Orders in Decay General

Produced by Ollie Sanderson-Nichols: Following the incendiary revelations in 2011 that members of the Metropolitan Police Service, posing as activists, had been tasked with implanting themselves within protest groups and social movements between the years of 1968 and 2010, producer Ollie Sanderson-Nichols explores the history and technique of police infiltration in the UK, and its impacts on the people and communities subject to it. Approaching police infiltration as a technology of power involved in the production and maintenance of sovereign order, this podcasts examines infiltration at the level of life and death: From the disruption to the lives of the activists who were deceived into forming (often intimate) relationships with these officers; to the forms of collective life against which the state pitted itself in developing its infiltration strategies; the peculiar necromantic rituals invoked in the formation of the undercover officers’ false personas; and the necrotic effects of infiltration upon the social and affective life of movements themselves. Featuring comments from Professor Michael Loadenthal, and engaging also with the work of Professors Ben Anderson and Michel Foucault, this is the story of the ‘unliving’.

Special thanks to Professor Michael Loadenthal (University of Cincinnati, Ohio), who kindly agreed to be interviewed for this piece of work, and whose insights, both in his published research and during our discussion, proved most valuable and thought-provoking.
Many thanks also to Professor Illan rua Wall (University of Warwick Law School) for his support, feedback and guidance throughout the project, without whom this podcast would not have been possible.

• BBC Sound Effect. “Cell Doors - Period cell doors. Cell door closed with keys, bolts, etc.” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07011124
• BBC Sound Effects. “Animals - Horse whinnying.” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07037453
• BBC Sound Effects. “Battle Crowd - Battle Ccrowd, with men shouting. (No gunfire.)” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07019149
• BBC Sound Effects. “Cine Projector - 16mm RCA cine projector. Threading film and short test run.” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07004203
• BBC Sound Effects. “Crowd Of 6000 At Protest Meeting - Chatter at close of protest meeting. (6000 people, recorded outdoors in England.)” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07017038
• BBC Sound Effects. “Deciduous Woodland - Summer: Early Evening - With blowflies and distant song thrush.” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=NHU05061094
• BBC Sound Effects. “Weather: Eerie Wind - Weather: Eerie wind.” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07027033
• BBS Sound Effects. “Scratches: Records - Stylus jerked off vinyl record, record scratch” Available from: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07058170

Music used (all last accessed 22nd April 2022):
• Aaron Ximm (2012) Spring Rain. Available from: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Aaron_Ximm/Handpans_and_the_Hang/Aaron_Ximm_-_07_-_Spring_Rain/
• Diablo (2010) “Hollow Body.” Available from: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Diablo/Hollow_Body_Live_on_WFMUs_My_Castle_of_Quiet_4142010/Diablo_01_Hollow_Body/
• Filmy Ghost (Sábila Orbe) (2018) “Himuro Mansion.” Available from: https://freemusicarchive.org/search/?quicksearch=Himuro+Mansion+
• Kasey, C @ White Bat Audio ‘Escape from LV426’ https://youtu.be/2-wKcIkElIc
• Kosta T. (2016) Red in Black. Available from : https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kosta_T/Soul_Sand/Kosta_T_-_Soul_Sand_-_14_Red_in_Black/

Producer Precious Odunaiya explains that in popular culture, vigilantes are imagined as heroes who fight for a form of justice that the legal system fails to achieve. Drawing on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, this podcast investigates the thin line between vigilantism and villainy, as a way to grasp the contemporary state of exception.

Thanks to Dr Erica McCrystal, Montclair State University/Berkeley College; Dr Thomas Giddens, University of Dundee and Dr Timothy Peters, University of the Sunshine Coast

BBC Sounds, Heavy explosion-expl_07037322. [Sound Effects] United Kingdom: BBC. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2022].
BBC Sounds, Police—ca_07058147. [Sound Effects] United Kingdom: BBC. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2022].
BBC Sounds, Thunder---_07005233. [Sound Effects] United Kingdom: BBC. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2022].
BBC Sounds, Weather---_07038339. [Sound Effects] United Kingdom: BBC. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2022].
Holmes, S., Against All Odds. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 12 April 2022].
Holmes, S., Ascending Light. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 12 April 2022].
U1902177
Holmes, S., Entering the Tower. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 19 April 2022].
Holmes, S., Rescued. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 19 April 2022].
Holmes, S., Search for Them. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 19 April 2022].Scott Holmes –
Search for Them
Holmes, S., Summer. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 19 April 2022].
Holmes, S., The Boy is Missing. [Music] Scotland: Free Music Archive. Available at:
[Accessed 19 April 2022].
Quadrado, S., Arabic Sadness. [Music] Russia: Free Music Archive. Available at: [Accessed 11 April 2022].
Quadrado, S., Eastern Morning. [Music] Russia: Free Music Archive. Available at: [Accessed 11 April 2022].
Quadraso, S., Suspense Piano. [Music] Russia: Free Music Archive. Available at: [Accessed 11 April 2022].

