From Zygmunt Bauman’s recent book:
Our problems are globally produced, whereas the instruments of political action bequeathed by builders of nation – states were reduced to the scale of services territorial nation – states required; they prove therefore singularly unfit when it comes to handle global, extraterritorial challenges.
When earlier today I criticized the Democrats for not offering us much, I didn’t take into account that it is simply not in their power to offer anything along the lines of what we are used to governments offering.
The nation-state might have receded into the past, yet it is hard to unlearn the patterns of its functioning. Here I was, spending the morning in a state of pouty grievance over not being provided with something that it is no longer possible for a political party or government to provide.
Clarissa's Blog 
Ebola is a classic example of a global challenge that no single government can handle. We can expect to face more challenges like this. Unfortunately — and Putin is a convenient example — old fashioned nationalism is alive and well. I wonder how Putin would react if ebola arose in Moscow?
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Exactly! !
Putin has the history of using the threat of international terrorism to achieve his political goals. There are serious suspicions that some of the notorious terror acts in Russia were organized by the Russian government.
So if Ebola were to strike Russia – which of course I hope doesn’t happen – I’m afraid Putin would use it to further stoke anti – American sentiments blaming it on the US.
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Not entirely a rhetorical/cynical question: does globalism raise local levels of incompetence in the face of the unfamiliar to a level where those locals can fake coping long enough to learn what properly needs to be done?
I suspect the US is in the “fake it to make it” stage with Ebola, which is why I ask …
We already have global quangos acting as if they might have the power to do something in this case, which to me seems like the problem turned on its head, so to speak.
One fantastic export product many nation-states possess will inevitably be put into action: bureaucrats. Obviously health professionals weren’t as good as bureaucrats, hence why Obama put one in the “Ebola czar” position and also why the US doesn’t appear to have an actual head to the medical establishment (as in no Surgeon General of the US).
So with that in mind …
GO BUREAUCRATS GO BUREAUCRATS GO GO GO! 🙂
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Letting my inner crazy conspiracy guy loose…
Isn’t this behind the rash of tv shows that feature “expert” panels or audience participation or a single godlike figure in eliminating contestants? To redirect the idea of democratic decision making toward trivial bullshit?
I had assumed these shows were popular because they feed into people’s fears of/fascination with rejection but now I’m less sure.
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Star Chambers with actual stars …
Cheeky, but plausible.
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“Isn’t this behind the rash of tv shows that feature “expert” panels or audience participation or a single godlike figure in eliminating contestants? To redirect the idea of democratic decision making toward trivial bullshit?”
– Man, this is VERY profound. I need to think about this further because I have a feeling there is a lot to this idea.
As I hope everybody understands, these posts are a way I work on my research, and I’m grateful for the help!
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\\ As I hope everybody understands, these posts are a way I work on my research
I love those posts, btw.
May be, you could post about insights from your past research too. You said you have several interests, but have posted extensively only about the nation state, your latest project.
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The nation-state state was my very first research interest, as well. My MA dissertation was on the formation of the nation-state in the XVIII century. So this is a very long – standing interest with me. I was 25 when I first discovered the concept of imaginary community, and I still haven’t fully recovered from the shock of knowing how we have all been duped into worshipping a piece of painted fabric.
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As for the research I’ve done on other subjects, my excursion into feminist scholarship is now finished. I have said all I wanted to say in my book and don’t have anything new to contribute. The central idea I wanted to transmit is: the great feminist revolution has already happened in Western societies on the level of law and society. Now it has to happen inside people’s heads.
Until that occurs, I don’t expect anything new to happen that will merit research or analysis.
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“Freedom is a scary thing/Not many people really want it”
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