"If You See Something, Say Something": The Power of the 'War on Terrorism' to Name What We See

Author

Polly Sylvia, Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Program

Sociology

Advisor

Patricia Ticineto Clough

Committee Members

Stanley Aronowitz

Lynn Chancer

Subject Categories

Sociology

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to understand the cultural politics of the "war on terrorism" through a case study of the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign within the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority Subway System. Drawing upon literature that focuses on an understanding of the affective transmission of culture, this research seeks to understand this particular campaign as a technique of social control. Through a content analysis of the advertisements of this campaign and a performative methodology that analyzes the performance of security within the subway system, an understanding of the connections this local campaign (as a security campaign) has with a greater "war on terrorism" is explored.

Comments

Digital reproduction from the UMI microform.

Recommended Citation

Sylvia, Polly, ""If You See Something, Say Something": The Power of the 'War on Terrorism' to Name What We See" (2010). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1692