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Remote Remote Control Technologies and Control Technologies and

the Production of Topological the Production of Topological

Border SpacesBorder Spaces

Gabriel Popescu, Ph.D.

Indiana University South Bend

April 2012, Marseille

Research contextResearch context

The major borderThe major border--making dilemma making dilemma in the 21in the 21stst century is to reconcile century is to reconcile

unimpeded mobility unimpeded mobility and and reliable reliable security in order to enable the coexistence of security in order to enable the coexistence of

territorially bounded states with global flows. territorially bounded states with global flows.

This implies the emergence of a global border regime of technologyThis implies the emergence of a global border regime of technology--enabled enabled

selective permeabilityselective permeability: : state borders behaving like state borders behaving like membranesmembranes or or firewallsfirewalls, ,

allowing movement for some but not for others. allowing movement for some but not for others.

To achieve this in practice is to remote control everybody and everything that To achieve this in practice is to remote control everybody and everything that

moves across space. More borders, of more kinds, in more places, at more moves across space. More borders, of more kinds, in more places, at more

times than before, increase the power to order peopletimes than before, increase the power to order people’’s lives just as these s lives just as these

lives become more spatially mobile. lives become more spatially mobile.

Research goalsResearch goals

Understanding what kind of border spaces remote control borders make? Understanding what kind of border spaces remote control borders make?

How are these border spaces impacting the nature of power relationships in How are these border spaces impacting the nature of power relationships in

society, as well as the prospects of democratic life in the 21society, as well as the prospects of democratic life in the 21stst century?century?

Research context: the Security ParadigmResearch context: the Security Paradigm

Transnational mobility, that can originate both inside as well as outside a Transnational mobility, that can originate both inside as well as outside a

statestate’’s territory, has diminished the role of state borders to differentiate s territory, has diminished the role of state borders to differentiate

between internal and external threats. between internal and external threats.

A A key outcome is that security issues are increasingly understood as separated key outcome is that security issues are increasingly understood as separated

from the institution of the state and more directly connected to the life of the from the institution of the state and more directly connected to the life of the

individual. The individual. The mobilitiesmobilities of everyday life constitute the security risks that of everyday life constitute the security risks that

have to be controlled now. have to be controlled now.

The The result is a border regime in which worldwide mass surveillance practices result is a border regime in which worldwide mass surveillance practices

are justified as necessary evils to secure social lifeare justified as necessary evils to secure social life..

Research contextResearch context: Risk management

Seeing everyday life in terms of security risks increases the relativity of Seeing everyday life in terms of security risks increases the relativity of

security as a category. One can never go far enough to secure everyday life security as a category. One can never go far enough to secure everyday life

from all risks. Thus, instead of protecting against explicit threats, security from all risks. Thus, instead of protecting against explicit threats, security

becomes a matter of risk management.becomes a matter of risk management.

Risk management is much like predicting the unknown; it takes more Risk management is much like predicting the unknown; it takes more

imaginationimagination and and speculationspeculation rather than factrather than fact--based analysis. Risks are in the based analysis. Risks are in the

realm of probabilities. They are about events that did not happen but that can realm of probabilities. They are about events that did not happen but that can

potentially happen. potentially happen. In other words, In other words, risks have to be risks have to be ““extractedextracted”” from from

surveillance activities. surveillance activities.

Deciding which of the numerous risks people face in their daily lives Deciding which of the numerous risks people face in their daily lives

constitutes an existential threat to society is an elusive issue => opens up the constitutes an existential threat to society is an elusive issue => opens up the

space for the politicization of risk.space for the politicization of risk.

Research context: Embodying bordersResearch context: Embodying borders

The human body has long been a subject of bordering practices. However, The human body has long been a subject of bordering practices. However,

until recently the body has eluded unmitigated control. It has remained a until recently the body has eluded unmitigated control. It has remained a

loosely governed frontier space, trespassed by many power practices but also loosely governed frontier space, trespassed by many power practices but also

populated by many resistance movements.populated by many resistance movements.

Risk management strategies associated with the quest to securitize Risk management strategies associated with the quest to securitize

transnational mobility have triggered a technological race to close this transnational mobility have triggered a technological race to close this

ultimate frontier. ultimate frontier.

The belief is that mobile risks can be efficiently estimated from mobile bodies The belief is that mobile risks can be efficiently estimated from mobile bodies

and efficiently eliminated along the way so that traffic flows are not disrupted and efficiently eliminated along the way so that traffic flows are not disrupted

at the border. at the border.

