At the Gates of Fortress North America: Race-Ing the Spp and its Political Subject

The Security & Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), ratified by Canada, the US, & Mexico in 2005, is used to challenge the dominant Left narrative that focuses on the loss of state sovereignty as the primary objection to multilateral security initiatives. It is argued that the emph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inStudies in political economy Vol. 86; no. 1; pp. 23 - 53
Main Authors Oka, Cynthia Dewi, Ayers, Alison J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ottawa Routledge 01.10.2010
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Accumulation
Globalization
International relations-US
Nationalism
Neoliberalism
North America
Political economy
Politics
Securities issues
Security
September 11
Social conditions
Social Integration
Sovereignty
Uncertainty
Canada
United States > US
Mexico
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Summary:The Security & Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), ratified by Canada, the US, & Mexico in 2005, is used to challenge the dominant Left narrative that focuses on the loss of state sovereignty as the primary objection to multilateral security initiatives. It is argued that the emphasis on sovereignty to oppose North American integration "fails to recognize that globalization is occurring through the strengthening of certain forms of state power that depend on the continuing salience of nationalism." In addition, the sovereignty argument creates discursive binaries of integration/independence, continentalism/nationalism, & neoliberalism/welfarism that ignore neoliberal government's exclusionary nature & indirectly legitimize racialized labor & "economic apartheid." Key themes of SPP are examined, including "smart-borders," temporary foreign worker programs, energy production/integration, & rehabilitation initiatives for Indigenous communities. A critical examination of neoliberalism as a form of social regulation reveals how assemblages of power are deployed by the state to further exploitation & accumulation. The need to develop alternative political subjectivities capable of articulating democratic visions that promote personal agency & collective responsibility is emphasized. J. Lindroth
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ISSN:0707-8552
1918-7033
DOI:10.1080/19187033.2010.11675025