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Risk, Vulnerability and Geopolitical Risk, Vulnerability and Geopolitical Relations in the Relations in the ‘ ‘North American North American Community Community’ ’ in the Wake of 9/11 in the Wake of 9/11 Emily Gilbert Emily Gilbert Canadian Studies and Geography Canadian Studies and Geography University of Toronto University of Toronto

I: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism I: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

• Naomi Klein argues that disaster capitalism:

Naomi Klein argues that disaster capitalism: “ “ uses the desperation and fear created by uses the desperation and fear created by catastrophe to engage in radical social and catastrophe to engage in radical social and economic engineering economic engineering” ” eg eg: reconstruction : reconstruction

• Disaster creates a

Disaster creates a “ “ terra nullius terra nullius” ” that can then be that can then be “ “ discovered discovered” ” and settled (Naomi Klein) and settled (Naomi Klein)

• Condoleezza Rice: the Asian tsunami was

Condoleezza Rice: the Asian tsunami was “ “ a a wonderful opportunity wonderful opportunity” ” that that “ “ has paid great has paid great dividends for us dividends for us” ”

• Risk society: mobilizing threats and vulnerability

Risk society: mobilizing threats and vulnerability to manage and promote capitalist intervention to manage and promote capitalist intervention

• “

“ The more threatening the shadows cast by The more threatening the shadows cast by future prospects, the more lasting are the future prospects, the more lasting are the disruptions that can be brought about today disruptions that can be brought about today through the dramaturgy of risk through the dramaturgy of risk” ” (Ulrich Beck) (Ulrich Beck)

• Towards

Towards preemptive preemptive disaster capitalism? disaster capitalism?

• August 2004: creation of the Office of the

August 2004: creation of the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization; Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization; led by Carlos led by Carlos Pascual Pascual

• “

“ to lead, coordinate and institutionalize US to lead, coordinate and institutionalize US Government civilian capacity to prevent or Government civilian capacity to prevent or prepare for post prepare for post -

• conflict situations, and to help

conflict situations, and to help stabilize and reconstruct societies in transition stabilize and reconstruct societies in transition from conflict or civil strife, so they can reach a from conflict or civil strife, so they can reach a sustainable path towards peace, democracy and a sustainable path towards peace, democracy and a market economy market economy” ” http: / / www.state.gov/ s/ crs/ http: / / www.state.gov/ s/ crs/

• to change

to change “ “ the very social fabric of a nation the very social fabric of a nation” ” so so that it is that it is “ “ democratic and market democratic and market -

• oriented
• riented”

” (Carlos (Carlos Pascual Pascual) )

• Post

Post -

• conflict planning and monitoring of 25 states

conflict planning and monitoring of 25 states that are not yet in conflict: that are not yet in conflict: “ “ pre pre-

• completed

completed contracts contracts” ”

• Other traces of disaster capitalism?

Other traces of disaster capitalism? “ “ Friends Friends” ” and and allies? allies? Neighbours Neighbours? ?

• 9/ 11 and Ground Zero: a

9/ 11 and Ground Zero: a terra nullius terra nullius for the for the reconfiguration of North American relations? reconfiguration of North American relations?

II: North American Relations in the II: North American Relations in the Aftermath of 9/11 Aftermath of 9/11

• Hillary Clinton:

Hillary Clinton: “ “ security trumps trade security trumps trade” ”

• US concerns about leaky borders

US concerns about leaky borders

• West Wing; America

West Wing; America’ ’s Most Wanted s Most Wanted

• April 2005: Newt Gingrich

April 2005: Newt Gingrich

• Richard

Richard Holbrooke Holbrooke, Paul , Paul Cellucci Cellucci

• Canadian trade concerns: border delays

Canadian trade concerns: border delays

• $2 (CDN) billion crosses border daily

$2 (CDN) billion crosses border daily

• 87%

87% Cdn Cdn exports go to US (35% GDP) exports go to US (35% GDP)

• Stephen Clarkson: border holdups portend

Stephen Clarkson: border holdups portend “ “ a a monumental disaster with an impact no less monumental disaster with an impact no less significant than the destruction of New York significant than the destruction of New York’ ’s s twin trade towers twin trade towers” ”

• 30 Point Smart Border Action Plan

30 Point Smart Border Action Plan

• Canadian Anti

Canadian Anti-

• Terrorist Act

Terrorist Act

• Revised Canadian Immigration Act

Revised Canadian Immigration Act

• A new

A new “ “ big idea big idea” ”

• NAFTA

NAFTA-

• plus

plus

• Customs union; common market;

Customs union; common market; currency union currency union

• Energy security; immigration controls

Energy security; immigration controls

• Towards a

Towards a “ “ North American Community North American Community” ” ? ?

• Social and economic reconstruction

Social and economic reconstruction emanating out of fear and vulnerability? emanating out of fear and vulnerability?

