Abstract

SFERRAZZA PAPA, Ernesto C.. The Matter of Sovereignty: A Philosophical Critique of Walls. Tópicos (México) [online]. 2022, n.62, pp.443-470.  Epub Mar 28, 2022. ISSN 0188-6649.  https://doi.org/10.21555/top.v62i0.1215.

Despite the postmodern image of a smooth and borderless world, physical barriers currently represent one of the most important instruments of political articulation of the statal space. However, several ethical and political problems arise from it. This paper presents a philosophical critique of teichopolitical rationalities, namely, the politics of walls. The first section analyses two ancient teichopolitical paradigms. The second section analyses the wall as an element that nullifies the image of a global borderless world. The third section deals with the wall as a protective instrument of the statal body. The fourth section highlights the ethical and political problems produced by walls. In the fifth section we argue that walls represent a spectacularized form of sovereignty. In the conclusions I summarize the results and suggest that teichopolitical logics foment a feeling of paranoia on a global level.

Keywords : wall; state, sovereignty; power.

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