Dear Foucault List,
I am trying to write my PhD proposal on global securitization after
9/11. I am trying to find a way to leverage Foucault's governmentality
thesis into my discussion. Do any of you know of any efforts to do this
already published?
As I read it, Foucault posits governmentality as a general strategic
movement or ordering system that operates over the organs of the state
such that they are rendered intensive or productive in certain ways.
Foucault claims that this production can be observed in various
procedures, the ?leading? of the subject or the production of a range
of possible behaviors, the ?modes of action? of the subject as they
might affect the possible range of actions of others.
I am specifically curious as to whether this idea of producing "modes
of action" could be used to examine the ?sites? where the Department of
Homeland Security - understood as a bloc - operates. What changes in
subject behaviour can we see emerging? Does the global reach of the US
security response (War on Terror) constitute the advent of a ?global?
form of governmentality? What changes in behavior is it producing?
Where else can we see these changes taking place apart from airports,
ports, borders? Also, how has the terrorist been de-legitimized as a
political actor? Might be a way to think of global terrorism as
'critique' in the sense that Foucault uses it as a sort of wish to not
be governed 'like that'?
Sorry if this sounds poorly thought out but I'm really just fishing for
ideas at the moment.
Thanks,
NiK
Nicholas J. Kiersey
PhD Student, Environmental Design & Planning
VPI&SU
email: nkiersey@xxxxxx
mobile phone: (540) 998-1218
AIM: NervousFishdown
I am trying to write my PhD proposal on global securitization after
9/11. I am trying to find a way to leverage Foucault's governmentality
thesis into my discussion. Do any of you know of any efforts to do this
already published?
As I read it, Foucault posits governmentality as a general strategic
movement or ordering system that operates over the organs of the state
such that they are rendered intensive or productive in certain ways.
Foucault claims that this production can be observed in various
procedures, the ?leading? of the subject or the production of a range
of possible behaviors, the ?modes of action? of the subject as they
might affect the possible range of actions of others.
I am specifically curious as to whether this idea of producing "modes
of action" could be used to examine the ?sites? where the Department of
Homeland Security - understood as a bloc - operates. What changes in
subject behaviour can we see emerging? Does the global reach of the US
security response (War on Terror) constitute the advent of a ?global?
form of governmentality? What changes in behavior is it producing?
Where else can we see these changes taking place apart from airports,
ports, borders? Also, how has the terrorist been de-legitimized as a
political actor? Might be a way to think of global terrorism as
'critique' in the sense that Foucault uses it as a sort of wish to not
be governed 'like that'?
Sorry if this sounds poorly thought out but I'm really just fishing for
ideas at the moment.
Thanks,
NiK
Nicholas J. Kiersey
PhD Student, Environmental Design & Planning
VPI&SU
email: nkiersey@xxxxxx
mobile phone: (540) 998-1218
AIM: NervousFishdown