Territoryincognita

Abstract

Tracing the lineage of territorial theorization, from legal container through dialectical, strategic and rhizomatic interpretations, this paper contends that more-than-human aspects of territory have been routinely circumvented by scholars seeking to avoid its realist, imperialist intellectual past. However, with the crisis of representation in political theory precipitated by the planetary ecological crisis, territory as a material entity has sprung alive again. This paper proposes that a reinvigorated materialist approach, informed by Deleuze and Guattari’s writings on territorial assemblages as machinic, nomadic and affective, can offer a way out of the territorial trap, reclaiming nomos from its conservative, masculine heritage.

(Non)negotiable spaces of algorithmic governance: Perceptions on the Ubenwa health app as a ‘relocated’ solution

“…Some studies treat context as a formal or technical category (Prince, 2020) in which algorithmic governance occurs rather than actively shapes the context. Others have warned against falling into a ‘contextual trap’ (Usher, 2020) that ignores the power geography (Prince, 2020) or the values and meanings that individuals ascribe to algorithmic solutions in specific socio-cultural contexts (Aizenberg and van den Hoven, 2020). Scholars have discussed governance through algorithms in detail (Latzer and Just, 2020) and the potential, unintended consequences, such as automated inequalities and discrimination (Eubanks, 2018; Noble, 2018).…”

Uncovering the Role of Biophysical Factors and Socioeconomic Forces Shaping Soil Sensitivity to Degradation: Insights from Italy

“…Soil is a particularly sensitive environmental matrix affected together by biophysical degradation and socioeconomic transformations [1][2][3]. While human activities shape territories to expand their limits and living places, an enlarged anthropogenic pressure is generating a planetary ecological crisis [4]. Undoubtedly, humans need to exploit natural resources; however, it is necessary to identify specific thresholds to avoid the activation of irreparable processes of soil degradation [5][6][7].…”

Deciphering posthumanism: Why and how it matters to urban planning in the Anthropocene

“…The beginnings of posthumanist or more-than-human thought can be traced back to 19th-century philosophy where political geographers explored the influence of physical (territorial) environment on social evolution, recognising the role of non-human forces that are greater than human will in constituting a society (Ripley, 1894; Usher, 2019). Especially in the disciplines of critical geography and anthropology, there have been important discussions on the significance of the ‘Anthropocene moment’ of our time and its potential political promise (see Head, 2016; Usher, 2019; Whatmore, 2006, 2017).…”

“…The beginnings of posthumanist or more-than-human thought can be traced back to 19th-century philosophy where political geographers explored the influence of physical (territorial) environment on social evolution, recognising the role of non-human forces that are greater than human will in constituting a society (Ripley, 1894; Usher, 2019). Especially in the disciplines of critical geography and anthropology, there have been important discussions on the significance of the ‘Anthropocene moment’ of our time and its potential political promise (see Head, 2016; Usher, 2019; Whatmore, 2006, 2017). While I acknowledge the long history of posthumanist thoughts and their divergent traditions, given the limited space that I have here, I concentrate mainly on (1) the new materialism literature that has been picked up specifically by planning theory writers and (2) contemporary developments in the ‘more-than-human’ ecopolitics literature that provide novel ways of thinking about ‘nature’ or ‘the environment’.…”