Shaping governmentalized subjects through human capital discourse and teaching commitment in teacher professional development

Abstract Drawing on Foucault's notion of governmentality, this study investigates how teachers, as governmentalized subjects, are regulated by key factors within the context of professional development. A questionnaire was administered to all teachers in 40 randomly selected secondary schools, yielding a valid return rate of 81.06% ( n = 2966). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was then employed to test the theoretical framework underpinning the questionnaire and to identify the optimal pathways among the six constructs. The findings indicate that care of self emerges as the most influential driver of both enterprising and responsible subjectivities. Our evidence further suggests that teaching commitment and self‐improvement play a crucial role in shaping enterprising subjects, while human capital discourse serves as the determining factor in constituting responsible subjects.