No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
A Field Guide to Postphenomenology
... A pós-fenomenologia surge para atualizar as concepções fenomenológicas e serve para verificar como tais elementos se relacionam. Nesse sentido, os estudos pós-fenomenológicos partem do pressuposto de que as tecnologias funcionam como mediadoras, na relação de sujeitos e objetos, cujas são o sustento primordial para que um universo subjetivo se desenvolva (o ser humano) e uma dimensão objetiva se instale, isto é, o mundo (Rosenberger;Verbeek, 2015). Nessa linha de raciocínio, cabe pensar que a relação estabelecida acaba sendo significativa em algum grau para tais indivíduos (Hasse, 2013), e induz-se que a partir daí se estabelecem as noções de representatividade, identidade e existência. ...
... A pós-fenomenologia surge para atualizar as concepções fenomenológicas e serve para verificar como tais elementos se relacionam. Nesse sentido, os estudos pós-fenomenológicos partem do pressuposto de que as tecnologias funcionam como mediadoras, na relação de sujeitos e objetos, cujas são o sustento primordial para que um universo subjetivo se desenvolva (o ser humano) e uma dimensão objetiva se instale, isto é, o mundo (Rosenberger;Verbeek, 2015). Nessa linha de raciocínio, cabe pensar que a relação estabelecida acaba sendo significativa em algum grau para tais indivíduos (Hasse, 2013), e induz-se que a partir daí se estabelecem as noções de representatividade, identidade e existência. ...
... Em último caso, essas relações podem implicar a reflexão de como as pessoas entendem a si, e como dão significado ao trabalho que exercem (Hasse, 2013). Sendo assim, a pós-fenomenologia se preocupa em examinar a mediação tecnológica que abrange a existência humana (Rosenberger;Verbeek, 2015). Para isso, teóricos como Ihde (2017), foram capazes de delinear algumas principais relações investigativas, a saber: incorporação, hermenêutica, alteridade e segundo plano (Figura 6). ...
A interação entre sujeitos e o mundo é mediada por aparatos tecnológicos. Sabe-se que, nesse contexto, o uso de recursos técnicos (i.e., internet) impulsionou transformações sociais no modo de comunicação humana, tanto impondo novos padrões de linguagem como mudanças de socialização. O presente artigo objetiva visualizar o modo como o design pode refletir sobre suas implicações na presente transformação da experiência humana através tecnologia. Para realizar tal exame, se elaborou uma esquematização abstrato-visual, mediante uma abordagem bibliográfica narrativa, que se classifica como uma pesquisa básica, exploratória e qualitativa. Foram examinadas as maneiras que a mediação tecnológica permite ao design pensar suas finalidades ontológicas e epistemológicas, refletindo a complexidade da sua aplicação teórico-prática na projeção de objetos, coisas e artefatos, bem como na produção de sentido, significado, representação e da própria questão da experiência humana. Por fim, apresenta-se um esquema a respeito de como o designer tem, fundamentalmente, influência no processo de mudança contemporânea do agir humano, o que ressalta a relevância de uma abordagem expandida dos impactos da atividade.
... For this purpose, we use a methodology leaning towards postphenomenology. Rather than treating technology as an abstract phenomenon, postphenomenology investigates how specific technologies shape the human experience and engagement with the world (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). Pursuing a comprehensive understanding of the relations between things and humans, postphenomenology draws upon insights from empirical research and philosophical considerations. ...
... Pursuing a comprehensive understanding of the relations between things and humans, postphenomenology draws upon insights from empirical research and philosophical considerations. (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). Considering that Human Enhancement technologies are employed in close proximity, if not within the human body, it is appropriate to draw from a school of thought that underscores the importance of embodiment (Aagaard, 2016) and the intricate interactions between humans and technology (Ihde, 1990;Verbeek, 2008). ...
... Considering that Human Enhancement technologies are employed in close proximity, if not within the human body, it is appropriate to draw from a school of thought that underscores the importance of embodiment (Aagaard, 2016) and the intricate interactions between humans and technology (Ihde, 1990;Verbeek, 2008). This way, we can explore how a distinct set of technologies influences and shapes human subjectivity and practices in a dynamic and technologized world (Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015). Although some technologies employed within Human Enhancement may not be commonly discussed in postphenomenol-ogy, we believe its principle assumptions of technology-mediated human experience and altered relations to the world can still be useful, regardless of whether the means are pills or external tool. ...
Technology enables humans not only to adapt their environment to their needs but also to modify themselves. Means of Human Enhancement — embodied technologies to improve the human body’s capabilities or to create a new one — are the designated means of adapting ourselves instead of the environment. The debate about these technologies is typically fought on ethical soil. However, alarmist, utopian, and science fiction scenarios distract from the fact that Human Enhancement is a historical and pervasive phenomenon incorporated into many everyday practices. In the vein of disentangling conceptual difficulties, we claim that means of Human Enhancement are either physiologically or psychologically embodied, rendering the merging with the human user their most defining aspect. To fulfill its purpose, an enhancement must pass the test-in-the-world, i.e., assisting with effective engagement with a dynamic world. Even if failing in this regard: Human Enhancement is the fundamental and semi-targeted process of changing the users relationship with the world through the physical or psychological embodiment of a hitherto external object and/or change of one’s body. This can potentially change the notion of being human. Drawing on a rich body of theoretical and empirical literature, we aim to provide a nuanced analysis of the transformative nature of this phenomenon in close proximity to human practice. Stakeholders are invited to apply the theory presented here to interrogate their perspective on technology in general and Human Enhancement in particular.
... The changing interactions between the user, a digital twin and the asset to be monitored can be analyzed through the lens of technological mediation. The central idea of technological mediation is that technologies mediate and shape the relationship between humans and the world they experience (Ihde, 1990;Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015;Verbeek, 2005). Human perceptions of the world are transformed when they are mediated by technologies. ...
... 2. Technological mediation and design 2.1 Technologies as active entities Technological mediation means that a mediating technology shapes a specific relationship between humans and the world they perceive. In effect, the human-world relationship is a human-technology-world one (Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015). Technological mediation emphasizes that humans and technologies are not separate entities. ...
... The technology is not embodied, and the world is also not perceived through the technology. It does not have a central role in human interpretation of the world (Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015). The focus is also not on the interaction between humans and technology, like in an alterity relationship, and humans do not give attention to the technology (Ihde, 2009;Verbeek, 2005). ...
