anti-blackness critique - utnif 2015

7/24/2019 Anti-Blackness Critique - UTNIF 2015

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Anti-Blackness Kritik UTNIF2015

Anti-Blackness Kritik UTNIF 2015............................................................................... 1

Notes............................................................................................................................................ 6

1NC .................................................................................................................................................. 8

1NC Generic.............................................................................................................................91NC Shell-Policy................................................................................................................16

Generic Links.........................................................................................................................44Surveillance Links.............................................................................................................45

Legalism...............................................................................................................................50State......................................................................................................................................54Reformism...........................................................................................................................63White Privelege/Surveillance Management............................................................69issent Politics...................................................................................................................72Li!eralism Link...................................................................................................................74Silence Link.........................................................................................................................77"therness Link...................................................................................................................78Natal #lienation.................................................................................................................80Social eath.......................................................................................................................84$m%athetic &'enti(cation..............................................................................................88

Intersectionality/Multiculturalism in!..................................................................................89War )ack *ome.................................................................................................................92General "is#onor....................................................................................................................93

$ie% &rom No '#ere..............................................................................................................94#+ S%eci(c Links..................................................................................................................96

#n,iety Links......................................................................................................................97)or'er Security/rone Link.........................................................................................100)itcoin Links.....................................................................................................................104)iometric echnologies.................................................................................................108)ecoming/eleu.e Links..............................................................................................113)ulk ata Collection......................................................................................................121

)rave0 Ne $conomy/Mar,ism/Ca% Link............................................................124rones.................................................................................................................................1262aciality..............................................................................................................................1323" Links.............................................................................................................................1352oucault/)io%oer Links..............................................................................................138Necro(olitics.........................................................................................................................148Welfare Links....................................................................................................................149Citi.enshi%.........................................................................................................................155


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Civil Li!erties....................................................................................................................157Criminality Links.............................................................................................................158eath Links.......................................................................................................................160ou!le Conscious/u!ois............................................................................................1624ueerness.........................................................................................................................170

Migrants.............................................................................................................................173*ei'egger..........................................................................................................................176*umani.ation...................................................................................................................183Pu!lic-Private istinctions...........................................................................................185#+ect/Cultural $,%ression...........................................................................................186S%ectactular 5iolence...................................................................................................188Settler iscourse............................................................................................................191)ociol*ical.............................................................................................................................192Social Relations...............................................................................................................1942ree S%eech......................................................................................................................195&nternational Relations..................................................................................................197

&nternet Link.....................................................................................................................200*istory Links.....................................................................................................................201#'vantage Links.................................................................................................................203

Risk #ssessment.............................................................................................................204errorism............................................................................................................................206*eg/&m%erialism Links..................................................................................................210$conomy Links.................................................................................................................212Nuclear War......................................................................................................................215emocracy Link..............................................................................................................218Russia..................................................................................................................................219#frica #'vantage Links.................................................................................................220

Root Cause...........................................................................................................................221Surveillance......................................................................................................................222)io%oer/Necro%olitics.................................................................................................225Ca(........................................................................................................................................227

&m%acts..................................................................................................................................229&m%act 6 Genoci'e.........................................................................................................230Im(act+ ,-ectie $erti*o.....................................................................................................231&m%act 6 Glo!al 5iolence.............................................................................................232&m%act 6 #!leism............................................................................................................234&m%act 6 $thics................................................................................................................235&m%act 6 Glo!al Warming............................................................................................236

#lternatives..........................................................................................................................2382ugitivity............................................................................................................................239"%acity...............................................................................................................................241)lack Cele!ration...........................................................................................................244*aunting............................................................................................................................246Counter Gae.........................................................................................................................248Reclaiming 2lesh.............................................................................................................249#lt Solvency- Conciousness Raising........................................................................250


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#lt Solvency- "%acity....................................................................................................253#lt7 Pre-re8uisite- *istorical........................................................................................255

Answers to Answers........................................................................................................ 256

#9 S%eaking for others................................................................................................257

#9 )lack/White )inaries !a'......................................................................................259#9 Policy 2ocus...............................................................................................................261 acan..............................................................................................................................263

Perm #nsers......................................................................................................................264#9 Reformism:Revolution..........................................................................................265#9 Multiracialism %erm/coalition %erm..................................................................267#9 Li!eration heology................................................................................................269#9 State Reform.............................................................................................................270

AFF Answers........................................................................................................................ 272

erms........................................................................................................................................273

erm o -ot#.........................................................................................................................274Permutation-3"/)itcoin................................................................................................279erm+ io(o%er....................................................................................................................282

in! urns................................................................................................................................283Ran'om 2oucault Link urn.........................................................................................284itcoin in! urn..................................................................................................................285

'el&are in! urn.................................................................................................................286lt ns%ers..............................................................................................................................289

#9 "%acity........................................................................................................................290 ,(timism/auntin*........................................................................................................292

u*itiity........................................................................................................................296

Counter )ureillance......................................................................................................298 n&linc#in* arai*matic nalysis................................................................................302

otaliin* lts/to(ianism a............................................................................................304

,t#er #in*s.............................................................................................................................305)tate Goo.............................................................................................................................306#9 Su+ering Re%s...........................................................................................................317 artman..........................................................................................................................319

2 )e:ton.............................................................................................................................321)ocial "eat# Inites..............................................................................................................322

lac!ness ,ntolo*ical....................................................................................................328#9 )allot ;< Movement...............................................................................................331


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Notes#is &ile is mae %it# loe -y ;ristiana< =>?onc@< $arun an t#e "iamonsA3

1NC


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1NC GenericModern day surveillance ractices were created ander!ected on t"e lantation# T"ese tactics $arked certain%odies as &enslava%le o%'ects( to %e $onitored) $ana*ed

and cri$inali+ed#Simone Browne 20127=)rone is an #ssistant Professor> #frican an'#frican ias%ora Stu'ies e%artment at the ?niversity of e,as @ #ustin> Sheresearches an' teaches in the areas of Surveillance> Social Me'ia> SocialNetork Sites> an' )lack ias%ora Stu'ies Cultural Stu'ies Pu!lication'etails7 $5$RA)"ABS G" # L&L$ L&G* ?N$R *$ S?N07aylor an'2rancis7 htt%9//7tan'fonline7com/loi/rcus e,as%lantation9 th &n giving or'ers alays 'o it in a mil' tone> an' try to leavethe im%ression on the min' of the negro that hat you say is the result ofreHection70 he 'etaile' catalo*uin* o! slave li!e was a $ec"anis$ o!discilinary ower> here 'isci%linary %oer> as Michel 2oucault tells us> ise,ercise' through its invisi!ility>0 w"ile i$osin* a &co$ulsory visi%ility(on its tar*ets=1IJI9 1KJD7 ,iscilinary ower) t"en) oerated on t"eenslaved as a raciali+in* surveillance t"at individuals were at oncesu%'ected to and t"at roduced t"e$ as racial) and t"ere!ore enslava%le)

su%'ects7 uc" a raciali+in* surveillance was aarent in t"e lantationsecurity syste$) a syste$t"at reliedon> as Parenti lays out> threein!or$ation tec"nolo*ies. t"e written slave ass) or*ani+ed slave atrols)and wanted osters !or runaways0 = surveillance an'literacy ere closely articulate' as slaves an' in'enture' servants ho coul'rea' an' rite coul' also forge %asses an' manumission %a%ers or altere,isting ones !y re%lacing 'ates> names an' other uni8ue i'enti(ers> in thisay functioning as ante!ellum hackers0 a!le to crack the co'e of the%lanters security system0 = so they oul' han' over these %asses0 hena%%rehen'e'7 his security system> then> relie' on the racially 'e(ne'contours of =hiteD literacy an' =)lackD illiteracy>0 a 'ichotomy that as notso rea'ily u%hel' =1KD7 Less easily counterfeite' %asses ere later fashione'out of metal# T"e co$ulsory visi%ility o! t"e racial su%'ect can %e seen in
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcus20http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcus20


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t"e circulation o! newsaer advertise$ents and wanted osters !orrunaway slaves and truant servants# T"ese te/ts were ri$arily ai$ed at aw"ite u%lic t"at was assu$ed to %e literate and !ree) and w"o inconsu$in* t"ese te/ts %eca$e art o! t"e aaratus o! surveillance) t"eeyes and ears o! !ace-to-!ace watc"in* and re*ulatin*#In detailin*"ysical descritions) t"e surveillance tec"nolo*y o! t"e !u*itive slave

advertise$ent $ade t"e already "yervisi%le racial su%'ect le*i%le as &outo! lace70 2or instance> a March 1F 1JKE a'vertisement in he Royal Ga.etteRace an' surveillance JE o+ering a o ollars rear'0 for a Mulatto> or4ua'roon Girl> a!out 1 years of age> name' Seth> !ut calls herself Sall>0attests to the role of fugitive slave notices> an' similarly ante' %osters> inu%hol'ing racial categori.ation7 his notice ent on to state9 sometimessays she is hite an' often %aints her face to cover that 'ece%tion70 Seths>or Salls> 'u%licity is not limite' to her use of an alias> as this notice tells us>!ut also to her racial am!iguity> itness her a%%arent choosing to self-i'entify or %ass as hite> rather than as a Mulatto0 =one !lack %arent an'one hite %arentD or a 4ua'roon Girl0 =one !lack gran'%arentD as %er the

racial nomenclature that arose out of slavery# ater suc" classications as a!or$ o! oulation $ana*e$ent were $ade o cial wit" t"e rst U!ederal census in 13407 & ill return to the census as a technology thatformali.e' racial categori.ation later7 For now) t"e wanted notice !or!u*itive slaves as an in!or$ation tec"nolo*y de$onstrates t"at t"en asnow race was a social construct t"at reuired constant olicin* andoversi*"t7 *oever> the format of the fugitive notice as re%ur%ose' in theform of han'!ills that functione' as a means of counter-surveillance7 #n1KF1 han'!ill %ro'uce' !y a!olitionist heo'ore Parker attests to this as itcautione' colore' %eo%le of )oston0 to steer clear of atchmen an' %oliceocers0 an' to kee% a shar% look out for ki'na%%ers> an' have to% eye

o%en70o% eye0 here as a 'irective to look out an' a!out ith keen intentas %olice ocers ere em%oere' to act as slave catchers un'er fugitiveslave las7 Black sectators"i) alon* wit" t"e *a+es o! w"ite a%olitionistsand ot"er allies) !unctioned as a !or$ o! oositional lookin* %ack atraciali+in* surveillance7 &n her 'iscussion of !lack s%ectatorshi%> the ga.ean' looking relations 'uring slavery an' the racial a%arthei' of im Cro inthe southern ?nite' States> !ell hooks tells us that !lack %eo%le oftencultivate' the ha!it of casting the ga.e 'onar' so as not to a%%earu%%ity7 To look directly was an assertion o! su%'ectivity) euality0 =1IIan o%%ositional ga.e0 =11OD7 uc" olitici+ed and oositional lookin* werea*ential acts and can %e seen) !ore,am%le> in a une 1th 1JKE runaayslave notice %rinte' in the Royal Ga.ette for 1O-year-ol' Sam> ho is'escri!e' in the notice as (ve feet high0 an' remarka!le in turning u% thehites of his eyes hen s%oken to70 T"is notice records a$6s oositional*a+e) "is lookin* %ack) and s"ows us t"at resistance can %e !ound even in


