"Anthropology of regulation" [2020] ELECD 281; in Dove, S. Edward (ed), "Regulatory Stewardship of Health Research" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020) 72

Book Title: Regulatory Stewardship of Health Research

Editor(s): Dove, S. Edward

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section: Chapter 4

Section Title: Anthropology of regulation

Number of pages: 35

Abstract/Description:

I explain the research approach, theoretical underpinnings, and analytical concepts that drive the empirical investigation. I show how regulatory theory provides a solid but ultimately insufficient foundation on its own for the empirical investigation that informs this book. I argue that there is a need for an empirically grounded discussion of regulatory practice. I propose an anthropology of regulation that contributes to socio-legal studies by drawing explicit attention to processes, passages, and change. I further draw on the anthropological concept of liminality, which serves as a sensitizing concept in addition to concepts provided by regulatory theory. Together with regulatory theory, liminality helps us to better understand the nature of transformations of actors within the regulatory space, the form of regulation in this space, as well as the behaviours and experiences of actors as they go through processes of change.