Purpose
With the emergence of digital twins, the construction industry is looking toward improving the inspection and maintenance of all kinds of assets, such as bridges, roads and utilities. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how the development of an interactive digital twin creates a variety of interactions between users of this technology and assets to be monitored.
Design/methodology/approach
The development of a digital twin inspection model, focusing on the specific case of a sewage pumping station, is chosen as the subject of a case study. Through the development of this model, this study explores the various user–technology interactions that can be designed in a digital twin context.
Findings
Users interact with digital twins by following virtual instructions in a certain way, which creates a “quasi-other” relationship. A digital twin based on virtual reality (VR) also make users feel as if they are within the created VR of an inspection site, thereby immersing them in the VR environment. The design of a VR-based digital twin, which is determined by decisions made during the development process, shapes the context in which users interact with the technology and assets.
Originality/value
This study shows that a digital twin in construction practice may play different “actant” roles having different types of influences. Analyzing these actant roles and influences in terms of force and visibility adds a new perspective on the interaction between users and digital twins in construction and asset monitoring practice.
... 3, limited. To address this gap, I propose a conceptual model of dress embodiment situated within two extremes, physical to virtual, and analyze it through the lens of postphenomenology, a recent branch of philosophy of technology which builds on both phenomenology and pragmatism [21][22][23]. ...
... By approaching technology through artifacts, the postphenomenological perspective "offers a rich and variegated picture of technology" which, unlike classical philosophy of technology, "does justice to its ambivalent status" [39]. Technologies co-constitute the subjectivity of users and the objectivity of the world these users experience: "subject and object are no pre-given entities, but get constituted in the technologically mediated relations that exist between them" [23]. Ultimately, technologies and technological developments are "mediators of human experiences and practices" [23]. ...
... Technologies co-constitute the subjectivity of users and the objectivity of the world these users experience: "subject and object are no pre-given entities, but get constituted in the technologically mediated relations that exist between them" [23]. Ultimately, technologies and technological developments are "mediators of human experiences and practices" [23]. ...
Dress is an embodied, physical experience which the touch-deprived sensory affordances of today’s screen technologies can only simulate. However, advances in haptic and virtual technologies suggest a re-embodied experience of dress might be possible in increasingly immersive digital fashion environments. These developments are explored through postphenomenology, which posits that technology mediates and co-determines relations between humans and the world, helping to shape the socio-cultural normative and value frameworks within which such phenomena occur. A model is proposed which conceptualizes these developments and serves as an interpretive framework of dress (dis)embodiment and technological mediation in digital fashion.
... The remainder of the paper is structured in three sections. The first will analyse processes within the NAT closed loop from a postphenomenological perspective (Ihde, 1990;Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). The second section presents a comparison between lived experience and the quantification of lived experience by technology. ...
... This postphenomenological analysis will consider the different dimensions of technological intentionality exhibited by NAT. Technological intentionality describes how technological artifacts actively mediate the relationship between human consciousness and the world (Mykhailov, 2020;Ihde, 1990;Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015); it has been argued that interaction with technology shapes the ways in which reality becomes meaningful for a person (Verbeek, 2005). Analysing technological intentionality is complicated by the fact that NAT is not a single technological artifact but manifests as series of technological elements that are interconnected in a closed-loop configuration. ...
... Interaction with NAT is most accurately represented by a specific category of hybrid intentionality called immersion (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). Their usage of immersion describes a category of intentionality that is bi-directional and reflexive, which is completely unrelated to immersion as studied in HCI research (Cummings & Bailenson, 2016;Jennett et al., 2008). ...
Neuroadaptive technology (NAT) is a closed-loop neurotechnology designed to enhance human–computer interaction. NAT works by collecting neurophysiological data, which are analysed via autonomous algorithms to create actions and adaptations at the user interface. This paper concerns how interaction with NAT can mediate self-related processing (SRP), such as self-awareness, self-knowledge, and agency. We begin with a postphenomenological analysis of the NAT closed loop to highlight the built-in selectivities of machine hermeneutics, i.e., autonomous chains of algorithms that convert data into an assessment of psychological states/intentions. We argue that these algorithms produce an assessment of lived experience that is quantitative, reductive, and highly simplistic. This reductive assessment of lived experience is presented to the user via feedback at the NAT interface and subsequently mediates SRP. It is argued that congruence between system feedback and SRP determines the precise character of the alterity relation between human user and system. If feedback confirms SRP, the technology is regarded as a quasi-self. If there is a disagreement between SRP and feedback from the system, NAT is perceived to be a quasi-other. We argue that the design of the user interface shapes the precise ways in which NAT can mediate SRP.
... But chief among other revisions, postphenomenology discards the essentialist and deterministic orientation of classical phenomenology as was reflected in the slogan 'to the things themselves'. Things possess multiple stabilities instead of an invariant nature (Ihde 1990;Rosenberger and Verbeek 2015;Verbeek 2005). That is, as varying relationships are established in different contexts, technology exhibits different meanings, variations, functions, and characteristics. ...
... One implication of the latter point is that the mediation of every technology should be studied in its specificity. A further implication is an emphasis placed on the empirical approach to make sense of the mediation of technology in a real-life setting 4 (Rosenberger and Verbeek 2015;Verbeek 2005). ...
With the advancements in digital technologies, notions such as aging in place have gained currency. But, next to technical issues concerning the extent to which full-blown aging in place is possible, philosophical and ethical questions have been also raised. An important dimension of the digitalization of healthcare is how would aging look to both older adults and the public in the wake of such systems. In this article, I will suggest integrating postphenomenology into Age Studies to explore how aging comes to be conceptualized. An advantage of postphenomenology is that it is anchored in a first-person perspective, and in this sense, it may be a perfect fit to enhance our awareness about the impacts of the digitalization of health on older adults from their own point of view. I will also argue that postphenomenlogy can throw light on digital technologies in their actual use. This may help researchers go beyond merely exploring conditions of use and adoption implemented through notions such as usability, trust, privacy, dignity, and the like, and gain knowledge of how users’ relationship with their surroundings reconfigures after exposure to digital assistive technologies.
... This perspective has made phenomenology an invaluable tool for understanding the lived experiences of subjects in the context of healthcare (Carel, 2011;Zeiler & De Boer, 2020) and technology (Hoel & Carusi, 2015;Ihde, 1990;Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). ...
... Scholars in postphenomenology use the qualifier "post" to distance themselves from a phenomenology of technology that concerns itself with a general idea of Technology 39 and its essence (e.g., Ellul, 1964;Heidegger, 1977). Postphenomenologists aim to avoid such essentialism by combining their existential inquiries with hermeneutical empirical studies of particular technologies and practices and the relation between human and world they mediate (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015;Verbeek, 2005). ...
Health empowerment, the idea to enable people to assume more control over their health decisions, has been a buzzword in health care organisation and has recently received even more attention through the popularisation of mobile health (mHealth) apps. One form of mHealth are self-testing apps, which offer users to test themselves for medical conditions as severe as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Providing users with the possibility to take such a test independent of healthcare professionals has been advertised as empowering. Yet, it is not clear how the information supplied by self-testing apps empowers their users exactly. This problem alludes to the conceptual ambiguity around the term empowerment, which can raise false expectations. In this dissertation, I use a combination of theoretical analysis and qualitative methods to critically investigate self-testing apps in relation to current health empowerment narratives. For that, I use the example of CogniCheck, a self-testing app for changes in cognition indicative of mild neurocognitive disorder or dementia. Theory in philosophy of technology and feminist science and technology studies explains how CogniCheck mediates empowerment narratives, cultural images of dementia, and medical imperatives to test early. I investigate these mediations in their relation to empowerment from the starting point of a feminist conceptualisation of subjectivity and show how its key dimensions, i.e. relationality, embodiment, affect and intersectionality, structure the experience of the self-test and the kind of empowerment it affords. Building on these insights on subjectivity and technology, I suggest a feminist, phenomenological take on health empowerment in the context of self-testing apps.
... We based our study on a so-called mediating approach of technology [31,32]. Mediating approaches provide a suitable methodological background to study the contextual situatedness of information flows materialized in technologies. ...
... Consequently, postphenomenological studies depart from a common sense understanding of technology, providing a more complex framework to understand and describe what humans do with technology and what technological artifacts do to them. Understanding technologies as mediators means that artifacts no longer appear as means to an end but are viewed on the basis of their capacity to enter into the phenomenological relation between acting agents and their lifeworld [32,42]. However, the transmission that is occurring with this relay is not neutral but is to be understood as a transformation based on the functional capacity of a specific artifact. ...
... As an exploratory design research project, our design aims to reflect on the relationship between humans and technological artifacts. Instead of perceiving technology as functional tool, postphenomenology asserts that technology mediates and shapes the human experience of the world [25]. ...
In cross-cultural social interactions, understanding non-verbal cues is as crucial as language. Distancebit is a critical design that reflects on how personal computing devices influence these interactions and explores the evolution of Augmented Reality (AR) in enhancing cross-cultural social experiences. Using a speculative design approach, we envision a future where everyone uses AR glasses. Our design focuses on differing interpersonal space (IPS) preferences in contact and non-contact cultures, helping users recognize culturally appropriate IPS and signal discomfort to the outside world when violated. Prototype evaluations indicated that Distancebit increased participant engagement and reflection on cross-cultural interactions. We also discuss cultural diversity, embodiment in cross-cultural settings, biosignal visualization, and human-technology relations, envisioning an future AR wearable device being more seamlessly embedded into the socio-cultural fabric, by communicating user’s information to the outside environment, thereby enhancing understanding and social interaction.
... The increasing use of augmented or virtual reality technologies in everyday life and, for example, in citizen engagement activities in urban development processes-both emphasized recently by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on face-to-face encounters-require a closer examination of the possibilities of new visual approaches towards urban spaces and how we 'make sense' of them. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the utilization of audiovisual material in the research of urban space and discuss the possibilities of Lefebvre's andRégulier's terms, concepts andresearch-practice-related ISSN: 2378-1017 Philosophy of the City Journal 2 (2024) notions on rhythms and rhythmanalysis in the understanding of urban night space through a postphenomenological lens that focuses on the mediating role of technologies in the human experience (Rosenberger and Verbeek 2015). ...
This paper presents an attempt at a 'virtual rhythmanalysis of an urban night space. Rhythmanalysis, as presented by Henri Lefebvre and Catherine Régulier, is a critical practical-theoretical approach to examining the urban space and its modes of temporal production. Across the globe, 24-hour urban lifecycles are increasingly valued in the planning, development, and management of urban districts and spaces. But how does the night affect urban space, and how can we approach it methodically? Utilizing the emergent Lefebvrian rhythmanalysis framework, the paper examines how a public space is (re)produced night after night through spatial and temporal appropriations of the space through the shifting rhythmic constellations of embodied practices and materialities. The paper utilizes screens and online live-camera streams to examine the night space, shifting the rhythmanalysis' original phenomenological-hermeneutic basis towards postphenomenology and mediating visual technologies in the experience of space. The emergence of new audiovisual materials extends our understanding of what the city 'is' and how it can be experientially approached. From a postphenomenological perspective, human-technology relationships are transformed in different ways using audiovisual technologies. Together with addressing the possibilities and challenges of shifting the Lefebvrian `lenses' to a virtual setting, the rhythmanalysis of the urban night space reveals the interplay between strong and weak rhythms and their diurnal oscillation, and the polyrhythmicities of the intersecting flows, bodies, and materialities of the space.
... Postphenomenologists thus emphasize that technologies are no neutral intermediaries but actively shape how reality becomes present to human beings (e.g., Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). Whereas Heidegger speaks of Technology in terms of enframing as the singular way in which reality appears as resource (Bestand), postphenomenologists tend to translate this insight to specific technologies that each involve a particular way of revealing reality (e.g., Ihde, 1991, p. 52). ...
Our contemporary world is undeniably intertwined with technology, influencing every aspect of human life. This edited volume delves into why modern philosophical approaches to technology closely align with phenomenology and explores the implications of this relationship. Over the past two decades, scholars have emphasized users’ lived experiences and their interactions with technological practices, arguing that technologies gain meaning and shape within specific contexts, actively shaping those contexts in return. This book investigates the phenomenological roots of contemporary philosophy of technology, examining how phenomenology informs analyses of temporality, use, cognition, embodiment, and environmentality.
Divided into three sections, the volume begins by exploring the role of phenomenological methods in the philosophy of technology, and further investigates the methodological implications of combining phenomenology with other philosophical schools. The second section examines technology as a phenomenon, debating whether it should be analysed as a whole or through individual artifacts. The final section addresses the practical applications of phenomenological insights in design practices and democratic engagement.
By offering a systematic exploration of the connection between phenomenology and technology, this volume provides valuable insights for scholars, students, and researchers in related fields, highlighting the continued relevance of phenomenological perspectives in understanding our technologically mediated world.
... This entails that, concerning technology, the key question to delimitate regional ethics -and the corresponding logic for "choosing tech ethics" (Saetra & Danaher, 2022, p.19) -does not rely on the novelty or exclusiveness of the ethical issues of the particular technologies, i.e., on "what makes a particular technology distinct from something already covered by an existing ethics" (Saetra & Danaher, 2022, p.6). In turn, though, neither does it sustain the postphenomenological-inspired (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015) objection against such criterion advanced by their critics, who appeal to technological mediation as a reason for taking each type of technology as an object of particular ethical attention (Llorca Albareda & Rueda, 2023, p.4). Taking into account technological mediation does indeed demand an ethical approach that proceeds through a critical hermeneutics of the (mediated) activities, rather than just placing the focus on the artifact itself. ...
Contemporary ethics is currently ramifying into different sub-ethics specific to each type of technology. Although this trend has been very timely and rightly called into question by Sætra and Danaher, both these authors and their critics Llorca Albareda and Rueda leave the matter unsolved from a discipline point of view. In this commentary, we clarify the statute of the ethics of technology, which corresponds to that of a subsidiary applied ethics, and show how it is precisely that, what renders the creation of an ethics for each technology inappropriate. We thus provide a disciplinary reason to support Sætra and Danaher’s concern on tech ethics proliferation and to refute Llorca Albareda and Rueda’s relativization of it. In turn, we conclude by drawing some guidelines for tech ethics in practice.
... In recent years postphenomenological enquiry has been developed to guide descriptions and enquiries into the nature of the experience of technologies in particular (e.g. Ihde 1990, 2002, Verbeek 2015a, 2015b. Further work has focused on digital technologies with a posthuman lens, such as Adams and Thompson's (2016) Researching Posthuman Worlds, in which they developed a series of heuristics to be used to investigate the nature of experience of digital technologies, by an approach they characterise as 'interviewing objects'; the methodology I applied in Gourlay (2021) to investigate the effects of digital technology on textual practices, writing and meaning-making in higher education. ...
In recent years, developments in Artificial Intelligence have produced Large Language Models (LLMs) leading to a form of generative AIs (GAIs) trained on vast corpora of texts, capable of producing convincing predictive synthetic texts such as essays, reports, or other texts instantaneously. This development has profound implications for human entanglements with technologies in terms of how these AIs might constitute new forms of subjectivities, texts, and knowledge practices. This development has particular significance for higher education in terms of academic writing, assessment, and research. In terms of higher education, specific concerns have been raised about the implications for assessment, study practices, and the status of knowledge and learning in the context of these ‘writing machines’. Universities and government bodies have reacted in various ways, with some commentators calling for the sector to ‘embrace’ these generative AIs (GAIs) as merely the latest ‘tools’ available for study and research, while others seek to outlaw their use. The current academic research surrounding this phenomenon is underdeveloped with relatively few studies having been conducted, due to the rapid recent acceleration of the technology. It is also under-theorised; early research has reacted to the fast-changing landscape of GAIs by focusing on the technical and practical capacities. Meanwhile, supranational private providers such as OpenAI are influencing higher education internationally, with a complex range of effects which are as-yet unknown. This paper reviews the current state of the art in related bodies of research literature and proposes that the field could benefit from a wider variety of critical and theoretical perspectives. Drawing on the concept of the sociotechnical imaginary from science and technology studies, it considers how discourses and practices surrounding GAIs are evolving in society and education. It then considers the effects of authorship and the writing subject, with reference to the concept of more-than-human authorship. It then draws on recent work in the philosophy of technology, proposing Husserl’s outer and inner ‘horizons’ as a potential framework with which to consider the complex entanglements of human and nonhuman agency, as enrolled in more-than-human authorship and entangled with the presence of GAIs in the ‘lifeworld’ of contemporary higher education. It concludes by proposing future directions for work in this area, in order to gain better theoretical purchase on the phenomenon at the various levels set out above.
... The discussion of Body is a recurring point within larger discussions of technology [51,59,123,149], and is a frequent point of focus within movement computing research. Our cursory examination into publications within the MOCO community, revealed few texts that actively engaged with applications of AI technology for generating or synthesising voice or speech, and which addressed the role of Body. ...
... They allow people to interact with urban environments, 'twinning' physical spaces into digital data. Acknowledging that technologies shape human-world relationships (Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015), it is crucial to recognize that the impacts of technology are not uniform. While discussions on smart cities often revolve around the loss of individual privacy, we emphasize the importance of considering other values like civic inclusion, empowerment and democratic decision-making. ...
... The aim of this research product was to invite our co-creators to uncover the aesthetic potential of drones through open exploration. Evidently, the essence of designed artefacts is that there will always be sedimented movements and ways of interacting with it embedded in the design [91,121], so care was taken to balance scoping the interaction within the limits for the technology (e.g., how the drones could move), pre-defning some aspects of the interaction (e.g., one would control the drone using their hands), and maintaining ambiguity in the interaction (e.g., for what purpose they could use this system) [38]. To aid the reader in understanding the empirical grounding of mechanical sympathy, we describe how one interacts with the research product separately in Section 4.1, and in Section 4.2, we detail the context in which the system was deployed as well as the analysis we used to articulate these qualities. ...
We present mechanical sympathy as a generative design concept for cultivating somaesthetic relationships with machines and machine-like systems. We identify the qualities of mechanical sympathy using the design case of How to Train your Drone (HTTYD), a unique human-drone research product designed to explore the process by which people discover and co-create the somaesthetic potential of drones. We articulate the qualities-(i) machine-agency, (ii) oscillations , and (iii) aesthetic pursuits-by using descriptive and refective accounts of our design strategies and of our co-creators engaging with the system. We also discuss how each quality can extend soma design research; conceptualizing of appreciative, temporal, and idiosyncratic relationships with machines that can complement technical learning and enrich human-machine interaction. Finally, we ground our concept in a similar selection of works from across the HCI community.
... When one uses eyeglasses, vision is mediated through the eyeglasses. These relations are transparent; since the devices are in the background of one's experience, one does not consider the nature of using eyeglasses or hearing aids, but they become part of one's body (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015). Ihde (2009) points out that embodied relations "become part of our ordinary experience" (Ihde, 2009, p. 42). ...