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Research context: Embodying bordersResearch context: Embodying borders

If borders are about achieving power through the ordering of difference in If borders are about achieving power through the ordering of difference in

space, then the diffusion of bordering strategies to the smallest and most space, then the diffusion of bordering strategies to the smallest and most

personal of spaces personal of spaces -- the body the body -- appears natural. appears natural.

The body makes the ideal border, as it is always at hand, ready to be The body makes the ideal border, as it is always at hand, ready to be

performed whenever circumstances require. Embodied borders are highly performed whenever circumstances require. Embodied borders are highly

mobile and utterly individual, allowing accurate movement control at the mobile and utterly individual, allowing accurate movement control at the

smallest spatial scale. smallest spatial scale.

Biometrics: Biometrics:

the bodythe body--borderborder--identity connectionidentity connection

The The use of biometrics is predicated upon the need to verify a personuse of biometrics is predicated upon the need to verify a person’’s s

identity to confirm that they are who they say they are. Underlining their identity to confirm that they are who they say they are. Underlining their

appeal is the assumption that a personappeal is the assumption that a person’’s identity makes a good risk predictor, s identity makes a good risk predictor,

providing the basis to calculate the risk an individual poses to society. providing the basis to calculate the risk an individual poses to society.

At the At the border, the border, the body works much like a body works much like a password: password: a persona person’’s identity will s identity will

be digitally read from their body part and checked against the data stored in be digitally read from their body part and checked against the data stored in

databases or on passport databases or on passport chips to verify chips to verify their their identity. identity.

The The end product is a computer generated identity that nobody really end product is a computer generated identity that nobody really

understands but that everybody has to understands but that everybody has to trust. This is not the identity of a trust. This is not the identity of a

person as a social being, but the identity of an object that has been rendered person as a social being, but the identity of an object that has been rendered

knowable. knowable.

Remote control: Remote control:

the borderthe border--mobility connectionmobility connection

RFID refers to electronic devices capable of transmitting information RFID refers to electronic devices capable of transmitting information

containing the identity an object or a person wirelessly, using radio waves.containing the identity an object or a person wirelessly, using radio waves.

An An RFID device, called a tag, consists of a microchip storing identifiable RFID device, called a tag, consists of a microchip storing identifiable

information in the form of a unique numeric code and a miniature antenna information in the form of a unique numeric code and a miniature antenna

that transmits information to a computerized reading system.that transmits information to a computerized reading system.

At the border, RFID devices are used as a mean to transmit wirelessly the At the border, RFID devices are used as a mean to transmit wirelessly the

biometrics stored in the chips embedded in travel documents. biometrics stored in the chips embedded in travel documents.

Remote control: Remote control:

the borderthe border--mobility connectionmobility connection

The appeal of RFID technology consists in the possibility of remote The appeal of RFID technology consists in the possibility of remote

control identification while on the move. This reduces transactions costs control identification while on the move. This reduces transactions costs

and speeds up flows by minimizing human intervention. and speeds up flows by minimizing human intervention.

Remote control technology gives Remote control technology gives state borders state borders spatial mobilityspatial mobility. . In this In this

way, borders way, borders evade the norms of territorial linearity and are more evade the norms of territorial linearity and are more

territorially fluid, thus more adapted to a geography of flowsterritorially fluid, thus more adapted to a geography of flows..

The The border becomes embedded in the flow and thus travels with the border becomes embedded in the flow and thus travels with the

flow. This way, flows can be scrutinized along the entire journey from the flow. This way, flows can be scrutinized along the entire journey from the

point of origin to the point of arrivalpoint of origin to the point of arrival..

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Territorializing remote control bordersTerritorializing remote control borders

Remote control involves the dispersal of border functions away from the

margins of states territories to a multitude of locations inside societies.

Such nonlinear territoriality of remote control borders has often been

taken as non-territoriality.

Their scattered territorial nature as well their spatial mobility create the

illusion that they are disconnected from territory and detached from the

rigorous hierarchy of political borders.

Producing topological border spacesProducing topological border spaces

� At least three interconnected spatial dimensions attest to the nonlinear

territoriality of remote-control borders.

� An outward dimension in the case of the presence of border control aspects

from one country inside the territory of another.

� An inward dimension that emerges from domestic aspects of border

management .

� An in-between dimension revealed by the incorporation of places with

uncertain politico-legal status into border-making strategies, as well as by

the constant normative re-defining of borders to keep bodies and places in

an uncertain politico-legal status .

Producing topological border spacesProducing topological border spaces

These dimensions reveal that there is little resemblance between the

rhizomatic geography of remote-control borders and the habitual grid-like

one of linear state borders.

Topological space: a space held together by “portal-like” connections rather

than by territorial proximity.

