Project 01 : DANA in Valencia: The two visits of King Felipe VI.
Written for Universitat Pompeu Fabra
12.2024
1.0 Climate Defence: Leadership, Politics and Fictional time
On October 29th, 2024, parts of Valencia, where this paper will concentrate, were hit with the consequences of one years’ worth of torrential rain in a day.
The rain occurred in towns upland as the result of a Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos (DANA). A DANA is caused when colder air at higher altitudes drops over warmer mediterranean waters causing moist air from the sea surface to rise quickly with dense cumulonimbus clouds formed in the process. (Science Media Centre, 2024)
In Paiporta, Valencia, not a drop of rain fell, however the rainwater from upland surged downstream through riverbanks that could not contain it and created devastation by cascading into spaces of human habitation.
Despite alerts being received by Government response systems they were tragically late, with some residents stating that they received messages on phones when already in life threatening situations (Science Media Centre 2024)
With the effects of the aftermath still being felt, this paper will concentrate on two objects of film footage posted to YouTube by El Mundo after the tragedy. Both objects involve King Felipe’ VI visits to Valencia province.
The first visit is to Paiporta on November 3rd five days after the catastrophe, while the second visit is to one of three areas in Valencia province, on November 12th fourteen days after the initial devastation.
This paper focuses on these objects involving King Felipe’ VI for the sole purpose that he is a Sovereign and both Head of State and Commander in Chief, therefore the highest authority in Spain and a highly prominent figure in the media.
The aim of this paper is to explicate the objects using pertinent theories from the philosopher, Jacques Rancière' “Ten Theses on Politics”
1.1 Hereditary Symbolism & The Social Contract
When we observe the concept or royalty and those whom it is apportioned, a line is often drawn to their past. Royalty is known for having a lineage that can be traced back chronologically to ancestors’ centuries ago. Such a perspective of linearity provides a fictionally comforting narrative that we can link with time, where humanity has a continuous place of prosperity and thereby will continue to do so (Lynch, 2016). The monarch is afforded luxurious living and impeccable education to rule in the best conceivable way. In this way an expectation, or social contract is formed (MacIntyre, 1984). Such a social contract requires everybody to play their role within the human construct of time for the creation of peace and order.
For the monarch, the symbolism of the two titles infers a distinct meaning. The Head of State, a diplomatic representation, symbolizes good relations and integrity for future prosperity. The Commander in Chief, a representation of ultimate command of the armed forces, symbolizes strength and defence against bad will (Moncloa, 2024)
1.2 The Two Politics
With such dualistic roles it is important to determine what we are referring to by the term ‘Politics.’
There is the politics that makes decisions on governing society, which we will call ‘Traditional Politics’ moving forward. This is the politics that we see in the media via public debate, official announcements, forums, conferences, and diplomatic visits. In this politics, the message by the monarch and their representatives are of happenings being orderly, controlled and organised against timely tasks where innovative solutions can be forecast, created, and developed. In this politics, the police uphold the status quo.
In contrast, there is the politics that Jacques Ranciere describes.
In this politics disruption of the status quo is the politics. People assert their power as equals with a behaviour that is lacking traditional order, uncontrollable by authority and unified by a setting that has required a uniquely common response.
This politics, which we will call ‘Ranciere Politics’ moving forward, creates an aesthetic disorder that challenges the very essence of that which humanity defines as ‘order,’ thereby revealing it as a fictional construct. In this politics, it is unpoliceable.
2.0 Objective Analysis
Though theoretical, Jacques Ranciere’ ten theses on politics discuss elements of humanity that Nature has the power to catalyse.
Despite the severity of warnings over years many leaders continue to provide a traditional politics attitude to climate issues (BBC News, 2024). In El Mundo’s two films, which we will observe now in chronological order, the catalyst of nature combined with unsatisfactory response from officials is key to understanding the unrest.
2.1 Disorderly Consensus: Ranciere Politics
2.1.1 Politics as Distinct from Governance / 2.1.2 Politics as the space of disagreement Inaudible, unordered, pixelated and unframeable.
From the beginning we are aware that this is not a performance for the camera. Shakily shot on a mobile phone, it is an intensely aesthetic situation without the polishing of traditional monarchical representation in the media. In fact, the footage shows such anarchy that a caption is needed at the beginning to provide insight. “The visit of the Kings, Mazon and Sanchez to Valencia was interrupted after a shower of objects and mud on the procession.”
This solidifies Ranciere’ first two theses - We are immediately aware that traditional governance does not exist here. This is governance by the people who are unleashing their disagreement with hellish fury.
