Frontline Work in the Crossfire between Conflicting Ruling Relations

When working in residential homes in Denmark, frontline social workers are under the influence of different premises for accountability, assessment and authorisation. Regulating premises for the authorization of working environment are in conflict with the regulating premises for social services and the premises of professional discourses are in conflict with some of the ‘evidence based’ concepts promoted by the ministry of social affairs. In this crossfire between different discourses and regulating texts, staff members are left in what we have labelled a ‘discursive vacuum’.

The paper will focus on this problematic and discuss the challenges it puts on our concepts of regulating text, our understanding of the neoliberal conduct of conduct and our concept of governmentality. The paper opens up to new dimensions in our IE investigation of modern institutions, our understanding of the life-world of staff members and our critique of and constructive directions for the conduct of modern institutions. The paper will be based on results from recent research and the author’s involvement in the political processes defining the guidelines for the conduct of residential homes.