Introduction to the Thematic Issue. Beyond the Ideal: Surveillance, Control, and the Complexities of Care

Year, pages: 2024, 285 - 301

This paper is a theoretical introduction to the special issue on care, control, and surveillance. Drawing upon feminist ethics of care, this paper introduces a con-ceptualization of care that enables us to examine surveillance practices occurring in care relationships. We argue that care ethics is inherently performative and the conceptualization of care as good or bad is negotiated through specific care practices. In this theoretical overview, we adopt a non-ideal approach to care. This framework allows us, on the one hand, to recognize that power asymmetry and even abuse can occur in caring relationships, while on the other hand it still enables us to reject harmful and abusive practices. We argue that, in order to understand surveillance in care, we need a non-dyadic, processual, and relational understanding of care, within which the particular nature of care is constantly negotiated. We believe that vulnerability and autonomy are crucial in the dynamics of care and surveillance. Furthermore, they play a crucial role in defining what can be considered good or bad care: good care acknowledges the inherent vulnerabilities in care and should enhance the dignity and autonomy of care receivers. We conclude the paper by discussing whether and when surveillance and control can be part of good care.

Sekeráková Búriková, Z., Valkovičová, V. 2024. Introduction to the Thematic Issue. Beyond the Ideal: Surveillance, Control, and the Complexities of Care. In Sociológia - Slovak Sociological Review, vol. 56, no.4, pp. 285-301. 0049-1225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/sociologia.2024.56.4.10

Sekeráková Búriková, Z., Valkovičová, V. (2024). Introduction to the Thematic Issue. Beyond the Ideal: Surveillance, Control, and the Complexities of Care. Sociológia - Slovak Sociological Review, 56(4), 285-301. 0049-1225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/sociologia.2024.56.4.10

Publisher: The Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences