The rising trend of surveillance technology, such as CCTV, across the UK is the focus of a new theoretical paper by two 黑料网 researchers who will present their findings at a national conference next week.
Gavin Smith, who is a PhD researcher in Sociology, and co-author Archie Simpson, a PhD researcher in Politics and International Relations, have teamed up to deliver a presentation at the 55th Political Studies Association (PSA) Annual Conference.
The event, which attracts hundreds of academics and professionals in the fields of political science and current affairs, will provide Gavin and Archie with the ideal opportunity to present a paper to their peers, entitled 鈥楽elling surveillance鈥�: a consideration of the acceptance of, and reasons for, surveillance creep in the UK鈥�.
Drawing upon some analysts鈥� claims that the UK is now one of the most monitored nations on earth, the two authors look at the widespread distribution and use of surveillance technology across the country.
This type of technology includes the proposed introduction of ID cards, biometric passports and microchips, bugging devices, video surveillance, large-scale computerised databases and other such innovations.
Gavin, whose PhD study focuses exclusively on CCTV surveillance systems and who is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, said: 鈥淲hilst we are primarily concerned with documenting how and why CCTV is so readily advocated and sold by the state, the media and the business sector to the general public, we also briefly consider the advent of other such surveillance technologies.
鈥淲e are particularly interested in tracing the socio-economic, political and pragmatic reasons for introducing these systems, who benefits from them and why, and the possible future implications, both positive and negative, that such surveillance technology may have for members of contemporary society.鈥�
Although Archie鈥檚 PhD focuses on small states and sovereignty in the European Union, he has developed a particular interest in intelligence gathering in the UK.
He said: 鈥淥ur work so far suggests that a mixture of related factors can help explain why there is a suitable climate for 鈥榮urveillance creep鈥� in this country.
鈥淪ome of these include rapid advances in data gathering and processing technology, a growing reliance on such developments, a desire both by state and business sectors to keep better tabs on an increasingly diverse population of consumers and an escalating cultural 鈥榩olitic of fear鈥� in society, which has been magnified after the terrorist attacks on the US in 2001.鈥�
Gavin continued: 鈥淲e will argue that these and other factors foster a widespread belief that systems of surveillance are for the greater good of the nation, with cultural and public acceptance of this process demonstrated by hugely popular TV programmes such as the BBC鈥檚 Crimewatch UK, reality shows like Channel Four鈥檚 Big Brother, and Box Office smash hits such as Enemy of the State.
鈥淗opefully this paper will be the first step towards further interdisciplinary research, in order to tease out the various dimensions of surveillance growth in the UK.鈥�
The 55th PSA Annual Conference runs from Monday, April 4, until Thursday, April 7, 2005, and is hosted by the School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds.
The Political Studies Association exists to develop and promote the study of politics. Founded in 1950, it is the leading Association in its field in the UK, with an international membership including academics in political science and current affairs, theorists and practitioners, policy makers, researchers and students in higher education.