Calling bull**** in the age of hollow government: Neoliberal violence and restorative practices with young people

This event was held on Thursday 21 September 2017

School of Humanities and Social Science

Sociology and Anthropology Seminar Series

Pressure from neoliberal market forces on Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) make practice frameworks like Restorative Practices vulnerable to philosophical subversion. The inclusion of “Fair Process” into Restorative Practices is a key example of this vulnerability. To win government contracts NGOs understandably adopt “philosophically attractive, and financially prudent” (White & Wyn, 2008) practice frameworks. As a consequence, it has been argued that through government outsourcing NGOs become part of a carceral network of social control and an “inexpensive form of police” (Spitzer, 1975).

I argue that the undemocratic nature of Fair Process compromises the justice goals of Restorative Practices. It does this by obscuring the “wicked problems” (Watts, 2015) experienced by hyper-governed young people, and positions them as incapable of equal participation. When presented with the principles of Fair Process hyper-governed young people disputed this problem representation by telling stories of unfair process and wicked problems. 28 hyper-governed young people participated in audio recorded semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of transcripts identified persistent motifs. The marketization of social services places pressure on the justice goals of restorative practices and NGOs. To counteract this stress there is a need to promote solidarity and critical thinking (Freire, 2014) by listening to young people’s stories.

Ben Lohmeyer

Flinders University; Tabor College of Higher Education

Ben Lohmeyer is a critical youth sociologist and youth worker. He is a PhD candidate at Flinders University and the Program Coordinator of the Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences (Youth Work) at Tabor College. Ben’s research interests include: youth, governance, violence (personal, structural and neoliberal) and youth work practice. Ben has worked in across a range of youth work settings including alternative education, alternative accommodation and peace building. He has experience facilitating restorative justice processes, designing and facilitating peace building programs as well as grant and policy writing. Ben has is currently completing his PhD in Sociology at Flinders University focussing on youth and neoliberal violence.

You can find more information about Ben’s publications at someyouthfulthoughts.wordpress.com or follow him on twitter @LohmeyerBen

All welcome.

For further details contact Akane Kanai (Akane.Kanai@newcastle.edu.au)