Governmentalities of Gov 2.0

Web 2.0 technologies, denoted by their formation of social networks and the co-production of web content by users, have rapidly entered social and economic activities. Internationally, governments are racing to identify ways to utilize Web 2.0 in government. In addition to government reports and taskforces, there is a proliferation of business advice and academic papers variously conceptualizing what so-called ‘Gov 2.0’ might look like. Such deliberations seek to mobilize a range of different political and economic agendas, and as such view government's use of Web 2.0 and associated objectives differently. This paper utilizes a Foucaultian-inspired governmentality analysis to identify the main political discourses and rationalities embedded within government reports, as evidenced in Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, the UK and the United States. The paper concludes by critically analyzing this Gov 2.0 governmentality and suggesting alternative governmentalities that might be mobilized.