The Pitfalls of a Popular Concept: Co-Production in Times of Individualization, Marketization, and De-Politicization

Co-production between public administrators and citizens has attracted renewed interest in recent years. is predominantly perceived as something desirable claimed to improve service efficiency outcome user satisfaction, at the same time addressing democratic ideals. Drawing from interviews with patients a Swedish healthcare context, this paper seeks nuance often overly positive notion of co-production by understanding these micro-level practices being embedded macro-level societal context. Theorizing empirical material based on three features contemporary society – individualization, marketization, de-politicization we argue that risks placing burden responsibility individual users creating (welfare)market which better-off people are recruited benefitted. In sense, may consolidate or reinforce inequalities. Through de-politicization, political issues appear value-free; however, long market-logics prevail, welfare system will, some respects, be impotent address crucial issues. collective practice targeting standards called for, rather than an focus, preferably taking recruitment those greatest need seriously scaffolded revitalized ethos their organizations.