UG#521 - Walling Us In and The Illusion of Separation
Robin Upton | 23.10.2010 07:21 | Migration | Repression | Social Struggles | Sheffield | World
Next it's Jaggi Singh, talking about migration. It is a response both to war and natural disasters and the economic imbalance resultant from the exploitation of the 'poor' countries by the 'developed' ones. Focussing on Canada, he uncovers the reality behind the oft cited tolerance of the Northern countries, detailing injustices done to minority groups in Canada in the 20th century, and recent legislation aimed at reducing immigration while upholding a façade of legitimacy and tolerance. He touches on ICIS, the Canadian secret service, their role in setting up white extremist movements, inciting acts of terror by Muslim young men, and comments on Canada's worst act of terror, Air India Flight 182, noting the destruction of evidence by ICIS officers. I condensed Jaggi Singh's original presentation (74 minutes) down to about 45, so you may wish to download it - see the list of contents below.
Our second hour, Porous Sovereignty, Walled Democracy, an insightful and highly concentrated lecture from 2008. Wendy Brown addresses the curious phenomenon that finds nation-states building physical walls at their borders as never before. The US government's plans would dwarf the great wall of China! An interesting contrast with the free flow global capital. Yet these walls may not be what they appear. In an ostensibly ever more globalized world, such walls raise a series of questions. What is the relationship between these walls and the erosion of national sovereignty by transnational forces? Do the walls assert sovereignty or do they confess its failures? What is the relationship of economy and security at the site of walls? And what transformation in democracy do the new walls herald? You may need to listen to this more than once, as it is highly refined stuff!
Music: R.E.M., Babar Luck
Robin Upton
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