Empire or Imperialism:Implications for a `New' Politics of Resistance
Social Identities, 10 (5):
629-645 (2004)Abstract
ABSTRACT: Globalisation raises questions about the capacity of the nation-state to function within the national interest. Hardt and Negri argue that nation-state sovereignty is in decline and that Empire --- a new supranational and deterritorialising form of sovereignty --- has superseded it. The question then arises, where does sovereignty reside if it is no longer existent within the nation-state. It is here that post-colonial theory may well provide insights as post-colonial subjects have had to confront these issues. The following questions are explored through a critical engagement with recent social theory. What is the relationship between the biological and political body within such a context? Furthermore, what are the implications of this for a politics of resistance?