_thinkMake Week-06,07,08-:reading -05 (The Agency of Assembladges)

Vibrant Matter : A Political Ecology of Things

by Jane Bennett

The Agency of Assemblages

Thing-power, a concept that emphasizes the efficacy of objects over human meanings and purposes, can be a starting point for thinking beyond the life-matter binary. However, it tends to overstate the thinginess or fixed stability of materiality, which is more fitting to theorize a materiality that is as much force as an entity, energy as matter, and intensity as extension. The term "outside" may be more apt, as it refers to vibrant materials rather than passive objects or stable entities.

The concept of "thing" also has latent individualism, which leads to an atomistic understanding of agency. An actant never acts alone, and its efficacy depends on the collaboration, cooperation, or interactive interference of many bodies and forces. This concept of agency changes when nonhuman things are viewed as actors and humans as vital materialities.

In this chapter, the author examines a real-life effect: a power blackout in North America in 2003, analyzing the electrical power grid as an agentic assemblage. The author compares the agency of assemblages to more familiar theories of action, such as those centered around human will or intentionality, intersubjectivity, or social, economic, or discursive structures. The author also explores how an understanding of agency as a confederation of human and nonhuman elements could alter established notions of moral responsibility and political accountability.

 

In the late 20th century, the "theater of operations" expanded dramatically due to globalization and the earth becoming a space of events. The coexistence of mutual dependency and friction between parts called for new conceptualizations of the part-whole relation. Assemblages, ad hoc groupings of diverse elements, were proposed as a way to describe this event space and its style of structuration. Assemblages are living, throbbing confederations that function despite the persistent presence of energies. They have uneven topographies and are not governed by a central head. The effects generated by an assemblage are emergent properties, distinct from the sum of the vital force of each materiality considered alone. The elements of an assemblage include humans and powerful nonhumans like electrons, trees, wind, fire, and electromagnetic fields. This image highlights the limitations of human-centered theories of action and investigates the practical implications of a theory of action and responsibility that crosses the human-nonhuman divide.

For example, consider a renewable energy project that aims to harness wind power for electricity generation. In this assemblage, the humans involved include engineers, technicians, and policymakers who collaborate with powerful nonhumans such as wind turbines, transmission lines, and weather patterns. The emergent effects of this assemblage can be seen in the generation of clean energy that reduces carbon emissions and contributes to a sustainable future. However, the practical implications of this theory of action and responsibility require a holistic approach that considers not just the technical aspects of the renewable energy project but also its social, economic, and environmental consequences. This includes assessing the potential impact on local communities, ensuring fair access to the benefits of clean energy, and addressing any negative effects such as noise pollution or habitat disruption. A holistic approach also requires a consideration of long-term sustainability, including the lifecycle assessment of renewable energy technologies and the development of effective recycling and disposal strategies for their components. Additionally, it is important to continuously monitor and evaluate the performance of renewable energy projects to optimize their efficiency and effectiveness in achieving their intended goals.

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