in Critical Technologies the making of the modern world theme
We welcome abstracts for the above-named WAC-6 session. The session is jointly organised by James Dixon (UWE Faculty of Creative Arts) and Brent Fortenberry (Boston University) and subsequent discussion will be chaired by Victor Buchli (UCL)
The modern world is replete with technical processes. Whether watching the television, listening to music, driving a car, or any number of other things, people are employing technology to make their lives easier (or harder depending on whether or not your car starts).
Two distinct ways to approach technical processes through archaeology exist. The first, derived from science and technology studies, looks at the wide range of factors that go into making and using technology; people, things, ideas, time constraints, politics and so forth. Ideas derived from ANT and other techno-science paradigms are currently enjoying wide spread use by contemporary theorists.
Building on these ideas of production and use in which individual users are invariably and inevitably lost, the second perspective highlights the embedded nature of technical objects in the production of the contemporary self. It is perhaps a mistake to think that ‘the archaeological approach’ to technical objects is to look beyond their everyday (‘shallow’ or ‘unknowing’) use to their wider technological contexts. Rather, as objects and processes essentialise themselves in the 21st century we can return to ideas of fetish and embodiment and look towards the experience of technical processes and objects as central to their being.
Simply put, what influence, if any, do these objects have on the experience of the everyday and the conceptualization of identity? Can things composed of metal and plastic ‘make a difference’ to one’s worldview? Does their absence or presence become a marker for complicity or assimilation in popular culture?
For this session, we invite papers that attempt to confront technical processes through archaeological research methodologies, particularly those that aim to look at the points of contact between ANT-based research and more affective approaches to technology.
Abstracts and other expressions of interest should be sent to James Dixon at jd2430@bris.ac.uk
The deadline for paper submissions is February 22nd 2008