III: Security and Prosperity III: Security and Prosperity Agreement of North America Agreement of North America

• Signed March 23, 2005

Signed March 23, 2005

• Regional cooperation and concerns about

Regional cooperation and concerns about global competition global competition

• Aims are

Aims are

• to make region safe and secure

to make region safe and secure

• to ensure businesses are competitive,

to ensure businesses are competitive, economies are resilient economies are resilient

• to ameliorate quality of life

to ameliorate quality of life

• Expands on earlier bilateral agreements

Expands on earlier bilateral agreements

• Economic cooperation;

Economic cooperation; eg eg autos autos

• Harmonization of external tariffs

Harmonization of external tariffs

• Regulatory cooperation;

Regulatory cooperation; eg eg energy energy

• Pre

Pre-

• clearance programs and biometrics

clearance programs and biometrics

• Model of

Model of “ “ partnership partnership” ”

• Cooperation, collaboration, coordination

Cooperation, collaboration, coordination

• But through harmonization =

But through harmonization = voluntarist voluntarist , , market market -

• oriented approach (Andrew Barry)
• riented approach (Andrew Barry)
• Deepening

Deepening neoliberalism neoliberalism : limited political : limited political infrastructure, mechanisms for citizenship infrastructure, mechanisms for citizenship

• Quality of life issues included

Quality of life issues included

• Education; science and technology;

Education; science and technology; environment; health environment; health

• Shift to

Shift to biopolitics biopolitics (Michel Foucault) (Michel Foucault)

• Trilateral concern for the health,

Trilateral concern for the health, welfare, prosperity and happiness of the welfare, prosperity and happiness of the population (Mitchell Dean) population (Mitchell Dean)

• Appeals to

Appeals to “ “ citizens citizens” ” or

• r “

“ the people the people” ” being being “ “ protected, protected,” ” “ “ responded to, responded to,” ” “ “ invested in, invested in,” ” their their “ “ full potential full potential” ” promoted promoted

• Biopolitics

Biopolitics and security: marginal and security: marginal populations and populations and developmentalism developmentalism

• “

“ Improvements in human capital and physical Improvements in human capital and physical infrastructure in Mexico, particularly in the infrastructure in Mexico, particularly in the center and south of the country, would knit center and south of the country, would knit these regions more firmly into the North these regions more firmly into the North American economy and are in the economic American economy and are in the economic and security interests of all three countries and security interests of all three countries” ” (Independent Task Force on the Future of (Independent Task Force on the Future of North America) North America)

• “

“ In the long run, healthier indigenous In the long run, healthier indigenous communities will be able to more fully communities will be able to more fully participate in the social, economic, and cultural participate in the social, economic, and cultural life of North America life of North America” ” (Annex to the SPPNA) (Annex to the SPPNA)

• Promotion of

Promotion of “ “ homo homo economicus economicus” ” (Nikolas (Nikolas Rose) Rose)

• Productive, efficient, self

Productive, efficient, self-

• maximizing,

maximizing, self self-

• monitoring citizens

monitoring citizens

• Security and

Security and “ “ homo homo economicus economicus” ”

• Perception that

Perception that “ “ The suicide bomber is The suicide bomber is the most radical contrast to the homo the most radical contrast to the homo

• economicus
• economicus. He is both economically

. He is both economically and morally completely uninhibited, and and morally completely uninhibited, and for this reason, a bearer of absolute for this reason, a bearer of absolute cruelty cruelty” ” (Ulrich Beck) (Ulrich Beck)

IV: Conclusions IV: Conclusions

• Disaster of 9/ 11 and reconfiguration of

Disaster of 9/ 11 and reconfiguration of “ “ North American Community North American Community” ”

• Triangulation of security, prosperity, quality of

Triangulation of security, prosperity, quality of life life

• Mobilization of economic and security

Mobilization of economic and security vulnerabilities to facilitate vulnerabilities to facilitate neoliberal neoliberal and and developmentalist developmentalist reconstruction reconstruction

• Consolidation of regions of security

Consolidation of regions of security— — compare to compare to “ “ regions of risk regions of risk” ” or

• r “

“ regions of regions of threat threat ” ” (Greg (Greg Bankoff Bankoff) )

• Preemption and partnerships the twin

Preemption and partnerships the twin keystones to National Security Strategy keystones to National Security Strategy (Colin Powell) (Colin Powell)

• “

“ Not least among the policy priorities laid Not least among the policy priorities laid

• ut in the NSS is our determination to
• ut in the NSS is our determination to

develop cooperative relations among the develop cooperative relations among the world's major powers. It is here, above world's major powers. It is here, above all, that the key to a successful conclusion all, that the key to a successful conclusion to the war against terrorism lies to the war against terrorism lies” ” (Powell). (Powell).

• Creation of

Creation of “ “ peace, democracy and a peace, democracy and a market society market society” ” (Office of the Coordinator (Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization) for Reconstruction and Stabilization)

• “

“ freedom, economic opportunity, and freedom, economic opportunity, and strong democratic values and institutions strong democratic values and institutions” ” (SPPNA) (SPPNA)

• Hence can understand multilateral

Hence can understand multilateral partnerships as a kind of preemptive partnerships as a kind of preemptive disaster capitalism: sense of risk and disaster capitalism: sense of risk and vulnerability used to reconfigure society vulnerability used to reconfigure society and economy across trilateral region and economy across trilateral region

• Interdependence of security,

Interdependence of security, economy, quality of life economy, quality of life

• Justifies a disaster continuum that

Justifies a disaster continuum that ranges from terrorism to ranges from terrorism to ‘ ‘natural natural’ ’ events (Didier events (Didier Bigo Bigo) )

• Legitimizes securitization and

Legitimizes securitization and militarization of all kinds of disaster militarization of all kinds of disaster response response

• Promotes ubiquitous

Promotes ubiquitous interiorization interiorization of

• f

risk management and disaster planning risk management and disaster planning to allay sense of vulnerability to allay sense of vulnerability