The nonlinear territoriality of remote-control borders brings places & people

together by connecting them directly across space, folding them into each

other, unlike borderlines that connects them via contiguous state territories.

This opens up the entire globe to bordering processes, thus accelerating the

proliferation of borders and multiplying the border-making actors.

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The notThe not--soso--smart smart ““““““““Smart BordersSmart Borders””””””””

Generally, these rearrangements of border spatiality signal a waning of

democratic control over borders.

Overreliance on technology promotes a view of border management as a Overreliance on technology promotes a view of border management as a

technical problem that requires a technical fix, and assumes that world technical problem that requires a technical fix, and assumes that world

structural problems can be addressed by bordering them away with the help of structural problems can be addressed by bordering them away with the help of

technology.technology.

This is reflecting a strain of technological determinism that is blind to the fact This is reflecting a strain of technological determinism that is blind to the fact

that technology is a twothat technology is a two--way street. way street.

The notThe not--soso--smart smart ““““““““Smart BordersSmart Borders””””””””

These beliefs have become so entrenched that even when the security These beliefs have become so entrenched that even when the security

apparatus faces systemic failures the answer is to introduce more sophisticated apparatus faces systemic failures the answer is to introduce more sophisticated

technologies to expand surveillance rather than to question the overall utility of technologies to expand surveillance rather than to question the overall utility of

the system.the system.

This cannot address the core problem remote control bordering raises because This cannot address the core problem remote control bordering raises because

its nature is not technological. All that RFID technology can do at its best is to its nature is not technological. All that RFID technology can do at its best is to

faithfully transmit bits of information from the chips to a reading system that faithfully transmit bits of information from the chips to a reading system that

confirms the data from the chip are authentic.confirms the data from the chip are authentic.

What this technology cannot do is tell if the person holding the passport is the What this technology cannot do is tell if the person holding the passport is the

same as the owner of the data from the chip.same as the owner of the data from the chip.

Bearing the hidden costsBearing the hidden costs

The problematic of The problematic of remote control remote control bordering goes well beyond technical concerns with bordering goes well beyond technical concerns with

national security and personal privacy. national security and personal privacy.

Without an understanding of what Without an understanding of what these these technologies of power can and cannot do, technologies of power can and cannot do,

bordering practices can incorporate racial, class, ethnic and gender stereotypes and bordering practices can incorporate racial, class, ethnic and gender stereotypes and

prejudices that will perpetuate existing inequalities. prejudices that will perpetuate existing inequalities.

Particularly Particularly insightful insightful to grasp the nature of topological border spaces to grasp the nature of topological border spaces is Foucaultis Foucault’’s s

biopoliticsbiopolitics that illustrates how in modern states the provision of security has become a that illustrates how in modern states the provision of security has become a

form of governing populations, and how such governing is performed through the form of governing populations, and how such governing is performed through the

management of populationsmanagement of populations’’ behaviors and movementsbehaviors and movements. .

The preoccupation with acquiring comprehensive knowledge about every mobile The preoccupation with acquiring comprehensive knowledge about every mobile body body

and object and object is a power strategy to control the fluid and networked territoriality of is a power strategy to control the fluid and networked territoriality of

movement. movement.

Bearing the hidden costsBearing the hidden costs

Risk management systems have shattered any inside/outside distinctions. They include Risk management systems have shattered any inside/outside distinctions. They include

citizens and non citizens as well as criminals and innocents alike. The goal of these citizens and non citizens as well as criminals and innocents alike. The goal of these

technologies of power is not to differentiate between political subjects. The identity of technologies of power is not to differentiate between political subjects. The identity of

the body really does not matter beyond its flesh, blood and bone existence. the body really does not matter beyond its flesh, blood and bone existence.

Following Following AgambenAgamben, the body in this techno, the body in this techno--logic of power is the kind of body as a logic of power is the kind of body as a

living organism, to be kept alive to be governed, and not the political body, with rights living organism, to be kept alive to be governed, and not the political body, with rights

and duties, to be the subject of government.and duties, to be the subject of government.

At the border, people find themselves in a position of perpetual suspects, as they have At the border, people find themselves in a position of perpetual suspects, as they have

to prove their innocence every time they crossto prove their innocence every time they cross. The danger is that, . The danger is that, aas s state borders state borders

are increasingly everywhere in are increasingly everywhere in daily daily life, the state of permanent suspicion experienced life, the state of permanent suspicion experienced

at the border becomes a generalized condition of human existence that our bodies at the border becomes a generalized condition of human existence that our bodies

have to clear time after time and place after place as we go about our daily routines. have to clear time after time and place after place as we go about our daily routines.

Images of Resistance