Just Targets

Abstract

An introduction to a special issue on, Just Targets, argues that targeting must be considered intrinsic to urban processes. The link between targeting & justice is examined, along with the nature of the urban aggregate as a network of material & ideal relations that must perpetually negotiate new relationswith its outlaws, its misfits, & criminals. Issues discussed include an emergent geopolitics of urban politics; contradictions inherent in targeting; the increasing militarization of urban society; distinctions between war & urban society; & how motifs of targeting apply to todays cities. It is contended that the city targets everything that falls outside the laws or is seen as incompatible with the logics of urban process, but it also targets itself as an ideal site for games, meetings or summits. Historical examples of targeting are explored. The articles in this issue point out the relationship between the politics of targeting & justice as well as how the militarization of everyday life affects basic assumptions about & engagements with urban space. References. J. Lindroth.