User:Paulysci/sandbox/Sense of Siege Theory

Sense of Siege Theory: The sense of siege theory draws on the conceptual lens of othering and is an extension of Giorgio Agamben 's theories of the state of exception and homo sacer . The sense of siege is a concept constructed from the perception of a threat to the physical self, national security, and/or one's status as citizen. To create a sense of siege an othering discourse constructs a distinction between us and them, which centers on, and is driven by, security fears. This theory asserts that the state, or state official, stokes national security concerns to justify creating an exception to the normal juridical order that expands security powers of the state. In order to justify this exception a state of siege (marshal law) must exist. In a state like the United States, marshal law cannot simply be declared. Marshal law is a condition that emerges from invasion or civil war when neither Congress nor the courts are in session. Since such circumstances are rare, following Agamben's state of exception theory, justifications are constructed to create exceptions to the normal order. One such justification is constructing a fear of an other. Not just any fear, but one bathed in national security discourse. This other is portrayed as a national security threat to the citizen, which by its construction merges the status of citizen with that of national security, thus subjugating the citizen to the security state. Where a state of siege does not truly exist, a sense of siege is used to justify an exception so the state may act as if a state of siege does exist, or soon will.