The vision of integrating artificial intelligence in education is part of an ongoing push for harnessing digital solutions to improve teaching and learning. Drawing from Jasanoff and Hasse, this paper deliberates on how sociotechnical imaginaries are interrelated to the implications of new technologies, such as AI, in education. Complicating Hasses’s call for the development of Socratic ignorance to consider our predispositions about new technologies and open new prospects of thought, this paper revisits postphenomenology and Feenberg’s critical constructivist theories. While embracing the notion of Socratic ignorance, this paper stresses the importance of developing a nuanced understanding of technology that realizes its lack of neutrality and supports the creation of a deeper understanding of how knowledge is produced, deployed, and interpreted in the digital age. Thus, this paper argues that an amalgam of Hasse’s call for advancing Socratic ignorance combined with postphenomenology and critical constructivism can support students in developing a critical understanding of technology and opening new landscapes of imaginaries.
... One implication of the latter point is that the mediation of every technology should be studied in its specificity. The next implication is an emphasis placed on the empirical approach to make sense of technology in a real-life setting (Rosenberger & Verbeek, 2015;Verbeek, 2005). ...
The social model of disability is predicated upon the dichotomy of disability and impairment, which proves vulnerable to objections. Phenomenological approaches to disability in particular found this sharp distinction contrived, and accordingly implausible. Moreover, the social model ignores lived body of individuals and the inside-out perspective on disability. A phenomenological approach thus places the emphasis on the embodied nature of being-in-the-world. Yet, when it comes to the role of technology in disabled people’s life, and in particular assistive technologies, it does not do justice to the role they play, and as a result, technology is treated predominantly as instrumental. In this article, I suggest taking a more systematic approach to technology in disability studies and bringing its role into an interrogation. To that purpose, I will draw from the postphenomenology movement to show how technology may actively mediate individuals’ life and, perhaps more importantly, how disability is technologically mediated.
... Instead of strict methodologies, postphenomenology applies a variety of methods from various disciplines [42]. To gain a nuanced understanding of museum technologies and provide multiple perspectives on the actual VE at Chopin"s Museum, a method of "interviewing objects" introduced by Adams and Thompson [43] has been used in this study. ...
Nowadays, technology plays an important role in supporting museum visit and enhancing overall museum visit experiences. An increasing number of studies have evaluated the potential of digitally mediated cultural heritage experiences. However, there is still a lack of a deeper understanding of how mediation devices influence the museum visit experiences and visitors" behaviours. The article focuses on the mediating role of digital screens in the museum space. This study examines visitors" activity and experience through their encounters with touchscreens at the Frederic Chopin"s Museum in Warsaw, Poland. This article presents and makes use of a recent approach in the philosophy of technology, initiated by the American philosopher Don Ihde, called postphenomenology as well as the theory of affordances. By conducting observations and interviews with museum visitors, the study shows that touchscreens, and digital technologies themselves, are not only functional but also shape the visitor"s perception and expectations. This study shows that touchscreens are an embodiment technique and play a role of the touch-substitute for museum visitors.
... Our approach is inspired by the counterfactual artefacts of Wakkary et al. [9]. Grounded in postphenomenological theories of human-technology relations [2,6], Wakkary et al. dene the counterfactual artefact as "a fully realized functioning product or system that intentionally contradicts what would normally be considered logical to create given the norms of design and design products" which thereby "empirically investigate[s] multiple alternative existences (or what-ifs) as lived-with realities. " ...
We present the Magpick, a sensor-augmented plectrum for electric guitar, as a case study in designing research products which deliberately seek a creative tension between conceptual understanding and embodied practice. Building on the notion of "counterfactual artefacts", we seek to explore how the counterfactual might extend to embodied practice. Specifically, we seek to create an object which confounds established sensorimotor skills, even as it retains a familiar visual, tactile and cultural identity. The paper discusses the design process of the Magpick, its use by guitarists, and the emergence of different forms of human-technology relations which appear to depend on the specific sonic behaviour of the Magpick. We conclude with questions for workshop discussion about who we should work with and how when designing objects which have an unexpected or uncanny relationship between identity and use.
... Postphenomenology is a branch of philosophy of technology that analyzes the relations between humans, technologies, and the world. The theory, as developed by Ihde, is a combination of phenomenology and pragmatism (Ihde 2009;Rosenberger and Verbeek 2015) that situates technology as a mediator between the experiencing 'I' and the world. If phenomenology describes and elucidates how we experience the world, post-phenomenology deepens to this an investigation with additional element of 'technology.' ...
The paper proposes a framework for thinking about digital technologies, including AI, in education. The framework combines Don Ihde's postphenomenology and Seymour Papert's constructionism. The former is rooted in the philosophy of technology, the latter-in education and technology. The intersections between the two theories have been mentioned but not explored. There are biographical affinities between the two thinkers, and their groundbreaking works were published in adjacent years-Ihde's Technics and Praxis in 1979 and Papert's Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas in 1980. The intersection between the two theories is examined through a review of constructionism through the prism of the Ihde's four postphenomenological relations showing how each relation matches a major constructionist thread: for embodiment relations, personalization fits; for hermeneutic relations-computational thinking; for alterity relations-microworld; and for background relations-democratization. The paper shows how the two theories contribute to each other and enrich the analysis. ARTICLE HISTORY
... The methodology employed in this research is Political Discourse Theory (PDT) (Glynos and Howarth 2007), an approach to discourse analysis aimed at ontologically problematising, interpreting, and investigating a phenomenonin this case, individual's work exploitation in AI training. In alignment with Relational Ontology (Rosenberger and Verbeek 2015), and Actor-Network Theory (Latour 2007), PDT explores the essential relations between different actors that play a role in how the phenomenon unfolds (Bahmanteymouri 2021). PDT ontological investigation involves a critique of the existing political, economic, and social relations that create the conditions for a phenomenon to take place and offers a tool to reveal overlooked or hidden relations within a context. ...
Many modern digital products use Machine Learning (ML) to emulate human abilities, knowledge, and intellect. In order to achieve this goal, ML systems need the greatest possible quantity of training data to allow the Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to develop an understanding of “what it means to be human”. We propose that the processes by which companies collect this data are problematic, because they entail extractive practices that resemble labour exploitation. The article presents four case studies in which unwitting individuals contribute their humanness to develop AI training sets. By employing a post-Marxian framework, we then analyse the characteristic of these individuals and describe the elements of the capture-machine. Then, by describing and characterising the types of applications that are problematic, we set a foundation for defining and justifying interventions to address this form of labour exploitation.
