ABSTRACT
By exploring safety in the Norwegian construction industry, this chapter studies linguistic securitisation as a form of governmentality that aligns logics of welfarism and neoliberalism. Norway is a traditional universal welfare state, but its construction industry is increasingly governed by neoliberal logics. Especially flexibilisation and employment liberalisation are viewed as essential means to compete in the market. To this end, contractors hire flexible, often migrant, staff on short-term contracts.
Staff flexibility is criticised for compromising safety and security in construction sites, a critique that legitimises regulations of the industry. Conceptualised as risks, language and communication feature in these regulations and are used by legislators, contractors and other stakeholders to govern the construction industry and workplaces. Through analysis of legislation, media texts, and fieldwork in building sites, this chapter addresses the construction, circulation and consequences of linguistic securitisation under conditions of welfarism and neoliberalism.
The chapter concludes that while welfare logics may curb neoliberal logics they do co-exist, and ultimately safety and security practices can legitimate flexibility in the industry as safe flexibility. This governmentality of securitisation is internalised by contractors, it shapes language and communication control, and, ultimately, it distributes (im)material resources unevenly between local and migrant workers.
