Assembling Publics: Microsoft, Cybersecurity and Public‐Private Relations

In this article, we advance the literature on publics in international politics by exploring nexus between publicness and big tech companies. This finds a significant expression increasing impact of companies to mediate disputes over societal problems, deliver social goods rearticulate public-private relationships. We develop an analytical framework combining recent scholarship assemblage theory publics, allowing us understand as enacted practices which revolve around issues relations authority legitimacy. To demonstrate value framework, show how Microsoft is involved assembling cybersecurity. does so problematising countering state-led cybersecurity activities, questioning state protector its citizens proposing governance measures establish sector authoritative, legitimate “first responders.” With rearticulating relations, see emergence political subject for whom security not solely right citizen secured but also customer service provided per agreement. The study hence offers important insights into connection cybersecurity, formation legitimacy politics.