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t"e si$le act o! rollin* one6s eyes# Black looks "ave t"e ower to trou%lesurveillance as a &tec"nolo*y o! w"iteness( =2iske9 1IIK9 OID

T"e %elie! t"at surveillance olicies e7ect %odies si$ilarlyunderscores t"e w"ite anotic *a+e t"at $akese/ression o! %lackness "yer-visi%le w"ile concealin*w"iteness) rele*atin* %lack %odies to a constant state o!*ratuitous violenceohn Fiske 14487 =2iske is a me'ia scholar ho has taught aroun' theorl'7 *e as a Professor of Communication #rts at the ?niversity ofWisconsin6Ma'ison7 *is areas of interest inclu'e %o%ular culture> massculture> me'ia semiotics an' television stu'ies7 Surveilling the CityWhiteness> the )lack Man an' emocratic otalitarianism07heory> Culture QSociety 1IIK =S#G$> Lon'on> housan' "aks an' Ne elhiD> 5ol7 1F= air%orts> !anks an' cash machines> e kno they atch theentrances> elevators an' hallays of oce !uil'ings7 &n an an,iousscansca%e the controlling look of vi'eo cameras cannot !e restricte' toone' %u!lic s%ace such as air%orts an' sho%%ing malls9 so their sight linesare !eing e,ten'e' to cover all so-calle' %u!lic s%ace7 &n the ?S the holeof 'ontons in cities like Minnea%olis> Neark an' etroit are no covere'!y cameras that can .oom in to rea' a cre'it car'7 &n #ustralia> Wainright=1IIFD counte' for oners nee' no %ermission toinstall cameras to atch the street in front of their %remises> an' many have

'one soD7 &n )ritain> accor'ing to the *ome "ce> IF %ercent of ton an'city councils are consi'ering installing vi'eo surveillance of all their streetsan' o%en s%aces7 )y early in 1IIF> another


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hich a threat to 'isor'er may !e recogni.e' an' 'ealt ith7 Because t"eBlack $an is t"e !ocus o! w"ite !ear and is $ade to e$%ody all t"ataears to t"reaten t"e social order) "e "as to %e always watc"ed.w"ile t"e develo$ent o! t"e surveilled society $ay not "aveintentionally %een directed uon "i$) in ractice it o!ten is7 #n'

Black $en are acutely aware t"at surveillanceis discri$inatory9 the;orean stores ere targets of )lack anger in L# %artly !ecause of theirconstant surveillance of )lack customers> a surveillance routini.e' intomun'anely %ainful e,%eriences of 'isres%ect an' social othering7 treet%e"aviors o! w"ite $en=stan'ing still an' talking> using a cellular %hone>%assing an unseen o!ect from one to anotherD $ay %e coded as nor$aland t"us *ranted no attention) w"ereas t"e sa$e activity er!or$ed%y Black $en will %e coded as lyin* on or %eyond t"e %oundary o!t"e nor$al) and t"us su%'ect to discilinary action7 2or such action toserve the %u!lic goo'> these )lack men> at least> have to !e e,clu'e' fromthe notion of the %u!lic> an' thus the %u!lic as an instrumental conce%t> is

hitene'7 Black %e"avior is seen) w"ite %e"avior is not) and t"edi7erence is solely one o! color. %lackness is t"at w"ic" $ust %e$ade visi%le) 'ust as invisi%ility is necessary !or w"iteness toosition itsel! as w"ere we look !ro$) not w"at we look at7Foucault6s con9ation o! surveillance and disciline descri%esw"iteness accurately i! unwittin*ly.T"e er!ect discilinaryaaratus6) "e writes)


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al%in an ones noels< a es(onency an sorro% t#at seeme to reac# -eyon t#e iniiual an collectie (ur(ortely re(resente in t#ese

%or!s. '#at oes it mean


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)ocial i&e o& )ocial "eat#E 23. urt#ermore< &ro+(essimists contest t#e iea t#at t#e moern %orl is one

%#erein t#e (rice o& la-or etermines t#e (rice o& -ein* eFually &or all (eo(le. In t#is ca(italistic

reain* o& t#e %orl< %e summon -lac!s -ac! into ciil society -y utiliin* Mar:ism to assume a

su-altern structure -y ca(ital< not -y %#ite su(remacyE BGramscis lac! Mar:E 1. '#ile it is unenia-le< o& course< t#at

-lac! -oies an la-or %ere use to ai in t#e economic *ro%t# o& t#e nite )tates< %e return

a*ain to t#e (oint t#at %#at e&ines enslaement is accumulation an &un*i-ility< alon*sie natalalienation< *eneral is#onor< an o(enness to *ratuitous iolenceP t#e slae< t#en< is not

constitute as (art o& t#e class stru**le.8 '#ile it is true t#at la-or (o%er is e:(loite an t#at t#e %or!er is alienate in it


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e#umaniin* anti-lac!ness< t#e ac!no%le*ement o& t#e %oun an its (syc#ic< social #frican an'#frican ias%ora Stu'ies e%artment at the ?niversity of e,as @ #ustin> Sheresearches an' teaches in the areas of Surveillance> Social Me'ia> SocialNetork Sites> an' )lack ias%ora Stu'ies Cultural Stu'ies Pu!lication'etails7 $5$RA)"ABS G" # L&L$ L&G* ?N$R *$ S?N07aylor an'2rancis7 htt%9//7tan'fonline7com/loi/rcuse,as %lantation9 th &n giving or'ers alays 'o it in a mil' tone> an' try to leave the im%ression on the min' of

the negro that hat you say is the result of reHection70 he 'etaile' catalo*uin* o! slave li!e was a$ec"anis$ o! discilinary ower> here 'isci%linary %oer> as Michel 2oucault tells us> ise,ercise' through its invisi!ility>0 w"ile i$osin* a &co$ulsory visi%ility( on itstar*ets=1IJI9 1KJD7 ,iscilinary ower) t"en) oerated on t"e enslaved as araciali+in* surveillance t"at individuals were at once su%'ected to and t"atroduced t"e$ as racial) and t"ere!ore enslava%le) su%'ects7 uc" araciali+in* surveillance was aarent in t"e lantation security syste$) asyste$t"at reliedon> as Parenti lays out> three in!or$ation tec"nolo*ies. t"ewritten slave ass) or*ani+ed slave atrols) and wanted osters !or

runaways0 = surveillance an' literacy ere closely articulate' as slaves an' in'enture'servants ho coul' rea' an' rite coul' also forge %asses an' manumission %a%ers or alter e,isting ones !yre%lacing 'ates> names an' other uni8ue i'enti(ers> in this ay functioning as ante!ellum hackers0 a!le to crackthe co'e of the %lanters security system0 = so they oul' han' over these %asses0 hen a%%rehen'e'7 his security system> then> relie'on the racially 'e(ne' contours of =hiteD literacy an' =)lackD illiteracy>0 a 'ichotomy that as not so rea'ily

u%hel' =1KD7 Less easily counterfeite' %asses ere later fashione' out of metal# T"e co$ulsoryvisi%ility o! t"e racial su%'ect can %e seen in t"e circulation o! newsaeradvertise$ents and wanted osters !or runaway slaves and truantservants# T"ese te/ts were ri$arily ai$ed at a w"ite u%lic t"at wasassu$ed to %e literate and !ree) and w"o in consu$in* t"ese te/ts%eca$e art o! t"e aaratus o! surveillance) t"e eyes and ears o! !ace-to-!ace watc"in* and re*ulatin*#In detailin* "ysical descritions) t"esurveillance tec"nolo*y o! t"e !u*itive slave advertise$ent $ade t"ealready "yervisi%le racial su%'ect le*i%le as &out o! lace70 2or instance> a March1F 1JKE a'vertisement in he Royal Ga.ette Race an' surveillance JE o+ering a o ollars rear'0 for aMulatto> or 4ua'roon Girl> a!out 1 years of age> name' Seth> !ut calls herself Sall>0 attests to the role of fugitiveslave notices> an' similarly ante' %osters> in u%hol'ing racial categori.ation7 his notice ent on to state9sometimes says she is hite an' often %aints her face to cover that 'ece%tion70 Seths> or Salls> 'u%licity is notlimite' to her use of an alias> as this notice tells us> !ut also to her racial am!iguity> itness her a%%arent choosingto self-i'entify or %ass as hite> rather than as a Mulatto0 =one !lack %arent an' one hite %arentD or a 4ua'roon

Girl0 =one !lack gran'%arentD as %er the racial nomenclature that arose out of slavery# ater suc"
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcus20http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcus20


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classications as a !or$ o! oulation $ana*e$ent were $ade o cialwit" t"e rst U !ederal census in 13407 & ill return to the census as a technology thatformali.e' racial categori.ation later7 For now) t"e wanted notice !or !u*itive slaves asan in!or$ation tec"nolo*y de$onstrates t"at t"en as now race was asocial construct t"at reuired constant olicin* and oversi*"t7 *oever> theformat of the fugitive notice as re%ur%ose' in the form of han'!ills that functione' as a means of counter-

surveillance7 #n 1KF1 han'!ill %ro'uce' !y a!olitionist heo'ore Parker attests to this as it cautione' colore'%eo%le of )oston0 to steer clear of atchmen an' %olice ocers0 an' to kee% a shar% look out for ki'na%%ers> an'have to% eye o%en70o% eye0 here as a 'irective to look out an' a!out ith keen intent as %olice ocers ere

em%oere' to act as slave catchers un'er fugitive slave las7 Black sectators"i) alon* wit"t"e *a+es o! w"ite a%olitionists and ot"er allies) !unctioned as a !or$ o!oositional lookin* %ack at raciali+in* surveillance7 &n her 'iscussion of !lacks%ectatorshi%> the ga.e an' looking relations 'uring slavery an' the racial a%arthei' of im Cro in the southern?nite' States> !ell hooks tells us that !lack %eo%le often cultivate' the ha!it of casting the ga.e 'onar' so as

not to a%%ear u%%ity7 To look directly was an assertion o! su%'ectivity) euality0=1II an o%%ositional ga.e0 =11OD7

uc" olitici+ed and oositional lookin* were a*ential acts and can %eseen) !ore,am%le> in a une 1th 1JKE runaay slave notice %rinte' in the Royal Ga.ette for 1O-year-ol' Sam>

ho is 'escri!e' in the notice as (ve feet high0 an' remarka!le in turning u% the hites of his eyes hen s%okento70 T"is notice records a$6s oositional *a+e) "is lookin* %ack) ands"ows us t"at resistance can %e !ound even in t"e si$le act o! rollin*one6s eyes# Black looks "ave t"e ower to trou%le surveillance as a&tec"nolo*y o! w"iteness( =2iske9 1IIK9 OID