... Entanglement theories specific to HCI are discussed by Frauenberger (2019). The authors suggest that humans are inseparable from the technologies we engage with; a relation that is described by a philosophical concept knows as relational ontology (Rosenberger and Verbeek, 2015). A specific area of embodiment theory related to sensor-motor skill is discussed by Guidi and McPherson (2022) in their investigation of skilled musicians using an unfamiliar interface (an augmented guitar pick). ...
This article explores the concept of intimacy in the relationship between a musician and their instrument, specifically in the context of designing digital and accessible musical interfaces (DMI/AMI) with disabled musicians. We argue that current DMI/AMI design frameworks are lacking in their consideration of this relationship and that this deficiency can prevent designers from understanding the specific needs and desires of disabled musicians. The paper presents an autoethnographic study of the lived experience of the first author, a disabled musician, to provide insight into the evolution of his musician-instrument relationships and his definition of “success” in this context. The authors propose that incorporating these types of lived experiences into the AMI design process, and considering cultural probes or provocations related to phenomenological experiences and characteristics that contribute to a successful musician-instrument relationship, could lead to more effective and tailored DMI/AMI designs with disabled musicians.
This article aims to outline an approach to transhumanism from postphenomenology, astrobiology and astropolitics. Delving into the first area allows us to highlight the importance of this technological and philosophical movement to understand how the union between technical artifacts and subjects can create the ideal conditions for posthuman ontogenesis, that is, an overcoming of the human species through technology. The consequences of this possibility cover multiple areas, of which astropolitics and astrobiology have been scarcely studied in Spanish. Incorporating these two areas offers a speculative panorama that is not minor to visualize what would be the political, economic and existential disputes of a future posthuman civilization in hypothetical space settlements. These disputes, together with the project of colonization of the cosmos, have as their background the collapse of the Earth, which raises a series of questions as to whether it is possible to stop elsewhere the same dynamics that have caused the destruction of this planet. This inevitably implies highlighting the tensions and the struggle for technological imaginaries. To analyze all these elements, the article is organized in three parts. The first is a theoretical introduction to postphenomenology. From this, the second section delves into transhumanism, especially the figure of the cyborg, and finally, the third section analyzes the astropolitical and astrobiological implications of this posthuman entity.
This article studies the problem of otherness in human-robot interactions, especially in the figure of the android. Thinking of this entity as a “you” with its particularities brings with it a series of phenomenological and ethical problems that are strongly linked to the question about the place of human beings in the framework of future technological development. The appearance of this otherness can modify the current conceptions of society, life, feelings, among other characteristics. In this sense, the main premise of this article is to offer a study that provides answers, from a philosophical point of view, to the tensions that may emerge between this new social agent and the subjects.
The primary aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, to argue that we can enter into relation of trust with robots and AI systems (automata); and secondly, to provide a comprehensive description of the underlying mechanisms responsible for this relation of trust. To achieve these objectives, the paper first undertakes a critical examination of the main arguments opposing the concept of a trust-based relation with automata. Showing that these arguments face significant challenges that render them untenable, it thereby prepares the ground for the subsequent positive analysis, proposing a framework in which these challenges can be addressed . According to this framework trust does not originate from mere reliability, but rather from an empathic relation with automata. This initial empathic relation elevates the automata to the status of what I will term "Otheroids." The paper then explores how this human-Otheroid relationship inherently possesses the seeds for the development of trust. Finally, it examines how these seeds can grow into a basic form of trust with Otheroids through the establishment of a rich history of interaction.
Navigating through the Faculty of Education as a teacher educator in Canada is complex and complicated. Research literature calls for an intentional focus on media and digital literacies, and technological competencies, in teacher education. Program directions are confounded by technological trends emerging in kindergarten to grade twelve education and higher education. This post-intentional phenomenological research study examined moments, materials, and insights from the stories shared by participants as they revealed media and digital skills, fluencies, competencies, and literacies in their open educational practice. This research provides insights into how teacher educators seize opportunities to work through complex matters while applying technology resources. It is becoming ever more important to share expertise as practitioners, researchers, and theorists in the field of education by making explicit what is often tacit and unspoken, and when sharing knowledge, reflections, and actions. By actively thinking-out-loud through blogs, social media, and open scholarly publications, educators can openly share details of what, how, and why they do what they do. Research findings reveal the importance of media and digital literacies in the dimensions of communication, creativity, connections, and criticality within an open educational practice as a teacher educator.
In contemporary western societies, wearable technologies and systems for self-tracking are becoming increasingly popular and represent a rapidly growing and interdisciplinary field of research and practice. While much research is dedicated to improving these devices to better serve individuals' goals from a utilitarian perspective, there is also a growing body of knowledge investigating their impact on people's self-perception and self-image, beyond efficiency and usability. This paper proposes to further the current understanding of how data representation designs from wearable technologies shape individuals' experiences and behaviors by combining design research with postphenomeno-logical inquiry. To achieve this, I use the method of variational cross-examination to compare data representations from a traditional commercial wearable tracker with a speculative research-through-design biosensing smart shirt. The paper offers two main contributions. Firstly, it brings wearable self-tracking devices as a productive field of inquiry closer to fashion-related studies. It shows how design research plays a crucial role in the ongoing debate on the impact of wearables on individuals and societal levels. Secondly, it proposes an approach to bridge theory and practice, revealing the mutually beneficial and dialogic relationship between postphenomenology and design. Specifically, it expands the postphenomenological concept of multistability from a tool to analyze interactive fashion design artefacts to a productive and generative design resource to develop intentionally ambiguous and open-ended designs.
Dass sich schulischer Unterricht digitaler Medien annehmen muss, steht – zumindest aus bildungspolitischer Sicht – außer Frage. Was sich jedoch konkret hinter der Aufforderung nach einer Digitalisierung des Bildungswesens verbirgt, liegt weniger auf der Hand. Mögliche Ausarbeitungen einer zu erwerbenden digitalen Kompetenz umfassen bislang den kompetenten Umgang mit der konkreten digitalen Technik ebenso wie die Befähigung zur Reflexion dessen, wie sich die lebensweltliche Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft unter den Bedingungen der Digitalität entwickelt. Unter Rückbezug auf das Konzept der Postdigitalität, das die Normalität einer Verstrickung von analogen und digitalen Praktiken unterstreicht, zeigt sich, dass die Forderung nach einer Berücksichtigung *der* Digitalität zum Großteil keine lebensweltliche Entsprechung hat. Theoretische Zugänge, die dem Postdigitalen Rechnung tragen, sind z.B. posthumanistische und phänomenologische Theorien, in denen Lernende in situationaler Verschränkung mit Technik als einer Ko-Konstrukteurin der Lernerfahrung adressiert werden. In kritischer Auseinandersetzung mit den genannten Theorien argumentiert der Aufsatz für die besondere Eignung postphänomenologischer Ansätze zur Analyse von postdigitalen Lernerfahrungen. Die postphänomenologische Analyse der multistabilen Struktur von Mensch-Technik Relationen eröffnet den Blick auf digitale Medien, die sowohl Gegenstand des Lernprozesses als auch methodisches Mittel bildungsbezogener Reflexion sind.
