Sociological Reflections on Security Through Surveillance

Abstract

This article initiates a Sociology of Security. Such a field should analyze how conditions transpire for security-however defined-to surface as a value in individual and collective living, how this value comes to be articulated, and how different kinds of individual and collective experiences shape its meaning. In addition, a Sociology of Security should pay attention to how the kinds of individual and collective responses to particular understandings of security, institutions and policies put in place to this end (or lack thereof), and consequences of such practices are shaping the nature of our social world and the aesthetics of our physical environment. Specific focus is on the relationship between security and surveillance.

Reflections on the Sociology of Security and Surveillance in the Study of Immigration

“…Bajc () offers an insightful overview for understanding the process by which security gained its prominent position and the way government bureaucratic structures carried out its functions in efforts to protect the citizenry. Bajc has coined the term “security meta‐framing” to describe the process through which security gained its prominence over competing principles that we treasure in our society, such as democracy, human rights, and privacy.…”

“…Bajc () notes that surveillance is used primarily to ensure security. Surveillance has two primary elements: individuation and exclusionary classification.…”

“…Surveillance has two primary elements: individuation and exclusionary classification. Individuation represents the way in which human beings are set apart from others through the assignment of identification numbers which are linked to personal data and which can be linked to a wide variety of information on the individual (Bajc ). In particular, Bajc (: 617) notes that individuation is the “process of turning a social body of people into a group of individuals and then the group of those individuals into subjects that can be governed.” In essence, human beings are transformed into numbers and information.…”

“…In the last decade, sociologists have begun to address major issues associated with the rise of security and surveillance (Bajc ; Berda ; Stampnitzky ). The sociology of security has seen the development of theoretical perspectives to understand the process and consequences related to the prominence of security and surveillance.…”

“…The sociology of security has seen the development of theoretical perspectives to understand the process and consequences related to the prominence of security and surveillance. In particular, Vida Bajc (, , ) has played an important role in understanding this phenomenon. I reflect here on her essay titled “Sociological Reflections on Security Through Surveillance” which appears in this volume (Bajc ) and offer thoughts on how her work can contribute to the study of immigration and how work from the area of immigration and related areas can contribute to her own work.…”