T"e ar$atives reactionary olitics to %ulk-datacollection and NA surveillance co$es !ro$ a color-%lindosition o! ower $eant to rei!y t"e $yt" o! euita%lede$ocracy t"at "as %een %uilt on t"e cri$inali+ation o!%lack %odies--only an a%solute re!usal o! t"e state solvesime ?ise 201@7 =Wise> is an #merican anti-racism activist an' riter7Whiteness> NS# S%ying an' the &rony of Racial Privilege077timise7org7htt%9//7timise7org/ thanks to the 'ata-gathering techni8ues ma'e feasi!le !y technological a'vance7 T"at said) Ialso $ust ad$ittoacertain nonc"alancein t"e !ace o! t"e recent revelations a%outthe National Security#gencys snoo%ing into %hone recor's> an' the 'ust-u% over the leaking of the NS#s %rogram !y $' Sno'en7 #n'as & trie' to (gure out hy & asnt more animate' u%on hearing the revelations an'> likeise> hy so many

others ere it struck me7 T"ose w"o are esecially c"aed a%out t"e ro*ra$)a%out t"e very concet o! t"eir *overn$ent keein* ta%s on t"e$ ine7ect rolin* t"e$ as otential cri$inals) as terrorists are al$ostentirely t"ose !or w"o$ s"it like t"is is new. eole w"o "ave never%e!ore %een resu$ed cri$inal) u to no *ood) or wort"y o! susicion# &nshort> they are mostly hite7 #n' male7 #n' mi''le-class or a!ove7 #n' most assure'ly not Muslim7 #n' although &too am those things> %erha%s !ecause & ork mostly on issues of racism> hite %rivilege an' racial ine8uity an'!ecause my mentors an' teachers have %rinci%ally !een %eo%le of color> for hom things like this are 'istressingly
http://www.timwise.org/2013/06/whiteness-nsa-spying-and-the-irony-of-racial-privilege/http://www.timwise.org/2013/06/whiteness-nsa-spying-and-the-irony-of-racial-privilege/http://www.timwise.org/2013/06/whiteness-nsa-spying-and-the-irony-of-racial-privilege/http://www.timwise.org/2013/06/whiteness-nsa-spying-and-the-irony-of-racial-privilege/


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familiar the latest con(rmation that the ?7S7 is far from the nation e ere sol' as chil'ren is har'ly $arth-

shattering7 A!ter all) it is only t"ose w"o "ave "ad t"e relative lu/ury o!re$ainin* in a c"ild-like) innocent state wit" re*ard to t"e e$ire in w"ic"t"ey reside w"o can %e driven to suc" distraction %y so$et"in* t"at)co$ared to w"at lots o! !olks deal wit" every day) see$s retty weak tea7#s Aasuragi> a !logger over at aily ;os remin'e' us last eek9 =T"is is; t"e nation t"atkille'

%rotesters at ackson an' ;ent State ?niversitiesThe nation that e,ecute' 2re' *am%ton in his !e'> ithout somuch as a arrant7 he nation that still> still> still "olds eonard >eltier in rison7 he nation t"atsuorted Norie*a> the Shah> ruillo> an' 'o.ens of other fascist monsters ho 'i' nothing !ut fuck overtheir on %eo%le an' their neigh!ors7 T"e nation o!ose%h Mc=art"y an' his current-'ay 'escen'ants7

he nation that allos sto%-an'-frisk7 )efore all that9 T"e nation t"at en!orced i$ =row laws7)efore that> t"e nation t"at %uilt itsel! on slavery and t"e slave trade7 #n' !efore allof that> the nation that nearly succee'e' in the genoci'e of this continents in'igenous %eo%les7 o w"y areyou so surrised t"at our *overn$ent is *at"erin* yotta%ytes o! data onour "one callsU Lets !e clear> its not that the NS# mis'ee's> carrie' out !y the last to a'ministrations>are no !ig 'eal7 heyre com%letely in'efensi!le> no matter the e+orts of the a%ologists for em%ire from thecor%orate me'ia to Presi'ent "!ama to ick Cheney to legitimi.e them7 # free %eo%le shoul' not stan' for it7

Pro!lem is> e are not a free %eo%le an' never have !een> an' therein lies the ru!7 T"e idea t"at wit"t"is NA ro*ra$ t"ere "as %een so$e uniue %low struck a*ainst

de$ocracy) andthat now our li%erties are in 'eoardyisthe kin' of thing one can only!elieve if one has ha' t"e lu/ury o! t"inkin*t"ey were livin* in suc" a lace> an' erein %ossession of such shiny !au!les to !egin ith7 #n' this is> to !e sure> a lu,ury enoye' !y %ainfully !ew!olks o! color> Muslims in a %ost-I/11 #merica> or %oor %eo%le of any color7 2or the (rst> t"ey "avelon* knownthat their free'om as 'irectly constraine' !y racial discri$ination> in housing> t"e'ustice syste$ and t"e 'o% $arketV for the secon'> %ro(ling an' sus%icion "avecircu$scri%ed t"e %oundaries o! t"eir li%ertiesunceasingly for the %ast telve yearsV an'for the latter> !reedo$ and de$ocracy "ave %eenmostly an illusion> limite' !y economic%rivation in a class system that a+or's less o%%ortunity for mo!ility than (fty years ago> an' less than most other

nations ith hich e like to com%are ourselves7 &n short> hen %eo%le %roclaim a 'esire to &take %ackour de$ocracy0 !ro$ t"e national security aaratus> or for that matter the %lutocratsho have ostensi!ly hiacke' it> they !egin !ro$ a re$ise t"at is entirely untena%leV

namely> t"at t"ere was ever a de$ocracy to take %ack> an' that the hiacking of sai'uto%ia has !een a recent %henomenon7 )ut there asnt an' it hasnt !een7 Reaction to the most recentcon(rmation of this truth ranks right along ith the ay so many ere stunne' !y the Se%tem!er 11 attacks7 heshock in that instance also came from a %lace of naivet> rought !y the lu,ury of !elieving that the rest of theorl' viee' us as e 'i'9 as a %aragon of virtue> hich ha' !rought only light an' ha%%iness to the orl'> ratherthan military occu%ations> hell(re missiles> !rutal an' cri%%ling economic sanctions> an' su%%ort for 'ictators solong as they ere serving our %resume' interests7 )ut some %eo%le an' again> they ere mostly !lack an' !ron ere not stunne' at all7 *aving long ha' no choice !ut to see the nations arts for hat they ere> an' havingnever %ossesse' the !ene(t of vieing #merica as most hites ha'> %eo%les of color> hile horri(e' !y that 'aysevents> ere har'ly likely to !e knocke' o+ stri'e !y them7 hey ha' alays knon hat it as like to !e hate'7#n' hunte'7 #n' solely !ecause of ho they ere7 2or myself> & long ago sto%%e' !eing shocke' !y anything theem%ire 'i' in the service of its continuity7 $ver since & as in college> an' it as reveale' that the Central #mericansoli'arity grou% of hich & as a mem!er as !eing actively s%ie' on !y the 2)&> &ve taken it as a matter of faiththat such things ere %ro!a!ly ha%%ening> an' that it oul' have !een sil ly to the %oint of i'iotic for me to assumesuch surveillance ere a one-o+ thing> con(ne' to the inner-orkings of the Reagan #'ministration7 )y 1IKK> athich %oint & as still a emocrat ho%ing against ho%e to turn that %arty in a truly left 'irection the reali.ation

that the government as actively s%ying on its citi.ens as fully concreti.e' for me7 &t as then that & as'isalloe' from ri'ing in a cam%aign motorca'e for Michael ukakis ='es%ite !eing the hea' of the largest Collegeemocrats cha%ter in the Ne "rleans areaD> !ecause my activism against ?7S7 %olicy in Nicaragua an' $l Salva'or

ha' earne' me an 2)& (le an' cause' me to fail a Secret Service !ackgroun' check7 o yea") t"e*overn$ent is syin* on you recious# And now you6re issedU T"is is t"eirony o! rivile*e9 the fact that so$e "avefor so long en'oyed it> in its largely unfettere' state>is recisely w"ysome of those t"ose sa$e ersons are nowso e/orcised at t"et"ou*"t o! otentially %ein* treated like everyone else has !een> foreverV an' it isalso hy the state as a!le to get aay ith it for such an e,ten'e' %erio'7 So long as the only %ossi!le targetsere racial an' religious an' class others> shock an' outrage coul' !e ke%t at a minimum7 #n' so the a%%aratus of


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%ro(ling an' monitoring an' snoo%ing an' 'ata collection an' even targete' assassination gre like mushrooms inthe 'ark7 #n' 'ee% 'on> most of the same hite folks ho are no so unhinge' !y the mere %ossi!ility an' aremote one at that that they ill !e treate' like those others> kne hat as going on7 #n' they sai' little ornothing7 White li!erals ith some nota!le e,ce%tions mostly clucke' their tongues an' e,%resse' hounfortunate it as that certain %eo%le ere !eing %ro(le'> !ut they rarely s%oke out %u!licly> or challenge' thosenot-so-ran'om searches at the air%ort> or 'are' to challenge co%s hen they sa them harassing> or even!rutali.ing the !lack an' !ron7 Plenty of other issues ere more %ressing7 he hite conservatives> of course>largely a%%lau'e' either or !oth of those7 #n' no> !ecause they mostly ignore' =or even in some cases cheere'D

the violations of Constitutional rights> so long as the violations fell u%on someone other than themselves> they are!eing freshly confronte' ith the surly a'olescent version of the infant to hich they gave !irth> at least in'irectly7#n' they arent too ha%%y ith his insolence7 Aeah> ell> tell it to %retty much every #ra! #merican> every Persian#merican> every #fghan #merican> everyone ith a so-calle' Mi''le $astern name alking through an air%ort inthis country for the %ast 'eca'e or more7 ell them ho no youre outrage' !y the i'ea that the government

might consi'er you a %otential terrorist7 Tell it to t"e "undreds o! t"ousands o! %lack $enin New Cork) stoed and !risked %y t"e NC>, over the %ast (fteen years> w"osena$es and in!or$ation were entered into olice data%ases) even t"ou*"t"ey "ad co$$itted no cri$e)!ut ust as a %recautionary measure> in case they ever 'eci'e' tocommit one7 ell them ho tight it makes you to !e thought of as a %otential criminal> evi'ence !e 'amne'7 Tellit to %rown !olks in Ari+ona) ho orry that the mere color of their skin might %rovoke a localocial> o%erating on the !asis of state la =or a !igote' little toa' of a sheri+D> to sto% them an' force them to%rove they !elong in the country7 $,%lain to them ho %atently o+ensive an' even hurtful it is to you to !e