Key Words: post-phenomenology, phenomenology, pragmatism method, research In this paper, the philosophy of post-phenomenology has been discussed. Post-phenomenology is a new approach in the philosophy of technology, which especially emphasizes the role of technology in changing human experiences and perceptions. First, the relationship between post-phenomenology and phenomenology and then the relationship between post-phenomenology and pragmatism is mentioned. It has been stated that post-phenomenology is a philosophy combined with pragmatism and classical phenomenology. Post-phenomenology, while retaining some features of classical phenomenology and setting aside some other features, including the emphasis on opposition to essentialism, has led to the philosophy being called a kind of pragmatic phenomenology. In the following, Post-phenomenological research methods are discussed, in this regard, methods are introduced and discussed, which include methods such as interviewing participants, observing participants, reporting first-person experiences, interviewing objects, and Robert Rosenberger's proposed method. All of these methods ultimately examine the relationship between humans and technologies and the changes that result from these relationships in different ways.
Abstract The experience of ‘being in’ the virtual world facilitates the creation of new ‘personae’ or just enables the innermost uninhibited ‘presence’ of an individual. Once inside this cultural environment, a social scientist has to engage in a phenomenological endeavour over the individual and social impact of the Internet, before tackling the actual fieldwork. Becoming a part of virtual reality offers the opportunity of reconsidering one’s own identity and, furthermore, of exploring the various identities of other individuals who are more or less familiar to us in the
real world. This challenging epistemological environment raises a self-implied questioning of the validity of data gathered here. Each virtual community is a creator and a promoter of its own cyber-culture, more or less linked to existing traits in the real world. An additional instrument seems useful, if not necessary, to grasp the ethnographic quality of fieldwork in the virtual world better: an ‘a priori’ intellectual lens capable of helping the researcher in social sciences to anticipate
and manage the possible diversions that the virtual environment could inflict on the collection and, ultimately, on the validity of data. This instrument, both ‘etic’ and ‘emic’, should comprise a body of inquiries that lead to a self-questioning about the congruence of means and intentions of the researcher, while recording and sharing various experiences in the cyberspace of today and the metaverse of tomorrow. This approach should also consider an appraisal of the extent to which the evolutionary trends of cyberspace and metaverse – designed by private multinational agents – might preserve the cultural complexity of the human being apart from its status as mere ‘user’ of digital platforms.
Der vorliegende Aufsatz stellt eine Spurensuche nach dem digitalen Körper des Menschen dar. Nicht-computerbasierte und computerbasierte Körper werden nicht als Gegensätze behandelt, sondern in ihrer wechselseitigen Überlappung thematisiert. In der Gegenüberstellung von digitalem Selbst-Körper und digitalem Körper-Anderen werden aus phänomenologischer Perspektive unterschiedliche Arten der Bezugnahme auf den eigenen Körper und Verkörperungen des fremden Anspruchs in computergestützten Umgebungen aufgezeigt, die das Bild eines digitalen Körpers skizzieren, der sich beständig rekonfiguriert und sich auf einem Kontinuum jenseits eines rein Virtuellen oder rein Physischen realisiert.
Das vorliegende Buch fasst die Resultate des Projekts „Smart City Ethical Toolbox“ zusammen, welches als Teilprojekt von „Smart City Research Lab“ an der Universität Bamberg zwischen 2019 und 2022 durchgeführt wurde. Unsere Handreichung zielt darauf ab, die Digitalisierung der Stadt Bamberg derart zu begleiten und zu optimieren, dass die mit ihr verbundenen Chancen und Risiken aus ethischer Hinsicht präzise thematisiert werden können. Damit die Smart City sich fair entfalten kann, gilt es im Zuge der Digitalisierungsmaßnahmen insbesondre eine enge Kooperation zwischen Wissenschaft und Öffentlichkeit anzustreben. Als theoretische Basis haben wir den Begriff der Menschenwürde als unhintergehbaren Grundwert gesetzt, aus dem wir dann weitere Werte abgeleitet haben. In Teil I wird dieser ethische Ansatz theoretisch eingehend beleuchtet und in grober Skizze dargestellt. Teil II widmet sich Detailanalysen, die Werte wie Autonomie und Gerechtigkeit, sowie den Bereich der Natur (Nachhaltigkeit) näher untersuchen. Hier wird auch eine konkrete Fallanalyse vorgestellt, die den in Smart Cities verbreiteten Ein-satz von E-Scootern anhand unserer „Ethical Toolbox“ auswertet. Im letzten Teil machen wir zuerst auf unterschiedliche kulturelle Kontexte aufmerksam, in denen die Digitalisierung vonstattengeht. Als Ausblick halten wir fest, dass ethische Reflexionen künftig sowohl durch digitale Apps als auch in zwischenmenschlichen Dialogen mehr angeregt und vorangetrieben werden sollen. Denn nur so lässt sich die Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion auf Basis zwischenmenschlichen Vertrauens gestalten.
The architectural drawing is essential to processes of the production of the built environment. In this article the architectural drawing is examined through an Actor-network theoretical lens and reimagined as a technological mediator. Drawings seen as technological mediators are actors, that effect the force they transmit, and that can be described by treating their effects as technological. These effects are defined as four specific types of mediation and their relevance for understanding the nature of architectural drawings is explained and illustrated. The potentials for change in the processes of the production of the built environment are described as a conclusion.
Purpose
Using real-time support systems may help operators in road construction to improve paving and compaction operations. Nowadays, these systems transform from descriptive to prescriptive systems. Prescriptive or operator guidance systems propose operators actionable compaction strategies and guidance, based on the data collected. It is investigated how these systems mediate the perceptions and actions of operators in road pavement practice.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study is conducted on the specific application of an operator guidance system in a road pavement project. In this case study, comprehensive information is presented regarding the process of converting input in the form of data from cameras and sensors into useful output. The ways in which the operator guidance systems translate data into actionable guidance for operators are analyzed from the technological mediation perspective.
