Postliberale Souveränität und Datenkörper. Ungeplante Assoziationen. Postliberal Sovereignty and Data-Bodies. Unplanned Associations

• Main Author: Sebastian Sierra Barra
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Universität Freiburg 2012-06-01
• Series: Behemoth : a Journal on Civilisation
• Subjects: Information and Communication Technologies; migration; coevolution; assemblage
• Online Access: http://www.degruyter.com/dg/viewarticle.fullcontentlink:pdfeventlink/contentUri?format=INT&t:ac=j$002fbehemoth.2012.5.issue-1$002fbehemoth.2012.005$002fbehemoth.2012.005.xml

In recent years, digital technologies have become increasingly important in migration policy. Especially biometrics are considered as a key technology for border control. Instead of following this typical perspective on surveillance I will show that the transformation of borders and the construction of data bodies have to be understood as a symptom of wide social change. From the beginning of cybernetics after World War II to the social movements in the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, I will outline an unexpected association between humans and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This association challenges the old order based on the difference between subject and object. The new situation is represented by two central topics: the postliberal sovereignty and the new relationship, the “assemblage”, between physical bodies and digital data bodies. Departing from this assumption I will discuss the question whether we can identify a new form of governmentality between migration and ICT.