%resume' unlaful in such a ay as to %rovoke ocial government sus%icion7 Tell it to t"e veterans o!

t"e civil ri*"ts stru**le w"ose activities in t"e Black >ant"ers) N==)t"e Coun* ords) t"e Brown Berets) and t"e A$erican Indian Move$ent)a$on* ot"ers were routinely $onitored=an' more to the %oint actively 'isru%te' an'ri%%e' a%artD !y government intelligence agencies an' their o%eratives7 ell them ho incre'i!ly steame' you arethat your government might (n' out hat e!sites you surf> or that you %lace' a %hone call last We'nes'ay to

someone> somehere# Make sure to e/lain "ow suc" activities are 'ust a steaway !ro$ outri*"t tyranny and surely rank u t"ere alon*side t"e $urderand i$rison$ent to w"ic" t"eir $e$%ers were su%'ected# Indeed# #n' thenmay!e> ust may!e> consi'er ho %rivilege !eing on the u%si'e> most of the time> of systems of ine8uality can=an' hasD let you 'on> even set you u% for a fall7 *o may!e> ust may!e> all the a%o%le,y mustere' u% over theNS#s latest outrage> might have !een conure' a long time ago> an' over far greater outrages> the !ur'ens ofhich ere !orne !y only certain %ersons> an' not others7 #n' yes> & kno full ell that some ere s%eaking out>lou'ly an' clearly from the start an' have never sto%%e'7 & am not s%eaking to them =to youUD> so rela, =after all> ifhat &m saying 'oesnt a%%ly to you> hy so 'efensive> !uttercu%UD )ut so too> there are those ho kno =%erha%s

youUD if they are among those ho> like Ran' Paul or Glenn )eck or for that matter $'ar' Sno'en ha' never!efore raise' too much fuss a!out those other things> until it !egan to %otentially a+ect them an' %eo%le like them7"r %rovi'e them an o%%ortunity for some %u!licity7 *ero orshi%7 Perha%s =at least in their on min'sD martyr'omU

May%e it is ti$e to re$ind ourselves t"at t"e only t"in*s worse t"an w"att"is *overn$ent and its various law en!orce$ent a*encies do in secret)are t"e t"in*s t"ey6ve %een doin* %latantly) oenly) %ut only to so$e !or alon* ti$e now# his nations government has kille' hun're's of thousan's in &ra8 an' #fghanistan> o%enly>in front of the orl'7 his nations sanctions on &ra8 in the Is contri!ute' to the 'eaths of hun're's of thousan'smore> !y the a'mission of Secretary of State #l!right7 #ll of it> out in the o%en7 No secrets7 his nation stoo' !y an'even hel%e' %ro%agate massacre after massacre an attem%te' genoci'e even in Guatemala throughout the1IKsV an' not only 'i' e not hi'e that e ere 'oing it> Presi'ent Reagan o%enly %raise' the architects of theslaughter hile %roclaiming they ere committe' to social ustice7 We incarcerate an' increasingly for non-violent

o+enses9 more than any nation on $arth7 ?e "ave t"e "i*"est c"ild overty rate in t"e

develoed world) and t"ere is not"in* secret a%out it# Dur leaders don6teven care a%out coverin* it u# In !act) an aw!ul lot o! t"e$ 'ust don6tcare# At all# T"ese are t"e cri$es o! e$ire# T"ese and a lot $ore# And itdidn6t take Edward nowden to tell you a%out t"e$# T"ey6ve %een "idin*in lain si*"t !or a lon* ti$e


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Anti!"lac#ness structurally underpins all violence$while raciali%ed violence is still

a daily reality for people caught in the position of the slave& the rhetoric of

'oppression( or 'e)ploitation( alone as#s only how we ight redee this failed

Aerican e)perient. *here is no analogy for the structural suffering of the slave&

eaning authentic engageent with social violence ust +egin with the anti!huan

void #nown as "lac#ness,a# 2-12B?umi< #" in literature &rom C+)an "ie*o< ,utsie Delationality uto-io*ra(#ical "e&ormations an t#e iterary inea*eo& &ro+(essimism in 20t# an 21st Century &rican merican iterature


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Quro(e to t#e Qast... ut anot#er %ay< t#rou*# c#attel slaery t#e %orl *ae -irt# an co#erence to -ot# its oys o&

omesticity an to its stru**les o& (olitical iscontent< an %it# t#ese oys an stru**les< t#e

uman %as -orn< -ut not -e&ore it murere t#e lac!< &or*in* a sym-iosis -et%een t#e (oliticalontolo*y o& umanity an t#e social eat# o& lac!s. BDe< '#ite O lac! 20 J 21 *ain< t#e &rican is mae -lac! me'ia semiotics an' television stu'ies7 Surveilling the CityWhiteness> the )lack Man an' emocratic otalitarianism07heory> Culture QSociety 1IIK =S#G$> Lon'on> housan' "aks an' Ne elhiD> 5ol7 1F= to %ut it!rieHy9 i'es%rea' surveillanceV a%%eals to moral totalismV terror an'intensi(e' %olicingV an' the attraction of charismatic lea'ershi%7 #ll arei'ely recogni.a!le in t"e conte$orary U7 he com!ination> in

stance< -ut rat#er a staunc# actiist one t#at is in&lecte -y a ri*orous an un&linc#in* structural

analysis< an a sensitie an eFually ri*orous unerstanin* o& esire< yearnin*< an t#e(ossi-ilities &or reinention an reconstruction t#at emer*e %#en &ace %it# (ro&oun a-sence

an loss.

epresentations of future nuclear war rest on racist fears of irrational non!whites$

the +o+ is the epitoe of the destructive capacity of 4hiteness& naturali%ing

structural violence through the pro/ection of a spectacular e)tinction.4illias 11Kaul< lecturer in Qn*lis# at t#e niersity o& Q:eter< Dace< Qt#nicity< an Nuclear 'arE< ier(ool )cience iction e:tsan )tuies< 2011< (.1+3L

In t#is stuy< nuclear re(resentationsare e&ine as e(ictions o& t#e &ollo%in* su-ects B1 t#e inention an use o&t#e &irst atomic -om-sP B2

nuclear %ea(ons testin* stoc!(ilin* o& t#e Col 'ar su(er(o%ersP an B3 nuclear %ar Bo&ten re&erre to as 'orl 'ar #ree

an li&e a&ter suc# a cataclysm. Nuclear tec#nolo*y #as -een t#e su-ect o& narraties o& racial an

national -elon*in* an e:clusion unou-tely -ecause its emer*ence Ban e(loyment a*ainsta(an %as rea -y some commentators as an act o& *enocial racist iolence< an -y some as t#e

a(e: o& 'estern ciiliations scienti&ic ac#ieement. #ese o((osin* (ers(ecties are inter(retatie (oles t#at #ae -een centralto nuclear re(resentations. y (osin* %#ite moral an tec#nolo*ical su(eriority a*ainst t#e estructie tec#nolo*y it su((osely inente< cultural (roucers #aecite nuclear %ea(ons as eience a*ainst %#ite n*lo+)a:on su(remacism. rom t#is (oint o& ie%< t#e scienti&ic ac#ieement o& s(littin* t#e atom oes not reeal

%#ite su(eriorityP instea< t#e enormity o& nuclear %ea(ons remins one t#at t#e tec#nolo*y &irst create -y

t#e %#ite %orl im(erils t#e %#ole Qart#. #rou*# a ran*e o& meia< &rom noels to (oetry< s#ort stories to &ilm< comics to oratory< t#e

terms t#at moern Quro(ean im(erialism e(ene u(on J Hciiliation< Hrace< an Hnation< in

(articular J o&ten recur in nuclear re(resentations. )ome o& t#ese re(resentations< emer*in* %#en Quro(es em(ires %ere

relinFuis#in* irect control o& t#eir colonies< s#are t#e uncertainty t#at -eset t#e colonial (o%ers &ollo%in* t#e uneen an o&ten iolent ecoloniin* (reocess. #e

#istorical con*ruence o& nuclear re(resentations an ecoloniation intimates t#e im(ortance o&

t#is conte:t to &uture isions o& 'orl %ar #ree tro(es o& *enocie< tec#nolo*ical an anscienti&ic moernity< an t#e Bre(o(ulation o& t#e (lanet are releantto t#is a(ocaly(tic su-*enre o& ) as %ell

as -ein* recurrent elements in colonial #istory.)eeral o& t#e nuclear re(resentationsiscusse re(rouce

t#e usti&ications o& t#e moern im(erial (roect. ut an alternatie traition ma!es t#ese usti&ications isi-le an emonstrates t#eir

corrosie< lin*erin* (resence in contem(orary culture t#rou*# t#e e(iction o& nuclear tec#nolo*y an its (ossi-le conseFuences. )i*ni&icantly< t#e iea t#at

nuclear %ea(ons are use to -uttress a racial orer t#at (riile*es %#iteness J an iea t#at

