Bare Life’s Bare Essentials: When All You’ve Got is Hope – The State of Exception in The Road, District 9 and Blindness.

This article operationalizes the work of Giorgio Agamben, through the prism of popular culture and filmic studies. Drawing extensively upon the cinematic experiences of The Road, District 9 and Blindness, a critique is formulated of this pre-eminent scholar’s theory. Beginning with an analysis of the state of exception, Agamben’s chilling assertions are examined. The remainder of the article then discusses the three films, as they provide the perfect vehicle for challenging Agamben’s obsessions and contradictions. Although tied together by the common thread of the camp, the hidden matrix of modernity, each film occupies a distinct position along a spectrum of governmentality. Ultimately, what is exposed goes to the heart of the sensational, diabolical and disturbing world Agamben incarnates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Law, Culture & the Humanities is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)