The articulation of neoliberalism

Narratives of experience of chronic illness management in Bulgaria and the UK

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2249190
AutoresIvaylo Vassilev (0000-0002-2206-8247, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Southampton UK, autor de correspondencia), Anne Rogers (0000-0002-7231-790X, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Southampton UK), Elka Todorova (0000-0002-0468-2593, Department of Economic Sociology University of National and World Economy Sofia Bulgaria), Anne Kennedy (0000-0003-4570-9104, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Southampton UK), Poli Roukova (0009-0001-0479-8975, Department of Geography Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia Bulgaria)
Año2017
Volumen39
Número3
Páginas349-364
Fecha de publicación2017-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9566.12488
PMID27813115
OpenAlexW2548695215
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas11
Referencias citadas34

The shift from social democratic to a neoliberal consensus in modern welfare capitalist states is characterised by an emphasis on individual responsibility, consumer choice, market rationality and growing social inequalities. There has been little exploration of how neoliberalism has shaped the environment within which chronic illness is experienced and managed. This article explores the different articulations of neoliberalism manifest in the arena of personal illness management in Bulgaria and the UK. People with type 2 diabetes discussed their experiences in terms of struggling with diet, diabetes as a personal failure, integrating illness management and valued activities, and the trustworthiness of the healthcare system. The UK narratives were framed within an individual responsibility discourse while in Bulgaria lack of resources dominated discussions, which were framed as structurally generated and unrelated to individual capabilities and choices. Respondents faced personal management challenges related to consumer and healthcare market failures in both countries. Differences in market regulation and emerging stakeholder and interest coalitions influenced users' expectations and their navigation and adaption to market failures in managing their everyday illnesses. The UK and Bulgarian articulations of neoliberalism can be described differently: the first as a logic of managed choice and the second as a logic of unmanaged consumerism

Articulation (sociology) · Consumerism · Economics · Market economy · Moral responsibility · Narrative · Neoliberalism (international relations) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Employment and Welfare Studies · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Law · Social Policy and Reform Studies