Creating a Secure Network: The 2001 Anthrax Attacks and the Transformation of Postal Security

Abstract

In "Creating a Secure Network: The 2001 Anthrax Attacks and the Transformation of Postal Security," Ryan Ellis critically examines the creation and implementation of new security standards within the postal network after the 2001 anthrax attack. Drawing on research conducted at the Smithsonian Institution and documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the article traces the politics inscribed within the architecture of new security technologies. The article sets debates about postal security within a broader account of political economy. The article emphasizes the possibilities and limitations of disasters to create moments of disruption and undergird new political interventions.