Parrhesia and the ethics of public service – towards a genealogy of the bureaucrat as frank counsellor
Edward Barratt
Foucault makes clear in his later lectures that the notion of parrhesia has a long and varied history, which he merely sketches investigations ancient politics philosophy. Recent research extends modifies Foucault’s genealogy as an aspect practice adviser or counsellor monarch prince, showing how informed notions counsel at other times: antiquity, middle ages well early modern Europe. Here we seek to show reappears graft another domain truth telling: bureaucracy Britain, debates over organisation offices government, with years nineteenth century decisive moment rupture. We consider fate bureaucratic frank our own era. Interpreters on governmentality have analysed consequences neoliberal rule for government public servants during era Margaret Thatcher. Presenting reappraisal era, important counter-discourses also emerged this bringing ethics office fore, civil argued formal codification ethics, including counsel, they tried defend their professional ethics. Our discussion therefore addresses key, emergence ideal codifying codification, arguing deep ambivalence now characterises way political authorities govern ethical practice.
Foucault Studies|DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)|Open Access at Essex (University of Essex)