(ro#i-its non+%#ite (eo(les &rom accessin* suc# tec#nolo*y J remains a (otent current runnin*&rom 1945 until t#e (resent ay. ain* raise t#is (oint to em(#asie t#e im(ortance o& t#e t#emes in t#is stuy< I am min&ul to re(eat t#at my&ocus is literary< cultural an &ilmic te:ts. I am not see!in* to e:(lain #o% race an et#nicity #ae structure Col 'ar #istory. I& I may -e e:cuse a -rie& asie< I o

t#in! suc# moments #ae occurre. Ciil ri*#ts an Col 'ar #istorians #ae lon* unerstoo t#at ) &orei*n (olicy #a to ne*otiate t#e

merican *oernments res(onse to omestic systems o& racial iscrimination< an ice ersa.Decently ecolonie nations %#ose (o(ulations #a -een e:clue alon* similar lines -y Quro(ean im(erialism &ollo%e t#e narrratie o& merican ese*re*ation

closely< an t#e alle*iances o& t#ese nations (laye an im(ortant role in t#e Col 'ar. '#en t#e -lac! stuent ames Mereit# %as not (ermitte to oin t#e

niersity o& Mississi((i in 1962< resient ;enney orere &eeral mars#als to &orce #is re*istrat ion t#rou*#. #is too! (lace on 1 ,cto-er 1962< a&ter a ni*#t o&

&i*#tin* -et%een emonstrators an troo(s. '#ile not uniersally (raise< ;enneys actions %ere %iely (erceie in t#e international (ress as eience to resole to

o((ose racial iscrimination. '#en t#e Cu-an Missile Crisis too! (lace t#ree %ee!s later< t#e (resients o& Guinea an G#aa enie re&uellin* &acilities to )oiet


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%articular> of surveillance> intensied olicin* and $oral totalis$accelerates totalitarian ten'encies w"ose e7ectiveness deends uont"eir a%ility to oerate underneat" t"e structures o! de$ocracy9 thee+ect is that the totalitarian cree%s forar' unnotice' !ecause its advanceaarently leaves de$ocracy untouc"ed7 urveillance is& argua+ly& the ost

significant of the three& for without it& oral totalis is ineffective and policing cannot +eintensified efficiently. 4e live in a technologi%ed :scanscape6=avis> 1II

(lanes &lyin* to t#e Cari--ean. ;enney asie rt#ur )c#lesin*er irectly attri-ute t#e &rican (resients actions to t#e interention in Mississi((i. #e su-ect o&

t#is -oo! is not t#e mec#anisms o& #istory. #e su-ect o& t#is -oo! is t#e %ay t#at re(resentations o& nuclear %ea(ons an t#e

%orl a&ter nuclear %ar (ostulate meanin*s t#at are not only &ully actiate %#en consiere

t#rou*# a lens o& race< et#nicity< nation#oo an ciiliation. In many o& t#e te:ts iscusse< a (rimaryconsieration is %#et#er t#e esti*ial master narratie o& %#ite su(remacy< t#e narratie o& racial

su(eriority t#at uner(inne moern Quro(ean coloniation< is -ein* resuscitate. I #ae in min rericamesons e:(ression< Hi& inter(retation in terms o& KVL a lle*orical master narraties remains a constant tem(tation< t#is is -ecause suc# master narraties #ae

inscri-e t#emseles in t#e te:ts as %ell as in our t#in!in* a-out t#em. or ameson t#e inter(retatie act runs t#e ris! o& -ein* an act o& #ermeneutic -a &ait# J t#e

ris! t#at t#e critic &ins %#at t#ey are loo!in* &or all alon* -ecause t#ey *at#ere u( a series o& te:ts %#ose selection is &ar &rom ar-itrary< an conseFuently t#e

reain* o& sai te:ts con&irms t#e u-iFuity o& t#e #istorical essence %it# %#ic# t#ey %ere initially ascri-e. ?et< as ameson %rites< one s#oul not -e too cynical a-out

t#e act o& inter(retation. I& t#e critical analysis o& a te:t &ins eience o& t#e #istorical trens it set out to iscoer t#e success o& t#e inter(retation is not in itsel& a

reason to reect t#e iea t#at te:ts allo% one to t#in! closely an cri tically a-out #istorical attitues. #e act o& inter(retation can sometimes -e t#e im(osition o& a

(reconiee set o& ieas onto a series o& te:ts c#osen (recisely -ecause t#ey corro-orate t#e #y(ot#esis -ein* teste< -ut it can also -e crei-le -ecause te:ts are

inscri-e -y #istory an -y master naraties. s a %ay o& re&errin* to an e:(lanation o& t#e moement o& #istory an its &uture irection< amesons sense o& master

narraties is %ort# retainin*. My usa*e #ere esi*nates t#e e:(lanation itsel&< s(eci&ically t#e master narratie o& %#ite su(remacism

t#at (roe so use&ul to Quro(ean colonialism an t#e settlement o& Nort# merica. o% o

te:ts come to -e inscri-e -y master narraties '#at usti&ication o I #ae in reain* t#e master narratie o %#ite su(remacisman relate narraties o& settlement t#rou*# t#e literary< cultural an &ilmic te:ts analyse #ere

*he deand for political coherence and reforis o+literates the position of the

slave ; their integrationist optiis cannot ta#e into account the gratuitous

violence directed towards "lac#ness


26/356

hich e must no 'e(ne as that hich can !e ma'e invisi!le7urveillance> as an agency of the totalitarian> is not rea'ily o%%ose' !ytra'itional 'emocratic %olitics> for it works t"rou*" tec"niuesrat"ert"an olicy)and a tec"niue is $uc" "arder to oose t"an a lankin a arty olitical lat!or$> not only %ecause we "ave less

e/erience o! doin* so) %ut) $ore i$ortantly) %ecause a tec"niuealways "as %enecent) i! not utoian uses> hich are enthusiasticallyen'orse' !y its %ro%onents an' most rea'ily recogni.e' !y those ho arenot the imme'iate o!ect of its constraints7 2oucault constantly remin's us

(olitical a*ency T t#e slae ste((in* into someone elseWs s#oes an t#en -ecomin* a (oliticala*ent T or %#et#er it %as a-out -ein* a-le to uneil t#e slaeWs #umanity -y actually &inin*

onesel& in t#at (osition.In many %ays< %#at I %as tryin* to o as a cultural #istorian %as to narrate a certain im(ossi-ility< to illuminate t#ose (ractices t#at s(ea! to t#elimits o& most aaila-le narraties to e:(lain t#e (osition o& t#e enslae.,n one #an< t#e slae is t#e &ounation o& t#e nationalorer< an< on t#e ot#er< t#e slae occu(ies t#e (osition o& t#e unt#ou*#t. )o %#at oes it mean to try to -rin* t#at (osition

into ie% %it#out ma!in* it a locus o& (ositie alue< or %it#out tryin* to &ill in t#e oi)o muc# o& our (olitical oca-u+

lary/ima*inary/esires #ae -een im(licitly inte*rationist een %#en %e ima*ine our claims aremore raical. #is *oes to t#e secon (art o& t#e -oo! T t#atultimately t#e metanarratie t#rust is al%ays to%ars aninte*ration into t#e national (roect< an (artic+ularly %#en t#at (roect is in crisis< -lac! (eo(le

are calle u(on to a&&irm it. )o certainly itWs a-out more t#an t#e esire &or inclusion %it#+in t#e limite set o& (ossi-ilities t#at t#e national (roect (roies.

'#att#en oest#is lan*ua*e T t#e *ien lan*ua*e o& &reeomTena-le n once you realie its limits an-e*in to see its ine:+ora-le inestment in certain notions o& t#e su-ect an su-ection< t#en t#at

lan*ua*e o& &reeom no lon*er -ecomes t#at %#ic# res+cues t#e slae &rom #is or #er &ormer

conition< -ut t#e site o& t#e re+ela-oration o& t#at conition< rat#er t#an its trans&ormation. . '. T#is is one o& t#e reasons %#y your -oo! #as -een calle X(essimisticX -y nita atterson.W ut itWs i nterestin* t#at s#e oes+nWt say %#at I sai %#en %e &irst starte tal!in*< t#at itWs ena-lin*. IWm

assumin* t#at s#eWs %#ite T I onWt !no%< -ut it certainly souns li!e it. ).$.. T ut I t#in! t#ereWsa certain inte*rationistri*#ts a*enat#at su-ects %#o are

ariously (ositione on t#e color line can ta!e u(. n t#at (roect is somet#in* I consier o-scene t#eattem(t to ma!e t#e narratie o& e&eat into

an o((ortunity &or cel+e-ration< t#e esire to loo! at t#e raa*es an t#e -rutality o& t#e last &e%

centuries< -ut to still &in a %ay to &eel *oo a-out our+seles. #atWs not my (roect at all< t#ou*# I t#in! itWs actually t#e (roect o& anum-er o& (eo(le. n&ortunately< t#e !in o& social reisionist #istory unerta!en -y many le&tists in t#e 1970s< %#o %ere tr yin* to locate t#e a*ency o& ominate *rou(s< resulte in cele-ratory

narraties o& t#e o((resse.4 ltimately< it -le into t#is cele-ration< as i& t#ere %as a s(ace you coul care out o& t#e ter+roriin*

state a((aratus in orer to e:ist outsie its clutc#es an &or*e some autonomy. My (roect is a i&&erent one. n in(artic+ular< one o& my #ien (olemics in t#e -oo! %as an ar*ument a*ainst t#e notion o& #e*emony< an #o% t#at notion #as -een ta!en u( in t#e conte:t o& loo!in* at t#e status o& t#e slae..'. T #atWs ery interestin*< -ecause itWs somet#in* IWe -een t#in!in* a-out also in res(ect to Gramsci. ecause nne )#o%stac! )assoon su**ests t#at Gramsci -rea!s o%n #e*emony intot#ree cate*ories in&luence< leaers#i(< an consent.W May-e %e coul -rin* t#e iscussion -ac! to your te:t t#en< usin* t#e e:am(les o& arriet aco-s


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that mo'ern %oer is so e+ective !ecause its reressive e7ects arealways "idden %y its eciency and %enecence7 )enthams %ano%ticonas> a!ove all else> 'esigne' to !e a humane as ell as an ecient %rison>an' the eye at its center as Go'like7 5i'eo surveillance is reaching intoevery corner of our cities !ecause it can claim real social !ene(ts that range

from trac management> through re'ucing 'rug-'ealing an' street crime> tocounter-terrorism7 But its %enecence "ides an icily oressive sideH itacts as an a*ent o! t"e totalitarian) !or t"e law-a%idin* citi+ens w"oare $ost su%'ect to it "ave no say in its oeration and no a%ility toin9uence its i$act uon t"eir daily lives7 *he high visi+ility of the structures of

ant#ro(olo*y %oul ar*ue t#at t#e ant#ro(olo*ical esire to !no% t#e ot#er &unctione as a &orm o& narcissism t#e ot#er &unctione as a mirror< aeice to re&lect t#e ant#ro(olo*ical *ae -ac! to itsel&< s#o%in* t#e %#ite &ace o& ant#ro(olo*y in t#e ery is(lay o& t#e colour o& i&&erence. )o

i& isci(lines are in a %ay alreay a-out %#iteness< s#o%in* t#e &ace o& t#e %#ite su-ect< t#en it

&ollo%s t#at %#iteness stuies sustains t#e irection or orientation o& t#is *ae< %#ilst remoin*t#e Hetour (roie -y t#e re&lection o& t#e ot#er. '#iteness stuies coul een -ecome a

s(ectacle o& (ure sel&+re&lection< au*mente -y an insistence t#at %#iteness His an ientity too.

