network Theory. Computer technology is analysed using thisnapproach. In particular, the qworld-view embodied in computersq is. identified. Itnprovides interpretative and explanatory power for the later analysis of DSS.In conceptualising government, I draw on Michel Foucault's idea of qgovemmentalityqnand Nikolas Rose and Peter Miller's conceptions of qpolitical rationalitiesq andnqtechnologies of governmentq. A broad understanding of government, which includesnindirect and informal as well as direct and formal modes of governance by the state, isnadopted. Government can occur qat a distanceq and may involve self-regulatingnqpractices of the selfq. Governance also occurs through technologies.In studying computer technology in DSS, two research questions are posed: how hasnthe use of computers shaped the policies and policy processes of DSS?; and how has thenuse of computers shaped the nature and practices of governance of Australia's socialnsecurity system and its users? The two questions are closely related; answers to the firstnform the basis for answering the second.To order the investigation, presentation and analysis of data, a social policy life-cyclenis devised. The cycle consists of five phases: policy initiation, development,nimplementation, administration and evaluation. The model focuses on policy change andnnot on policy decision-making processes. It, therefore, differs from most models ofnpolicy processes in policy studies literature.In undertaking the study, a number of methods were used. Case studies of thenintroduction of the Home Child Care Allowance and the Partner Allowance in 1994nprovided rich data by which actual practices involving computers can be identified andnobserved. Data were obtained from interviews with staff at all levels and sections ofnDSS, field observation and written documents. Historical data on policy administration,nsocial security policy and the use of computers build on case study data by providingnthe basis for detecting and substantiating changes resulting from the use of computers.Computers are found to support the administration, implementation and evaluation ofnpolicy, to automate, embody, protect and monitor policy, and to model policy proposals.nThese uses of computers have seen changes in policy administration. Aspects ofnadministration are carried out more efficiently, some administrative practices have beennextended, others abandoned and new ones have been made possible, and DSS hasndeveloped a dependency on computers. Computerisation has led to an increase in clientnsurveillance and an increased focus on quantification. Computer staff have institutionalnpower and there has been a change in the client-DSS relationship.There have also been changes in the substance of social security policy which partiallynresults from the use of computers. Computers support previously unrealisable policies.nPolicy change has increased. Policy has become more formalised and less discretionary,npolicy is applied more uniformly, and has become more complex and targeted. Thentechnical component of policy making has increased, as has the economic basis of policyndecision-making. New groups have emerged to which policy is addressed.n n