Numerical professionalization - The role of calculative practices in governing the individual football player

Abstract: In a time of pervasive quantitative performance regimes and numerical professionalization, an investigation of individual accountability seems timely. This paper seeks to investigate the role of calculative practices in governing the emotions and performances of individuals within popular culture. By applying the lens of Foucault (1977) and conceptualizing his concept of internalization as a cognitive state (Sauder and Espeland, 2009), our first main contribution is that performance measurement systems (PMS) seems to govern individuals by informing their emotions. We find that emotions are unique with a distinct PMS, and dependent on the successful administration of the system to render productive individual performance. Additionally, measures that appealed to self-interest seemed to generate productive emotions with players and positively impact their performances. The second main contribution was to highlight the role of the expert in creating productive emotions with individuals. Credible data collection of the administered PMS, management of personal relationships with players, and avoiding mixing qualitative and quantitative discourse, was important factors to decrease negative cognitions between players and administered PMS.