"oes %#iteness stuies &unction as a narcissism in %#ic# t#e loe o-ect returns us to t#esu-ect as t#e ori*in o& loe 'e o a&ter all *et attac#e to our o-ects o& stuy< %#ic# mi*#t

mean t#at %#iteness stuies coul H*et stuc! on %#iteness< as t#at %#ic# H*ies itsel& to itsel&."yer tal!s a-out t#is ris! %#en #e amits to anot#er &ear HI rea to t#in! t#at (ayin* attention to %#iteness mi*#t lea to %#ite (eo(le sayin*

t#ey nee to *et in touc# %it# t#eir %#iteness B1997< 10. '#iteness stuies %oul #ere -e a-out %#ite (eo(lelearnin* to loe t#eir o%n %#iteness< -y trans&ormin* it into an o-ect t#at coul -e loe. 6. "yer isri*#t< I t#in!< to &eel suc# rea. '#iteness stuies is (otentially rea&ul< an sc#olars#i( %it#in t#e &iel is &ull o& amissions o& an:iety a-out

%#at %#iteness stuies Hcoul -e i& %as allo%e to -ecome ineste in itsel&< an its o%n re(rouction. 'e s#oul I t#in!< (ay attention to suc#

critical an:ieties< an as! %#at t#e enunciation o& suc# an:ieties is oin*. In terms o& t#e constitution o& t#e &iel< &or e:am(le< t#e an:iety is not

so muc# t#at t#e -orers %ill -e inae -y ina((ro(riate ot#ers Bas %it# traitional isci(lines< -ut t#at t#e -orers %ill t#emseles -e

ina((ro(riate. ut at t#e same time< an some%#at(arao:ically< t#e an:iety a-out -orers %or!s to install

-orers %#iteness -ecomes an o-ect t#rou*# t#e e:(ression o& an:iety a-out -ecomin* an

o-ect. #e re(etition o& t#e an:ious *esture< t#at is< *estures to%ar a &iel. iels can -e

unerstoo< a&ter all< as t#e &or*ettin* o& *estures t#at are re(eate oer time. Is t#ere arelations#i( -et%een t#e emer*ence o& a &iel t#rou*# t#e enunciation o& an:iety an t#e

emer*ence o& a ne% &orm o& %#iteness< an an:ious %#iteness Is a %#iteness t#at is an:iousa-out itsel& J its narcissism< its e*oism< its (riile*e< its sel&+centereness J -etter '#at !in o&%#iteness is a %#iteness t#at is an:ious a-out itsel& '#at oes suc# an an:ious %#iteness o 7. )uc# an an:ious %#iteness %oul -e i&&erent

to t#e H%orryin* %#iteness t#at G#assan a*e critiFues in '#ite Nation B1998 an *ainst aranoi Nationalism B2003. #is %orryin*

%#iteness is one t#at %orries t#at Hot#ers may t#reaten its e:istence. n an:ious %#iteness %oul -e one t#at is an:ious a-out suc# %orryin*

t#is %#ite su-ect %oul come into e:istence in its ery an:iety a-out t#e e&&ects it #as on ot#ers< or een in &ear t#at it is ta!in* somet#in* a%ay&rom ot#ers. #is %#ite su-ect mi*#t een -e an:ious a-out its o%n tenency to %orry a-out t#e (ro:imity o& ot#ers. )o lets re(eat my Fuestion

is an an:ious %#iteness t#at eclares its o%n an:iety a-out its %orry -etter< %#ere -etter mi*#t een eo!e t#e (romise o& Xnon+racismX or Xanti+

racism 8. e&ore (osin* t#is Fuestion t#rou*# an analysis o& t#e e&&ects o& #o% %#iteness -ecomes eclare< %e coul &irst (oint to t#e (lacin*

o& Hcritical -e&ore H%#iteness stuies< as a si*n o& t#is an:iety. I am mysel& ery attac#e to -ein* critical< %#ic# is a&ter all %#at all &orms o&

trans&ormatie (olitics %ill -e oin*< i& t#ey are to -e trans&ormatie. ut I t#in! t#e Hcritical o&ten &unctions as a (lace %#ere %e e(osit ouran:ieties. 'e mi*#t assume t#at i& %e are oin* critical %#iteness stuies< rat#er t#an %#iteness stuies< t#at %e can (rotect ourseles &rom oin*

J or een -ein* seen to o J t#e %ron* !in o& %#iteness stuies. ut t#e %or Hcritical oes not mean t#e elimination

o& ris!< an nor s#oul it -ecome ust a escri(tion o& %#at %e are oin* oer #ere< as o((ose to t#em< oer t#ere. 9. I &elt my esire to -ecritical as t#e site o& an:iety %#en I %as inole in %ritin* a race eFuality (olicy &or t#e uniersity at %#ic# I %or! in t#e ;< %#ere I trie to

-rin* %#at I t#ou*#t %as a &airly critical lan*ua*e o& anti+racism into a neo+li-eral tec#niFue o& *oernance< %#ic# %e can inaeFuately escri-e

as iersity mana*ement< or t#e H-usiness case &or iersity. ll (u-lic or*anisations in t#e ; are no% reFuire -y la% to #ae an im(lement a

race eFuality (olicy an action (lan< as a result o& t#e Dace Delations menment ct B2000. My current researc# is trac!in* t#e si*ni&icance o&

t#is (olicy< in terms o& t#e relations#i( -et%een t#e ocumentation it #as *enerate an social action. )u&&ice to say #ere< my o%n e:(erience o&

%ritin* a race eFuality (olicy< tau*#t me a *oo lesson< %#ic# o& course means a #ar lesson t#e lan*ua*e %e t#in! o& as critical can easily Hlenitsel& to t#e ery tec#niFues o& *oernance %e critiFue. )o %e %rote t#e ocument< an t#e uniersity< alon* %it# many ot#ers< %as (raise &or

its (olicy< an t#e $ice+C#ancellor %as a-le to con*ratulate t#e uniersity on its (er&ormance %e i %ell. ocument t#at ocumente t#e

racism o& t#e uniersity -ecame usa-le as a measure o& *oo (er&ormance. 10. #is story is not sim(ly a-out assimilation


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deocracy as#s totalitarian undercurrents and offers those who prefer not to see an ali+i for their

+lindness.In t"e real$ o! race relations t"is $otivated %lindness "asroduced w"at we $ay call a 1II;# T"is ist"e !or$ o! racis$ t"at "as %een develoed %y w"ite-owerednations t"at avow t"e$selves to %e non-) or even anti-) racist7 &t is a

racism recoded into a%%arently race-neutral discourses> suc" as t"oseo! t"e law) o! econo$ics)of &4 an' e'ucation> of health> of housing or ofca%ital accumulation9 each of the social 'omains ithin hich these'iscourses o%erate has racially 'i+erentiate' e+ects for hich the causescan alays !e ma'e to a%%ear non-racial7 &n'ee'> racism is illegal in most of

or t#e ris!s o& t#e critical -ein* co+o(te< %#ic# %oul -e a %ay o& &ramin* t#e story t#at

assumes H%e %ere innocent an critical until %e *ot misuse Bin ot#er %ors< t#is %oulmaintain t#e illusion o& our o%n criticalness. Dat#er< it remins us t#at t#e trans&ormation o& Ht#e

critical into a (ro(erty< as somet#in* %e #ae or o< allo%s Ht#e critical to -ecomea (er&ormanceinicator< or a measure o& alue. #e Hcritical in Hcritical %#iteness stuies cannot *uarantee t#at it

%ill #ae e&&ects t#at are critical< in t#e sense o& c#allen*in* relations o& (o%er t#at remainconcealeas institutional norms or *iens. Inee< i& t#e critical %as use to escri-e t#e &iel< t#en %e %oul -ecome com(licit %it# t#etrans&ormation o& eucation into an auit culture< into a culture t#at measures alue t#rou*# (er&ormance. 11. My commentary on t#e ris!s o&

%#iteness stuies %ill inole an analysis o& #o% %#iteness *ets re(rouce t#rou*# -ein* eclare< %it#inacaemic te:ts< as %ell (u-lic culture. I %ill #ence -e reain* '#iteness )tuies as (art o& a -roaer s#i&t to%ars %#at %ecoul call a (olitics o& eclaration< in %#ic# institutions as %ell as iniiuals Hamit to &orms o& -a

(ractice< an in %#ic# t#e Hamission itsel& -ecomes seen as *oo (ractice.y reain* '#iteness )tuiesin t#is %ay< I am not su**estin* t#at it is a sym(tom o& -a (ractice rat#er< I t#in! it is use&ul to consier Hturns %it#in t#e acaemy as #ain*somet#in* to o %it# ot#er cultural turns. #e e:am(les are ra%n &rom t#e ; an ustralia< as t#e t%o (laces in %#ic# my o%n anti+racist

(olitics #ae ta!en s#a(e. My ar*ument is sim(le anti+racism is not (er&ormatie. I use (er&ormatie in ustins B1975 sense as re&errin* to a

(articular class o& s(eec#. n utterance is (er&ormatie %#en it oes %#at it says Ht#e issuin* o& t#e utterance is t#e (er&ormin* o& an action

B1975< 6. 12. I %ill su**est t#at eclarin* %#iteness


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the 'omains of ?S %u!lic life> an' many hites> while en/oying all the advantages ofwhiteness& profess to +elieve that& in post!civil rights Aerica& racis& if not actually eliinated& has

