Guess whose back from the atmosphere

Picking up on Placemaker's call, I shall be more attentive to our little corner of the blogosphere. Particularly since I as well am plagued by doubts - of life, the times we live in, our discipline of geography and how I can even begin to contribute. But this is why we are here, n'est pas?

I have been reading Agamben's 'State of Exception' as a follow up to his work 'Homo Sacer' that I read last semester. It is brilliant. I have been thinking about how I am going to frame my paper for the AAG conference, in terms of the material from my thesis, new material, and the ties that bind it all together, when along cam Mr. Agamben. I know have what I think is the glue for not only this paper but for the future. Before it was Foucault, and now it is he - and Benjamin. Everyone should read something by all three of these men, and then something by Judith Butler to earn your fem-cred (is that even a saying? If no, Ill copyright it tomorrow and ye shall all have to pay me if you use it). So I am reading Agamben and his main concept is this 'thing' called the State of Exception, which is basicaly a politico-juridical process where by the 'norm' is replaced or usurped, usually in the face of war or a disaster. The text which bears this as its title was written in 2005 and reflects Agamben's tackling of the issues surrounding the Bush Administration and the global war on terror. Tied all up together in this State is power, law, sovereignty - all kinds of issues that Agamben skillfully ties back to ancient, medieval, and early 20th century historical events and laws.

So, for discussion, a nuggest of Agamben:
"President Bush's decision to refer to himself constantly as the 'Commander in Chief of the Army' after September 11th, 2001, must be considered in the context of this presidential claim to sovereign powers in emergency situations. If, as we have seen, the assumption of this title entails a direct reference to the state of exception, then Bush is attempting to produce a situation in which the emergency becomes the rule, and the very distinction between peace and war (and between foreign and civil war) becomes impossible". (pg. 22, 2005).

Are we not already seeing the products of these sown seeds? Are we already at the impossible?