Page "Governmentality" Paragraph 35

Foucault affirms that neoliberal governmentality is not about the retreat of the State ; rather a restructuring of power relations in society.

When the Haiti earthquake struck on 12 January 2010, an OSM crowdsourcing effort enabled the construction of a map depicting the position of hospitals.

Although OSM users were empowered through the ability to contribute geographic data, government agencies printed the OSM maps, distributed them in Port-au-Price, and uploaded them to mobile GPS units.

Thus, the State ’ s power has not eroded: rather its focus has shifted from control over territory, " towards the governing of a complex composed of men and things ".

In brief, the State has transformed from sole purveyor of geographic information to an institutional body of oversight.

Ultimately, adhering to Foucauldian notions of neoliberal governmentality, OSM indicates that whilst the State is no longer the locus of all power, its steering capacity should not be underestimated.

This opposes Crampton's affirmation that OSM is " mapping without a net "; a metaphor indicating the State ’ s alleged retraction from the cartographic project.