+een reduced to the status of a non!pro+le.&t is of 'ee% concern that such a !eliefcan Hourish in the face of so many economic> e'ucational an' otherin'icators that the ga%s !eteen hite an' )lack #mericans are increasing>

not narroing7 he !elief is> of course> con(ne' almost e,clusively to hites9in )lack #merica there is a i'es%rea' knole'ge that racism is a,ing> notaning7 he fact that race relations are %erceive' so 'i+erently !y hite an')lack #merica is> & !elieve> a critical in'ication of the 'e%th of the current

at %innin* #earts an mins t#an canle li*#t i*ils an orerlyE (rotests. I& t#e en+*ame o& Gramscian stru**le is t#e

isolation an emasculation o& t#e rulin* classes ensem-le o& Fuestions< as a %ay to alter t#e

structure o& &eelin* o& t#e is(ossesse so t#at t#e ne:t ste(< t#e iolent oert#ro% o& t#e state !ut 'i+erent knole'ge systems> 'i+erent ays of knoing hat itis to !e #merican7 Polls taken 'uring the months of 77 Sim%sons trial> forinstance> shoe' consistently that a large maority of hites !elieve' him to!e guilty> hereas an almost e8ual maority of #frican-#mericans !elieve' he

ha' !een frame' !y the %olice9 such 'i+erent knole'ges of the legalsystem an' of metho's of %olicing are not only %ro'ucts of 'i+erent lifee,%eriences> !ut e,em%lify non-racist racism in %ractice - !or t"e w"iteknowled*e o! t"e state aaratuses o! t"e courts and o! olicin* isi$rinted wit" ideas o! o%'ectivity) euality and 'ustice t"at ascri%es

(ressure< t#e cor(oreal sc#ema colla(ses. It *ies %ay to a racial e(iermal sc#ema.6 Xelo% t#e cor(oreal sc#ema


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race-!ree causes to t"e racially disroortionate e7ects o! t"oseaaratuses7 T"e Black knowled*e) "owever) knows t"at w"iteracis$ in!or$s t"e oerations o! t"ose aaratuses desite itsa%sence !ro$ t"eir u%lic !aces# All racis$ is totalitarian) so t"eaarent arado/ o! a non-racist racis$ is t"e !or$ it $ust take in a

society w"ose de$ocracy aears undistur%ed %y its totalitarianundercurrents#

-e&ore #e (er&orms %#iteness. e is not a ta-ula rasa


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T"e %elie! t"at surveillance olicies e7ect %odies si$ilarlyunderscores t"e w"ite anotic *a+e t"at $akese/ression o! %lackness "yer-visi%le w"ile concealin*w"iteness resultin* in %lack %odies %ein* rele*ated to a

constant state o! *ratuitous violenceohn Fiske 14487 =2iske is a me'ia scholar ho has taught aroun' theorl'7 *e as a Professor of Communication #rts at the ?niversity ofWisconsin6Ma'ison7 *is areas of interest inclu'e %o%ular culture> massculture> me'ia semiotics an' television stu'ies7 Surveilling the City

t#e res e:tensa o& Cartesian ualism. 'it#in t#e conte:t o& %#ite racist (ractices is+Z+is t#e Xlac!X -oy< t#ere is a -lurrin* o& -ounaries

-et%een %#at is Xt#ereX as o((ose to %#at #as -een X(lace t#ere.X ence< t#e -oyWs Xcor(oreality


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Whiteness> the )lack Man an' emocratic otalitarianism07heory> Culture QSociety 1IIK =S#G$> Lon'on> housan' "aks an' Ne elhiD> 5ol7 1F= air%orts> !anks an' cash machines> e kno they atch theentrances> elevators an' hallays of oce !uil'ings7 &n an an,iousscansca%e the controlling look of vi'eo cameras cannot !e restricte' toone' %u!lic s%ace such as air%orts an' sho%%ing malls9 so their sight linesare !eing e,ten'e' to cover all so-calle' %u!lic s%ace7 &n the ?S the hole

t#an to critiFue or su-ert it. artman< on t#e ot#er #an< oes call &or< an mount< a raical critiFue o& t#e terms o& t#e state

an ciil society &or #er< t#ey are in#erently unet#ical rat#er t#an reeema-le< #ain* en*enere

centuries o& -lac! social eat# an #istorical un!no%a-ility< an t#us any stru**le to%ar&reeom emans an un&linc#in* critical analysis rat#er t#an an im(licit or e:(licit rati&ication o&

t#ese institutions an t#e terms on %#ic# t#ey are (reicate. ut more &unamentally< s#e aresses t#e (oliticalim(lications o& t#e assum(tie lo*ic o& a t#eolo*ical teleolo*y. I inter(ret artman to (osit t#at t#ere is a !in o& &reeom t#at can -e (reicate

on not+!no%in* i& t#ere is no (reetermine &uture< t#ere is no iine im(eratie t#at mi*#t encoura*e an inestment in t#e moral (rescri(tionso& a conseratie social *os(el a to((le &ait# in t#e reem(tie (ossi-ilities o& t#e stru**le #as t#e

(otential to o(en t#e oor to inention< s(eculation< re&as#ionin*< an co--lin* to*et#er

somet#in* &rom not#in*< (resence &rom a-sence. I inter(ret #er to (osit t#at a ia-le &reeom

ream necessitates t#e ac!no%le*ment o& loss an a-sence an t#e #istory o& (rocesses o&e#umaniin* anti-lac!ness< t#e ac!no%le*ement o& t#e %oun an its (syc#ic< social Neark an' etroit are no covere'!y cameras that can .oom in to rea' a cre'it car'7 &n #ustralia> Wainright=1IIFD counte' for oners nee' no %ermission toinstall cameras to atch the street in front of their %remises> an' many have

'one soD7 &n )ritain> accor'ing to the *ome "ce> IF %ercent of ton an'city councils are consi'ering installing vi'eo surveillance of all their streetsan' o%en s%aces7 )y early in 1IIF> another


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to7 #ccor'ing to one estimate K1 %ercent of )ritish streets ill soon !e vi'eosurveille' =Polman> 1IIFD7 urveillance is a er!ect tec"nolo*y !or non-racist racis$) !or t"e u%iuity and aarent i$artiality o! itstec"nolo*y and t"e %eni*nity o! t"e assu$tion t"at all citi+ens%enet !ro$ increasin* u%lic sa!ety) en"ancin* u%lic order and

i$rovin* trac 9ow ena%le it to $ask t"e racial di7erence in itsoerations and e7ects#&t is the very su%%orta!ility of its claim to o%eratefor a generali.e' %u!lic goo' that ena!les it to hi'e so e+ectively those of itso%erations that are o%%ressive> e,clusionary an' racist7 Understandin* and

stance< -ut rat#er a staunc# actiist one t#at is in&lecte -y a ri*orous an un&linc#in* structural

analysis< an a sensitie an eFually ri*orous unerstanin* o& esire< yearnin*< an t#e(ossi-ilities &or reinention an reconstruction t#at emer*e %#en &ace %it# (ro&oun a-sence

an loss.

epresentations of future nuclear war rest on racist fears of irrational non!whites$

the +o+ is the epitoe of the destructive capacity of 4hiteness& naturali%ing

structural violence through the pro/ection of a spectacular e)tinction.4illias 11Kaul< lecturer in Qn*lis# at t#e niersity o& Q:eter< Dace< Qt#nicity< an Nuclear 'arE< ier(ool )cience iction e:tsan )tuies< 2011< (.1+3L

In t#is stuy< nuclear re(resentationsare e&ine as e(ictions o& t#e &ollo%in* su-ects B1 t#e inention an use o&t#e &irst atomic -om-sP B2

nuclear %ea(ons testin* stoc!(ilin* o& t#e Col 'ar su(er(o%ersP an B3 nuclear %ar Bo&ten re&erre to as 'orl 'ar #ree

an li&e a&ter suc# a cataclysm. Nuclear tec#nolo*y #as -een t#e su-ect o& narraties o& racial an

national -elon*in* an e:clusion unou-tely -ecause its emer*ence Ban e(loyment a*ainsta(an %as rea -y some commentators as an act o& *enocial racist iolence< an -y some as t#e

a(e: o& 'estern ciiliations scienti&ic ac#ieement. #ese o((osin* (ers(ecties are inter(retatie (oles t#at #ae -een centralto nuclear re(resentations. y (osin* %#ite moral an tec#nolo*ical su(eriority a*ainst t#e estructie tec#nolo*y it su((osely inente< cultural (roucers #aecite nuclear %ea(ons as eience a*ainst %#ite n*lo+)a:on su(remacism. rom t#is (oint o& ie%< t#e scienti&ic ac#ieement o& s(littin* t#e atom oes not reeal

%#ite su(eriorityP instea< t#e enormity o& nuclear %ea(ons remins one t#at t#e tec#nolo*y &irst create -y

t#e %#ite %orl im(erils t#e %#ole Qart#. #rou*# a ran*e o& meia< &rom noels to (oetry< s#ort stories to &ilm< comics to oratory< t#e

terms t#at moern Quro(ean im(erialism e(ene u(on J Hciiliation< Hrace< an Hnation< in

(articular J o&ten recur in nuclear re(resentations. )ome o& t#ese re(resentations< emer*in* %#en Quro(es em(ires %ere

relinFuis#in* irect control o& t#eir colonies< s#are t#e uncertainty t#at -eset t#e colonial (o%ers &ollo%in* t#e uneen an o&ten iolent ecoloniin* (reocess. #e

#istorical con*ruence o& nuclear re(resentations an ecoloniation intimates t#e im(ortance o&

t#is conte:t to &uture isions o& 'orl %ar #ree tro(es o& *enocie< tec#nolo*ical an anscienti&ic moernity< an t#e Bre(o(ulation o& t#e (lanet are releantto t#is a(ocaly(tic su-*enre o& ) as %ell

as -ein* recurrent elements in colonial #istory.)eeral o& t#e nuclear re(resentationsiscusse re(rouce

t#e usti&ications o& t#e moern im(erial (roect. ut an alternatie traition ma!es t#ese usti&ications isi-le an emonstrates t#eir

corrosie< lin*erin* (resence in contem(orary culture t#rou*# t#e e(iction o& nuclear tec#nolo*y an its (ossi-le conseFuences. )i*ni&icantly< t#e iea t#at

nuclear %ea(ons are use to -uttress a racial orer t#at (riile*es %#iteness J an iea t#at

(ro#i-its non+%#ite (eo(les &rom accessin* suc# tec#nolo*y J remains a (otent current runnin*&rom 1945 until t#e (resent ay. ain* raise t#is (oint to em(#asie t#e im(ortance o& t#e t#emes in t#is stuy< I am min&ul to re(eat t#at my&ocus is literary< cultural an &ilmic te:ts. I am not see!in* to e:(lain #o% race an et#nicity #ae structure Col 'ar #istory. I& I may -e e:cuse a -rie& asie< I o

t#in! suc# moments #ae occurre. Ciil ri*#ts an Col 'ar #istorians #ae lon* unerstoo t#at ) &orei*n (olicy #a to ne*otiate t#e

merican *oernments res(onse to omestic systems o& racial iscrimination< an ice ersa.Decently ecolonie nations %#ose (o(ulations #a -een e:clue alon* similar lines -y Quro(ean im(erialism &ollo%e t#e narrratie o& merican ese*re*ation

closely< an t#e alle*iances o& t#ese nations (laye an im(ortant role in t#e Col 'ar. '#en t#e -lac! stuent ames Mereit# %as not (ermitte to oin t#e

niersity o& Mississi((i in 1962< resient ;enney orere &eeral mars#als to &orce #is re*istrat ion t#rou*#. #is too! (lace on 1 ,cto-er 1962< a&ter a ni*#t o&