Producer Lucy Knollys explores the movement of the mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. During the Argentinian ‘Dirty War’ 1976-83, around 30,000 people were disappeared by the state. Mothers took to the streets to demand justice for their missing children and grandchildren. With Professor Fernando J Bosco, the podcast explores how the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo repurposed traditional identities to give them political strength. Harnessing emotional intelligence, and politicising their role as mothers, they were able to create a far-reaching and enduring social movement which changed human rights in Argentina, and led to the discovery of over a hundred missing grandchildren. This podcast sheds light on an extraordinary, yet relatively unknown female-led social movement and the factors that led to its success.

Special thanks to Professor Fernando J Bosco, of San Diego State University, for participating in this podcast as an interviewee, and giving up his time to share his research into, and experiences meeting with, the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

Thanks also to Prof Illan Wall, School of Law, University of Warwick, for his support and advice throughout this project.

Music:

All music sourced from the Free Music Archive:
https://freemusicarchive.org

Blue Dot Sessions, ‘Drone Birch’, 2017

Kevin MacLeod, ‘Thatched Villagers’, 2014

Trans Atlantic Rage/Balogh, ‘Soul Harmonics’, produced by Jared C. Balogh, 2012

Xylo-Ziko, ‘Dark Water.mp3’, 2020, ‘First Light.mp3’, 2020, ‘Last Light.mp3’, 2021

Sound Effects:

All sound effects sourced from BBC Sound Effects:
https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk

‘Bells: Cathedrals – Cathedral bell strikes 5’, BBC Sound Effects

‘Italy: Large Square, Distant Perspective’, BBC Sound Effects

‘Shingle Beach – Waves’, recorded by David Tombs, Natural History Unit, 1911

Producer Zuzu Walker explores the significance of costume in political protest. With help from Prof Andy Lavender, the podcast specifically examines the gilet jaunes (yellow Vests) used across the French protests from 2018-2021. Using the work of Ernesto Laclau and Jacques Ranciére, this podcast explores the duality of symbols, in seeing how the gilet jaune could be embued with masses of demands, opinions, and meaning, and how this results in it becoming ultimately meaningless.

Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge Professor Andy Lavender for his insightful interview, without whom this podcast would not be possible. As well as; André Kapsas, Anne-Claire Defossez, Didier Fassin, Ernesto Laclau, Jacques Ranciére, Stefan Kipfer and Sophie Wahnich, for their work in studying political protest.

Music Used

BBC
BBC
BBC
Podington Bear 2013. “Afterglow.” https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Thoughtful/Afterglow_1910/
Podington Bear 2013. "Odd Wand." Curious. Cond. Podington Bear https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Curious/OddWand
Podington Bear 2017. "Senseless."
Boulé, Dana. 2015. "Swinging in the 7th." Songs for Paris. Cond. Dana Boulé. Comp. Dana Boulé.
Broke for Free. 2012. "Lonely Organ." Leaf. Cond. Broke for Free. Comp. Broke for Free.

#44 The Dying Art Of Protesting by General

Producer Ashvin Kapilan explores the use of police power in the UK, focussing on the controversial technique of 'kettling'. Featuring the work of Prof Mark Neocleous, the podcast exposes how the concept of security is often used to increase and entrench police power power at worrying levels.

Special thank you to Professor Mark Neocleous for agreeing to be interviewed for the purposes of the production of this podcast

Music and Sounds
Astrisx by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).
Dial 999 – Police car, pass from left to right with yelp siren by BBC Sound Effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07045267)
Household – Kettle filled with water by BBC Sound Effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07042254)
Household: Electric Kettle Boiling by BBC Sounds Effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07027207)
Inamorata by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).
Kitchens – Large domestic kitchen by BBC Sound Effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07056101)
London – London, West End, Portland Place – 1972 (1T1, reprocessed) by BBC Sound Effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07060038)
Public Demonstration In A London Square by BBC Sound Effects (https://sound effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07032271).
This Passage by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).
True Blue Sky by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).
Union Hall Melody by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)