Analysis Of Joe Painter, A Political Geographer, And The...

The definition of ‘state’ is ambiguous. The meaning can change depending on the context. For instance, it could relate to agencies within the state such as government bodies, or the practices carried out by individuals. Furthermore, the state is part of everyday life and manifests itself through the combination of institutions, practices, people and discourses. This creates social order (Blakeley and Saward, 2009, p. 360). We encounter the state through people such as police officers or doctors; people we may recognise as professionals. These people work for government bodies such as the police force or the National Health Service. Joe Painter, a political geographer, mentions â€Å"every day discourses of state actors† (Painter, cited in Blakeley and Saward, 2009, p. 354). By this he means that the people representing the government bodies are ‘state actors’ and the actions they carry out as part of the role are the ‘every day discourses’. These people are physical examples of the state in action but it is possible for the state to operate in invisible ways. Jill’s story illustrates both of these aspects. Firstly, the presence of the school inspectors and health visitor are examples of the visible presence of the state. There are also examples of state institutions – namely the post office and school. Additionally, the requirement for Jill to have an MOT certificate for her car is evidence of the state operating in invisible ways. The state also dictates Jill’s routine atShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesHistory of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer