the human in multiple, hybrid topologies human remains the place of the human in a post-human world...
TRANSCRIPT
The human in multiple, hybrid topologies
HUMAN REMAINSTHE PLACE OF THE HUMAN IN A POST-HUMAN WORLDPresentation for 4th Nordic Geographers’ Meeting, Roskilde University, 24-27.05.2011
Connie Svabo, PhD, Assistant ProfessorSpace, Place, Mobility and Urban Studies (MOSPUS) Research Unit& Centre for Experience Research (COF)Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change (ENSPAC) Roskilde University (RUC)
Mediation, multiplicity, topology
• Mediation is the process of linking entities, making connections– Concept from Latour, inspired by Serres
• Multiplicity is the idea that in social reality multiple orders, logics and patterns are at play simultaneously– Concept from Law & Mol, inspired by Serres
• Topology is ’the science of proximities and ongoing or interrupted transformations’– Concept Bingham & Thrift, Mol & Law, Latour, Serres
Naturama
• Museum of natural history• 65.000 annual visits• 50% of visitors are under 18
• Association of visitors and exhibition
• 14 months, several later re-visits• Observation
– 39 days, 21 days in exhibition, the rest in offices
– written notes, audio recordings, video recordings, use of spy-wear camera glasses
• Interviews– 26 on-site visitor interviews + staff
interviews• Focus increasingly on children and
youngsters
Method: ethnographic fieldwork
Fellow visitors
Exhibition
visitor
phone camera
visitor
animal costume
visitor
exercise pamphlet
Multiple, hybrid topologiesand the human in the midst, betwixt and
between, at midpoint, intersection, hub, junction, shift, flicker, fluid, gossamer, gauzy, thin, delicate, fibrous, flimsy, sheer, airy, shimmer, sparkle, blitz, diffusion interference, interruption, clamor and hubbub