ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses governance by peers as it unfolds within street-level bureaucracies, focusing on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (SIA) and the Public Employment Service (PES). It highlights the role of peer governance in shaping workplace norms and professional conduct, contrasting managerially infused teamwork with occupationally formed collegiality. The chapter finds that SIA peer governance is structured through mandatory teamwork, entailing strong normative control and peer pressure to align with organizational targets. By comparison, the PES fosters a collegial culture based on mutual support and professional autonomy, allowing for a bottom-up approach and open critique. In practice, SIA caseworkers delegate discretion to the group, while PES caseworkers continue to claim discretion individually while consulting peers and colleagues.
