[csaa-forum] Marginal

[Brett Neilson]

At 03:04 PM 14/10/2004 +0930, you wrote:
>Movements in cultural analysis are possibly about uncovering complex
>processes of social composition and an ossified geography of
>political representation, but I wonder whether cultural analysis
>driven by who the swinging voters are in marginal seats says anything
>more fundamental than defining the people politicians are now
>targeting using a cultural studies language.
>
>Rob
>
> >If the category 'aspirational' has any analytical grip in the wake of the
> >election (and I'm open to the suggestion that we have to invent new
> >concepts) it is in the intersection between complex processes of social
> >recomposition (based partly, as Melissa notes, in the changing relations
> >between work and non-work) and an ossified geography of political
> >representation. Where are the marginal seats? That is a key question in
> >analysing the election. And, at that point, there is a need to reintroduce
> >an argument about the spatial order of the city (recognising the passage of
> >that order beyond simple centre/periphery distinctions). Not to isolate the
> >processes of class recomposition to certain areas but to understand how
> >they intersect the zero-sum game of representative democracy.


Thanks Rob,

I think you make a fair comment. But I guess I was trying to refocus from 
the emphasis on consumption. And to point out that while the social changes 
we are discussing may have some moment of structure and generality they 
also acquire significance in certain places due to the nature of the 
political system. So while we can't confine 'aspirational' values or 
behavior to the outer suburbs, it is in these sites that they acquire 
significance in electoral terms. The point is very obvious. But, given the 
way discussion was flowing, I thought it might be productive to restate in 
a way that might carry some weight.

But I don't think I was pointing to a cultural analysis driven by who the 
swinging voters are. In fact, I ended the post by signaling the need for 
openings and dialogue and recognition of the limits of cultural analysis.

I do take your point about the way these hot spots shift around within an 
ossified political geography. Maybe you have something more to say about 
how things played out in your neck of the woods?

Brett