The man with a plan: a genealogical study of the medicalisation and individualisation of the 2004 Norwegian drug treatment reforms

Abstract

This article explores the implications of the 2004 Norwegian substance treatment reforms for social work. It considers power dynamics in social, political and economic contexts. The reforms aimed to address the absence of consensus and oversight in the Norwegian drug treatment system and to enhance accessibility and individualised care for people with substance use disorders. Using a genealogical approach and a theoretical framework based on Michel Foucault’s concept of biopower, this study analyses the integration of control and welfare policies to combat drugs and the reform’s emphasis on self-governance, alongside management considerations. The findings reveal a shift in governmentality regarding addiction services in Norway, towards neoliberal management and an emphasis on local governeance, decentralisation and invidualised care. Moreover, the study highlights the potential for undesirable biopolitics to emerge, particularly in the context of the simultaneous coercion and treatment of people using illegal drugs. The study concludes by discussing the implications for social work practice and calling for further research on the integration of control and welfare policies.