Following Toby Miller's rousing plenary at MeCCSA 2008, members might be
interested in this CFP from the World Archaeological Congress.
Angela Piccini
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CFP - Method And The Machine: theorising an archaeological approach to
technical processes
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.
--
BR Fortenberry
Boston University
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A A Piccini
Drama: Theatre, Film, Television
School of Arts
University of Bristol
Cantocks Close, Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1UP
T: +44 0117 954 5449
E: [log in to unmask]
Skype: aapiccini
W: www.bris.ac.uk/drama/staff_research/angela_piccini/
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