Governing through Standards: the Faceless Masters of Higher Education

Abstract

Governing through standards – rather than through law and regulation – is one of the central trends that has emerged in industrialized countries since the 1980s. This collection explains how and why standards are used as governance tools, how they are internally governed, and what effects they have in the real world. An interdisciplinary group of scholars examines standards in banking and accounting, quality management and organizational social responsibility, and sustainability standards. Applying theoretical frameworks within political economy and governmentality studies, the contributors analyze how governing through standards differs from other types of regulation. Finally, they shed light on the origins and drivers behind standards and the limitations of using standards as a governance tool.