&i*#tin* -et%een emonstrators an troo(s. '#ile not uniersally (raise< ;enneys actions %ere %iely (erceie in t#e international (ress as eience to resole to

o((ose racial iscrimination. '#en t#e Cu-an Missile Crisis too! (lace t#ree %ee!s later< t#e (resients o& Guinea an G#aa enie re&uellin* &acilities to )oiet


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ossi%ly suortin* its socially %eni*n oerations does not reuireus to reco*ni+e t"at it is always also constructin* t"e eye o!w"iteness as t"e ower to $ake t"e racial ot"er visi%le) and t"us to"old "i$ :or) $ore rarely) "er; wit"in t"e discilinary $ec"anis$7he a%%arently non-racist nature of 'isci%line as techni8ue of social or'er to

hich all citi.ens are su!ect masks the racial 'imensions of the norms !yhich a threat to 'isor'er may !e recogni.e' an' 'ealt ith7 Because t"eBlack $an is t"e !ocus o! w"ite !ear and is $ade to e$%ody all t"ataears to t"reaten t"e social order) "e "as to %e always watc"ed.w"ile t"e develo$ent o! t"e surveilled society $ay not "ave

(lanes &lyin* to t#e Cari--ean. ;enney asie rt#ur )c#lesin*er irectly attri-ute t#e &rican (resients actions to t#e interention in Mississi((i. #e su-ect o&

t#is -oo! is not t#e mec#anisms o& #istory. #e su-ect o& t#is -oo! is t#e %ay t#at re(resentations o& nuclear %ea(ons an t#e

%orl a&ter nuclear %ar (ostulate meanin*s t#at are not only &ully actiate %#en consiere

t#rou*# a lens o& race< et#nicity< nation#oo an ciiliation. In many o& t#e te:ts iscusse< a (rimaryconsieration is %#et#er t#e esti*ial master narratie o& %#ite su(remacy< t#e narratie o& racial

su(eriority t#at uner(inne moern Quro(ean coloniation< is -ein* resuscitate. I #ae in min rericamesons e:(ression< Hi& inter(retation in terms o& KVL a lle*orical master narraties remains a constant tem(tation< t#is is -ecause suc# master narraties #ae

inscri-e t#emseles in t#e te:ts as %ell as in our t#in!in* a-out t#em. or ameson t#e inter(retatie act runs t#e ris! o& -ein* an act o& #ermeneutic -a &ait# J t#e

ris! t#at t#e critic &ins %#at t#ey are loo!in* &or all alon* -ecause t#ey *at#ere u( a series o& te:ts %#ose selection is &ar &rom ar-itrary< an conseFuently t#e

reain* o& sai te:ts con&irms t#e u-iFuity o& t#e #istorical essence %it# %#ic# t#ey %ere initially ascri-e. ?et< as ameson %rites< one s#oul not -e too cynical a-out

t#e act o& inter(retation. I& t#e critical analysis o& a te:t &ins eience o& t#e #istorical trens it set out to iscoer t#e success o& t#e inter(retation is not in itsel& a

reason to reect t#e iea t#at te:ts allo% one to t#in! closely an cri tically a-out #istorical attitues. #e act o& inter(retation can sometimes -e t#e im(osition o& a

(reconiee set o& ieas onto a series o& te:ts c#osen (recisely -ecause t#ey corro-orate t#e #y(ot#esis -ein* teste< -ut it can also -e crei-le -ecause te:ts are

inscri-e -y #istory an -y master naraties. s a %ay o& re&errin* to an e:(lanation o& t#e moement o& #istory an its &uture irection< amesons sense o& master

narraties is %ort# retainin*. My usa*e #ere esi*nates t#e e:(lanation itsel&< s(eci&ically t#e master narratie o& %#ite su(remacism

t#at (roe so use&ul to Quro(ean colonialism an t#e settlement o& Nort# merica. o% o

te:ts come to -e inscri-e -y master narraties '#at usti&ication o I #ae in reain* t#e master narratie o %#ite su(remacisman relate narraties o& settlement t#rou*# t#e literary< cultural an &ilmic te:ts analyse #ere

*he deand for political coherence and reforis o+literates the position of the

slave ; their integrationist optiis cannot ta#e into account the gratuitous

violence directed towards "lac#ness


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intentionally %een directed uon "i$) in ractice it o!ten is7 #n'Black $en are acutely aware t"at surveillanceis discri$inatory9 the;orean stores ere targets of )lack anger in L# %artly !ecause of theirconstant surveillance of )lack customers> a surveillance routini.e' intomun'anely %ainful e,%eriences of 'isres%ect an' social othering7 treet

%e"aviors o! w"ite $en=stan'ing still an' talking> using a cellular %hone>%assing an unseen o!ect from one to anotherD $ay %e coded as nor$aland t"us *ranted no attention) w"ereas t"e sa$e activity er!or$ed%y Black $en will %e coded as lyin* on or %eyond t"e %oundary o!

(olitical a*ency T t#e slae ste((in* into someone elseWs s#oes an t#en -ecomin* a (oliticala*ent T or %#et#er it %as a-out -ein* a-le to uneil t#e slaeWs #umanity -y actually &inin*

onesel& in t#at (osition.In many %ays< %#at I %as tryin* to o as a cultural #istorian %as to narrate a certain im(ossi-ility< to illuminate t#ose (ractices t#at s(ea! to t#elimits o& most aaila-le narraties to e:(lain t#e (osition o& t#e enslae.,n one #an< t#e slae is t#e &ounation o& t#e nationalorer< an< on t#e ot#er< t#e slae occu(ies t#e (osition o& t#e unt#ou*#t. )o %#at oes it mean to try to -rin* t#at (osition

into ie% %it#out ma!in* it a locus o& (ositie alue< or %it#out tryin* to &ill in t#e oi)o muc# o& our (olitical oca-u+

lary/ima*inary/esires #ae -een im(licitly inte*rationist een %#en %e ima*ine our claims aremore raical. #is *oes to t#e secon (art o& t#e -oo! T t#atultimately t#e metanarratie t#rust is al%ays to%ars aninte*ration into t#e national (roect< an (artic+ularly %#en t#at (roect is in crisis< -lac! (eo(le

are calle u(on to a&&irm it. )o certainly itWs a-out more t#an t#e esire &or inclusion %it#+in t#e limite set o& (ossi-ilities t#at t#e national (roect (roies.

'#att#en oest#is lan*ua*e T t#e *ien lan*ua*e o& &reeomTena-le n once you realie its limits an-e*in to see its ine:+ora-le inestment in certain notions o& t#e su-ect an su-ection< t#en t#at

lan*ua*e o& &reeom no lon*er -ecomes t#at %#ic# res+cues t#e slae &rom #is or #er &ormer

conition< -ut t#e site o& t#e re+ela-oration o& t#at conition< rat#er t#an its trans&ormation. . '. T#is is one o& t#e reasons %#y your -oo! #as -een calle X(essimisticX -y nita atterson.W ut itWs i nterestin* t#at s#e oes+nWt say %#at I sai %#en %e &irst starte tal!in*< t#at itWs ena-lin*. IWm

assumin* t#at s#eWs %#ite T I onWt !no%< -ut it certainly souns li!e it. ).$.. T ut I t#in! t#ereWsa certain inte*rationistri*#ts a*enat#at su-ects %#o are

ariously (ositione on t#e color line can ta!e u(. n t#at (roect is somet#in* I consier o-scene t#eattem(t to ma!e t#e narratie o& e&eat into

an o((ortunity &or cel+e-ration< t#e esire to loo! at t#e raa*es an t#e -rutality o& t#e last &e%

centuries< -ut to still &in a %ay to &eel *oo a-out our+seles. #atWs not my (roect at all< t#ou*# I t#in! itWs actually t#e (roect o& anum-er o& (eo(le. n&ortunately< t#e !in o& social reisionist #istory unerta!en -y many le&tists in t#e 1970s< %#o %ere tr yin* to locate t#e a*ency o& ominate *rou(s< resulte in cele-ratory

narraties o& t#e o((resse.4 ltimately< it -le into t#is cele-ration< as i& t#ere %as a s(ace you coul care out o& t#e ter+roriin*

state a((aratus in orer to e:ist outsie its clutc#es an &or*e some autonomy. My (roect is a i&&erent one. n in(artic+ular< one o& my #ien (olemics in t#e -oo! %as an ar*ument a*ainst t#e notion o& #e*emony< an #o% t#at notion #as -een ta!en u( in t#e conte:t o& loo!in* at t#e status o& t#e slae..'. T #atWs ery interestin*< -ecause itWs somet#in* IWe -een t#in!in* a-out also in res(ect to Gramsci. ecause nne )#o%stac! )assoon su**ests t#at Gramsci -rea!s o%n #e*emony intot#ree cate*ories in&luence< leaers#i(< an consent.W May-e %e coul -rin* t#e iscussion -ac! to your te:t t#en< usin* t#e e:am(les o& arriet aco-s


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t"e nor$al) and t"us su%'ect to discilinary action7 2or such action toserve the %u!lic goo'> these )lack men> at least> have to !e e,clu'e' fromthe notion of the %u!lic> an' thus the %u!lic as an instrumental conce%t> ishitene'7 Black %e"avior is seen) w"ite %e"avior is not) and t"edi7erence is solely one o! color. %lackness is t"at w"ic" $ust %e

$ade visi%le) 'ust as invisi%ility is necessary !or w"iteness toosition itsel! as w"ere we look !ro$) not w"at we look at7Foucault6s con9ation o! surveillance and disciline descri%esw"iteness accurately i! unwittin*ly.T"e er!ect discilinaryaaratus6) "e writes)


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see everyt"in* constantly# A central oint would %e %ot" t"e sourceo! li*"t illu$inatin* everyt"in*) and a locus o! conver*ence !oreveryt"in* t"at $ust %e known6=2oucault> 1IJID7 he Los #ngeles Policee%artment helico%ters that hovere' over the Ro'ney ;ing !eating an' the"77 Sim%son chase !ristle' ith searchlights an' cameras9 they are the

technological fo

anti-blackness critique - utnif 2015

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