Governing Unemployment: A study of Public Employment Services in two Bosnian municipalities

Bc. Nermina Blažević

Master's thesis

Abstract:

One of the current problems present in the Bosnian society is unemployment at high-sky rates. This thesis offers an in-depth analysis of the organization and functioning of Public Employment Services (PESs) in two municipalities located in Una-Sana Canton (USC): Bihać and Cazin. This research draws upon Foucault’s concepts of governmentality and governance and Beck’s concepts of “risk” with the aim of determining how power and different regulations are deployed in local PESs in USC to encourage and boost employment outcomes. Data were obtained through qualitative research methods. Utilizing the concept of discourses and power, I demonstrated that all the governed relationships constructed around the issue of unemployment are heterogeneous and interrelated, but not effectively projected in the two USC PESs. Analysis of semi-structured interviews with the personnel of local PESs in Bihać and Cazin, along with those from institutions at upper levels, show that power relationships inside the PESs and their connections with other dominant state structures are not coordinated well and therefore a lack of positive results is observed.

Keywords

Key words, unemployment, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Una-Sana Canton, Bihać, Cazin, Foucault, Beck, governmentality, power relationships, risk

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 6. 5. 2013

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 29. 5. 2013
• Supervisor: doc. Bernadette Nadya Jaworsky, Ph.D.
• Reader: Mgr. Benjamin Jeremiah Vail, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
Sociology / Sociology (Eng.)