Whistleblower-ordningens magtteknologiske potentialer: Heterogene styringsimperativer i en ny magtteknik

The so­called ‘whistleblower­systems’ which facilitate a new form of institutionalized, anonymous and internal whistleblowing within the organization, are increasing in numbers throughout Denmark and Scandinavia. The paper investigates the whistleblowing system as an organizational technique of government with a variety of different potentials. As an analytical point of departure, the paper distinguishes between the foucauldian terms technique and technology in order to show how the whistleblowing­system as a technique can take different forms depending on which technology it is sought incorporated into. Thus, if the whistleblowing system is incorporated into disciplinary technology, it takes shape as a panoptic device which produces obedient subjects, whereas within in the technology of security, it manifests itself as a risk­reducing apparatus of security, and finally, through the dialogical technology, as an expansion of the possibilities for dialogue within the organization. The whistleblowing system as a technique is thus understood as ‘functionally overdetermined by heterogeneous potentials for government, with different organizational effects, practices and imperatives. Empirically, the analysis is based on programmatic descriptions of the use and function of whistblowing-­systems in a Danish context.