Findings
Operator guidance systems mediate actions of operators physically, cognitively and contextually. These different types of action mediation are related to preconditions for successful implementation and use of these systems. Coercive interventions only succeed if there is widespread agreement among the operators. Persuasive interventions are most effective when collective and individual interests align. Contextual influence relates to designs of the operator guidance systems that determine human-technology interactions when using them.
Originality/value
This is the first study that analyzes the functioning of an operator guidance system using the technological mediation approach. It adds a new perspective on the interaction between this system and its users in road pavement practice.
The incorporation of digital technologies in higher education has become a research topic actualized by the Covid-19 pandemic, including the re-thinking of theories and ontological assumptions supporting the role of these technologies in blended learning. Using nursing education in urban Sweden as an example, I present a reflexive and postphenomenological analysis of critical incidents during the use of an online assessment software for high stakes exams during the Covid-19 outbreak. Based on the analysis, I argue that the rapid digitalization prompted by the Covid-19 outbreak illuminates the importance of articulating digital technologies in higher education as human-technology relations in light of the philosophy of technology, notably postphenomenology. I conclude that postphenomenology can be helpful to clarify the non-neutrality and multistability of digital technologies and to articulate nuances of the human-technology relation, in blended learning.
Water's pleasant nature and associated health benefits have captivated the interest of HCI researchers. Prior WaterHCI work mainly focused on advancing instrumental applications, such as improving swimming performance, and less on designing systems that support interacting with technology in water in more playful contexts. In this regard, we propose floatation tanks as research vehicles to investigate the design of playful interactive water experiences. Employing somaesthetic design, we developed a playful extended reality floatation tank experience: "Fluito". We conducted a 13-participant study to understand how specific design features amplified participants' water experiences. We used a postphenomenological lens to articulate eight strategies useful for designers aiming to develop digital playful experiences in water, such as designing to call attention to the water and designing to encourage breathing and body awareness in water experiences. Ultimately, we hope that our work supports people to be playful and benefit from the many advantages of being in water.
The research examines global fashion, with a special focus on cultural appropriation and inspiration in the contemporary fashion industry. The issue of cultural appropriation is quite new in the scenario of cultural studies. In its early stage, the project will consider new perspectives on the analysis of fashion production with a multidisciplinary approach. By collecting and studying material from international frameworks, the research aims to understand how the concept of appropriation develops. By outlining an approach for a conscious production process, even cooperating with other international realities, the present work might be of help in decentralizing the market.
The Covid19 pandemic forced most companies to impose teleworking from home. Although individuals have access to many platforms in order to collaborate and to communicate with others, telework during the pandemic brought to light many challenges. Among these, personal appearance, and the setting in which videoconferences are conducted emerged as critical elements when working from home. Very few studies have researched the role of fashion in video-meetings. To address this gap, a survey has been executed, providing relevant insights into workers’ videoconferencing practices. Findings show that individuals’ appearance when doing online meetings with the camera on is very different from when they are in a professional setting. Furthermore, the desirability and prediction of use of digital elements/filters such as clothing, make-up, accessories, hair/beard, and home décor for professional settings are high. The implications of this study are twofold. Firstly, it provides novel insights on the role of digital fashion in the context of teleworking. Then, avenues for future research on digital fashion for videoconferencing in a post-pandemic setting are presented.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have witnessed unprecedented dynamism over the recent years with only few luxury brands experimenting with the technology albeit the very personal characteristics of NFT ownership. Little is known about how luxury brands use NFTs to develop their brand image and what opportunities luxury brands anticipate from NFTs as a new technology, digital product category or customer relationship channel. The present research note offers an applied research design to tackle these questions and systematically understand the potential of NFTs for personal luxury brands at large.
The case of the Louis Vuitton ‘ maison de famille ’ in Asnières-sur-Seine allows investigation of communications strategies implemented by Corporate Fashion Museums. It is argued these museum types are used by luxury fashion brands as marketing tools to retain their customers. The data relied upon are primarily qualitative: interviews and exploratory observations were specifically conducted between January 2020 and November 2022. It is suggested that the process of commodification of the family patrimonium as well as the enhancement of for-sale products within the museum is made possible through the wise use of various techniques mainly related to the artification and the heritagization processes. The combination of those techniques – linking fashion brands with the art and museum world(s) – enables fashion firms to produce a coherent corporate narrative while pursuing seemingly oppositional goals.
The French luxury brand, Balenciaga, recently faced its most important communication crisis. On November 16th 2022, the brand released its holiday gifting campaign featuring children surrounded by sadomasochism-inspired teddy bears/handbags and received immediate backlash from the public, who accused the brand of sexualizing children and promoting pedophilia. The outrage went viral on social media - mainly on Tiktok - with the hashtags #burnbalenciaga and #cancelbalenciaga, which have accumulated more than 300 million views. Balenciaga suffered an incalculable damage on its reputation, having two flagship stores vandalized and a viral online boycott. This investigation follows the case study methodology, by analyzing the timeline of events, the brand’s statements and response, the viral effect of the boycott on social media and the ultimate affectations that the brand underwent due to the crisis. The conclusions reveal that on one hand there are some social anethical boundaries that not even well-positioned and beloved brands can afford to cross, and that slow, unclear and unaccountable answers compose a terrible strategy of crisis management, and on the other hand, the power of consumers on social media has gained enough strength to damage brands like Balenciaga.
This research project aims to investigate the symbolic and cultural meanings behind an underwear targeted to women in order to analyze the glamorous elements of a garment which is often presented in scenarios that allude to sexuality and transgression. The focus is on the underwear production of the last ten years, as the fashion world has lately been hit by discussions around the need to make fashion accessible for non-normative bodies. Now that fashion is called to play a role in terms of inclusivity on the symbolic as well as on the material level, the question behind this research is: what kind of relationship can be found between an inclusive underwear and glamour? The first part of this research will provide a complex definition of glamour, an ambiguous phenomenon that can either be conservative or subversive. The study will then proceed with an analysis on the relationship between glamour and underwear in the case of the two mainstream lingerie brands Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein. Finally, such relationship will be then investigated in the realm of a newborn inclusive lingerie brand named Chitè through an in situ ethnographic investigation.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.