Introduction

The German sociologist Ulrich Beck has provided us with a broad analytical framework for how to understand individualisation as a general sociological process. Drawing on his risk society thesis, he emphasises that contemporary societies might provide individuals with new forms of opportunities, but also a new set of risks and insecurities. Due to modern industrial society's transformation into a risk society, each individual faces a situation in which they have to deal with risks such as environmental pollution, contamination of food and human and animal diseases, as well as social problems like unemployment or family breakdown. It appears as if the state is no longer willing – or has the capacity – to help citizens handle these risks. Instead risks are increasingly defined as individual social risks. But Beck refuses to reduce his understanding of individualisation to a threat for individuals and citizens. On the contrary, the core element of his individualisation thesis regards its potential to provide individuals with new opportunities and resources; to act, develop their life patterns and make their voices heard in relation to public authorities, social traditions and structures. In other words, citizens and individuals face an ambiguous situation in contemporary welfare societies, implying greater opportunities to develop individual identities, roles and careers, but also new forms of individual social risks (see Beck, 1992, 1994; Beck and Beck-Gernsheim, 2002; Beck and Willms, 2004).

This chapter addresses what students of activation can learn from Beck. The analysis is divided into two parts. The first sections map out the core elements of Beck's individualisation thesis. Analytical themes are identified, which both challenge and confirm current reasoning on activation. It is argued that the burgeoning activation discourse provides important empirical illustrations of Beck's sometimes broad analytical arguments. The following sections probe deeper into one aspect of Beck's individualisation thesis: the notion of radical individualisation. It is argued that Beck crosses an analytical line and becomes explicitly normative in his view on the role of the state and public authorities and how they could promote the form of individualisation that Beck is in favour of. These aspects of Beck's thesis have only rarely been addressed by the academic community. To help us understand the full implications of his arguments, these are contrasted with post-Foucauldian discussions that offer us divergent views on what the welfare state ‘actually’ does in contemporary societies.