Assessing MSP governmentality

A new research paper has been published in Maritime Studies, authored by MSSRG members Dr. Wesley Flannery and Ben McAteer. The paper is part of a special issue on critical marine research. In the paper, the Foucauldian concept of governmentality is used to assess how MSP is being operationalized in the UK, with a focus on the east coast of England. It is suggested that the vast transformative potential of MSP is being inhibited by neoliberal governmentalities that have steered it towards preserving the status quo and narrowly achieving economic objectives. The paper concludes that it is possible to develop more radical forms of MSP by understanding how these governmentalities develop and by recognising opportunities in the planning process where they can be resisted.

To read the full paper, click here.