Title
On the aesthetic production of atmospheres: The rhetorical workings of biopower at The CELL
Abstract
Drawing upon Foucault’s notion of biopower and Böhme’s theory of atmospheres, we analyze The Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (The CELL), a nonprofit institution in Denver, Colorado dedicated to preventing terrorism. Specifically, we argue that The CELL rhetorically induces visitors to submit to and actively participate in continuous surveillance by subjecting them to a strategic succession of atmospheres that affectively and emotively enlists their bodies in its cause. This largely material rhetoric utilizes the design aesthetics of controlled movement, simulation, interactivity, and pseudodialogue. We conclude by reflecting on the implications for rhetorical and security studies.
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2016.1195505
Keywords
Aesthetics, Affect, Atmospheres, Biopower, Security
Publication Date
10-1-2016
Recommended Citation
Ott, Brian L., Hamilton Bean, and Kellie Marin. "On the aesthetic production of atmospheres: The rhetorical workings of biopower at The CELL." Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 13, no. 4 (2016): 346-362.
Journal Title
Communication and Critical/ Cultural Studies