2.1.3 Politics is about equality / 2.1.4 Politics requires staging a wrong
In the first ten seconds of the footage, those that have been charged with guarding the monarch and therefore protecting order. i.e. The Police, look visibly nervous, unknowing how to enact the usual authoritative order. In an absolute role reversal, it is the Police attempting to keep the monarch as an equal to the community. The environment is now a stage for the frustration of excluded voices. The monarch is now illegal with no right to rule or be heard.
2.1.5 The Police Order is not Politics / 2.1.6 Politics Disrupts the Police Order
Whilst these two theses reveal themselves proper in ‘traditional politics,’ it is worth noting here that such disruption is what Jacques Ranciere calls politics. Here, the police have taken on the role of the public and are receivers of a new order identified by the people.
2.1.7 Politics Creates a Subject
In the aftermath of Nature’s destruction and institutional response or lack thereof, a particular subject has been created by the community for the community. This is not something to put in a line for debate in parliament. Rather, the subject matter is so severe, it is being heard in the forum of Ground Zero itself.
Also interesting is the subtle creation of a new subject by El Mundo via the only edit of the footage, at 1m 34s. At this point, El Mundo switches from footage of the monarch in the crowd where he is being berated in mid-shot by an adult to a close-up frame of the monarch with members of the community’s younger generation. They look pleading rather than angry and it is a subtle change that creates a narrative of the monarch listening to concern. Whilst we have no access to the unedited footage this edit is an interesting change of frame from absolute dissensus to discourse for resolution.
2.1.8 Politics is Rare / 2.1.9 Politics is Universal / 2.1.10 Politics is an Aesthetic Art
With social media and camera phones this footage became Worldwide news instantly. The event is universal and deeply aesthetic in its exposition of the usual behaviour toward monarchy. In this footage what has been captured is a moment that is unthinkable and rare in society, typified by sporadic insults near camera that unify to a universal chant - ‘Asesino’ - translated as ‘Murderer.’
2.2 Violence Restored: Traditional Politics
2.2.1 Politics as Distinct from Governance / 2.2.2 Politics as the space of disagreement
If Ranciere politics frames absolute anarchy this is the opposite. The similarities start and end with the video being shot on mobile phone.
What is now being filmed has clearly been planned with governance existing once more. There is no pixelation and a temperament of calm consensus is restored.
The monarch, previously drowned out from speaking, is now the only voice heard. and all dissensus is pointed toward faith in the camouflage clad army, or police, in the backdrop.
2.2.3 Politics is about equality / 2.2.4 Politics requires staging a wrong
The media coverage makes it easy to assume that equality is being restored. In fact, what is being restored is inequality through assurances that the anesthetising order has returned. There are no questions from community members who staged their unrest previously. Instead, the filming reinstates a healing of a social contract gone wrong with no members of the marginalised community involved.
2.2.5 The Police Order is not Politics / 2.2.6 Politics Disrupts the Police Order
The police order here could be considered slightly unnerving. It is so aesthetic that it almost anaesthetizes via its over stimulation, as if we are seeing one uniformed being rather than individuals, unknowing on whether the group offers us a symbol of safety or total command.
This could be perceived as a deeply anaesthetic show of power, with an overindulgence to reestablishing the control of a ‘normal’ fiction.
2.2.7 Politics Creates a Subject
El Mundo provides further context to the subject it began in the previous footage by evolving the connection of the monarch with the public via the content of the monarch’s announcement, which is clearly staged. The caption for the video provides further order, detailing the schedule for the day in a bid for further reassurance.
The subject is now reframed as faith in authority despite the deeper reasons for such unrest.
2.2.8 Politics is Rare / 2.2.9 Politics is Universal / 2.2.10 Politics is an Aesthetic Art
Despite a similar number of views on the El Mundo YouTube page, this footage is not shared as widely by Global news outlets. To Jacques Ranciere, this would no longer be politics even though it seems as such. Rather, through this footage El Mundo are supporting the monarch’s imagery resurrection, reinstating him visually as Commander in Chief by providing the stage for regular planned responses.
3.0 Biopolitics and Systemic Exclusion
When observing the objects and those involved, it is important to consider reasons for such unrest. Paiporta is considered a small town with an elderly population where this level of incident rarely occurs. The regional Valencian government when informed of the floods set a ‘level 2’ alert despite the potential severity.
A ‘level 3’ alert would have meant Central Government control and a reorganisation of resources as well as recognition that the Regional Government needed support. This might have worked better for the people of Paiporta but may also have been considered weak for leadership (The Diplomat in Spain, 2024).
It is the decisions behind such traditional politics that Nature exposed in this case, leading to mass instability for a small town. However, it is important to remember that Instability is a regular occurrence for many people where the mere concept of a home does not exist (Mbembe, 2024). Nature has a way of readdressing the aesthetic and exposing bureaucratic responses against a capitalist continuation that scientists warn is a threat to our very existence.