Comments on: Mapping Muslims

By: scollier

scollier — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:06:29 +0000

I think it is quite interesting. What I was trying to say above is that it may be a redeployment of knowledge about the social. There isn’t an attempt to ‘normalize’ in the sense of intervening in the conditions of collective life to correct these ‘pathologies.’ Rather, it is simply an attempt — I think — to use “social conditions” as a kind of early warning system.

By: Dale A. Rose

Dale A. Rose — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:27:05 +0000

Totally right. Poorly worded on my part. Not vital systems as you’ve conceptualized it, but I am intrigued nonetheless about the kinds of conceptual linkages one might make between threats to the state, on the one hand, and what one might call “societal vulnerabilities” (weaknesses in the societal fabric) which are mapped onto specific social groups by law enforcement and juridical apparatuses. Hmm. I don’t know, I thought it was interesting at the time… and in any event the development in LA is disturbing.

By: scollier

scollier — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:36:07 +0000

I agree with Andy. In some sense the interesting question is whether population security is used only as a mode of knowledge or as the basis for practical intervention (ie actually trying to identify these pathologies of the social and then normalizing them).

By: alakoff

alakoff — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:43:08 +0000

I would not call this vital systems security, since its goal is to interdict enemies of the state. Rather, in our terms, it takes up population security knowledge (the census, economic status) in the service of sovereign state security.