Verwaltete Biografien

The book addresses the central problem of postmodernity: the relationship between slowly changing structures on one hand and unstable subjectivities on the other. It analyzes the interactions between the biographically shaping tasks of administration and individual biographical identity formation processes. With the ongoing individualization, life plans are multiplying. It becomes harder to discern: Who strives for what, when, and in what way? What opportunities should be made available to whom for what purposes? And what distribution of resources can be considered legitimate, just, and compatible with existing legal norms? Public administrations that derive their legitimacy from understanding these questions and responding appropriately now often face a perilous uncertainty. This volume provides guidance in an expanding field.