Metternich 2.0.? Surveillance and panopticism as modes of authoritarian governmentality in Austria

Abstract

This paper follows the question if newly introduced surveillance laws and programmes have led to an authoritarian mode of governmentality in Austria in the light of a higher threat perception. As in other countries, terrorism and crime have undergone a process of securitization in Austria, leading to a higher desire for control in order to tackle those threats. However, while other countries have faced serious attacks on their soil, Austria remains free of substantial threats, yet still the government has introduced strict surveillance laws. Based on Foucault’s concept of governmentality and Dean’s assumption that governmentality can contain illiberal techniques and practices in liberal regimes, this paper gives an insight into the rationales behind Austrian surveillance governance.