Watching Ourselves: Video Surveillance, Urban Space and Self-Responsibilization

Examines the dramatic increase in the use of video surveillance in US public places like airports & landmarks since 11 September 2001 & the debate about the erosion of civil liberties this expansion in the number of cameras has sparked. The standard justification is that video surveillance i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cultural studies (London, England) England), 2006-07, Vol.20 (4-5), p.400-416
Main Author: Yesil, Bilge
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Civil Rights
Deterrence
Freedom
Political Power
Risk
Social Power
Surveillance
Terrorism
United States of America
Urban Areas
Videotape Recordings
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Summary:Examines the dramatic increase in the use of video surveillance in US public places like airports & landmarks since 11 September 2001 & the debate about the erosion of civil liberties this expansion in the number of cameras has sparked. The standard justification is that video surveillance is not intended to watch the public but to watch out for it. An overview of the historical use of public video surveillance programs in US cities notes that they have been used as a crime prevention/prosecution tool since the 1970s. Changes in public video surveillance after 9/11 & their underlying discourse of deterrence & prevention are explored. Different modes of control (discipline & deterrence) that motivate video surveillance are discussed to argue that urban video surveillance is a mixture of external control & self-discipline situated at the intersection of governmentality & risk management. In light of the political & social goals of video surveillance, it is recommended that it be addressed as an articulation of social control & power. References. J. Lindroth
ISSN:0950-2386
DOI:10.1080/009502380600708770