Vigilant subjects

In: Politics, Band 39, Heft 3, S. 284-299

Abstract

A vigilant subject foregrounds the terrorist event, working immanently to its development and disrupting its realisation. Individuals are tasked with spotting the antecedents of future attacks in the present so as to ward off catastrophe and with being mindful of processes of radicalisation so as to counsel against extremism. A vigilant subject monitors others – as much as himself or herself – according to proscribed conduct, while at the same time he or she co-evolves with uncertainty in order to prevent emergent threats: be they those yet to materialise (signs of an attack) or yet to be even thought of (signs of radicalisation). This vigilant subject is explored through two cases: the British Transport Police campaign to make commuters aware of, and report, terror-related activity and the Prevent duty that asks university staff to limit students being drawn into terrorism.