Savage Objects

savage-objects.
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edited by
uouoiiiuo iiiiiit
SAvAuL uB)LC1S
Mariin Bolbraad
uralam Barman
)oao Maria uusmao
Bjrnar ulscn
Lyal wcizman
Rcza icgarcsiani
Susan Scluppli
)onailan Saldanla
Rcgina dc Migucl
Miclacl 1aussig
Marccllo Maggi
Aycsla Bamccd
iaulo 1avarcs
uodorcdo icrcira
prcacc
i.
1hings as Concepts:
AnthropoIogy and PragmatoIogy
Mariin Bolbraad
un the Supposed Societies of ChemicaIs,
Atoms, and Stars in uabrieI 1arde
uralam Barman
SoIiIoquy, A uwarf in the Stratosphere
)oao Maria uusmao
1he Return of 1hings and the Savagery
of the ArchaeoIogicaI ubject
Bjrnar ulscn
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1
1
CuN1LN1
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ii.
In Lcess of CaIcuIation
A convcrsaiion wiil Lyal wcizman
A vertiginous LnIightenment
()wS1 and teIescopic view of the objecti
Rcza icgarcsiani
Impure Matter:
A Iorensics of w1C uust
Susan Scluppli
vibrationaI Mediations
)onailan Saldanla
An Lect of verosimiIitude
Rcgina dc Migucl
8
1u1
110
111
1
CuN1LN1
iii.
BodiIy unconscious
A convcrsaiion wiil Miclacl 1aussig
1he 1ower and Its uhost
A CosmopoIiticaI Narrative from Botswana
Marccllo Maggi
1he Petrication of the Image
Aycsla Bamccd
un the Larth-ubject
iaulo 1avarcs
underground
venezueIas 1erritoriaI Ietishism
uodorcdo icrcira
imagc crcdiis
biograplics
aclnowlcdgmcnis
160
183
100
21
233
21
2
261
11
PRLIACL
wlai is io bc gaincd by arguing ilai objccis spcal? wlai do rcccni
iurns io ilc non-luman and io ilings lavc in common? And wlai
conicis arc cmcrging wiilin ilc apparcnily conscnsual rcmoval
o ilc luman rom ilc ccnirc o ilc problcm o lnowlcdgc?
Rcccni ycars lavc sccn an cplosion o inicrcsi in objccis,
ilings, and ilc non-luman a gradual dcpariurc rom ilc domi-
naiion o ici, languagc, and discoursc in prcvious dccadcs,or,
as is oicn said,a movcaway rom ilc luman as ilc ccniral poini
o rccrcncc or ilinling ilc world. 1lc claim ilai ilcrc is a
conscnsual iurn iscompoundcd by ilc cmcrgcncc o numcrous
publicaiions on non-luman aciors in clds as divcrsc as arclac-
ology, scicncc siudics, anilropology, plilosoply, lisiory, ari,
and arcliicciurc;worls in wlicl ilc dividc bciwccn naiurc and
culiurc or bciwccn lumans and non-lumans is caccd, wlcrc
complc asscmblagcs o pcoplc and ilings clallcngc ilougli
proccdurcs, and wlcrc ilc ground upon wlicl modcrniiy iiscl
was oundcd bccomcs ilc objcci o conicniion. Bowcvcr, i wc
lool closcly ai ilc dicrcni ways in wlicl ilcsc iopics arc bcing
discusscd, ilc imagc o a uniorm turn immcdiaicly disappcars;
wc nd ilai rcccni aiicmpis io cmancipaic objccis arc coniingcni
upon and dicrcniiaicd by ilc praciiccs in wlicl ilcy cmcrgc.
wiil ilis in mind, ilc prcscni bool irics or ilc rsi iimc io
bring iogcilcr scvcral dicrcni orums in wlicl objccis arc
bcing discusscd ancw, suggcsiing ilai ilc conicis arising rom
12
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oriuiious cncounicrs bciwccn rcscarclcrs migli bc morc pro-
duciivc ilan a conscnsual iurn io posi-lumanism.
1lc bool ialcs as iis poini o dcpariurc iwo wcll-worn
noiions, objccis and savagcs, spccically in rccrcncc io a Sav-
age Thought ilai wc provocaiivcly iwisi upon iiscl, bringing io
ligli noi ilc ilougli pcr sc bui iis object and ilc rcsisiancc ilis
objcci lolds io ilougli. wc inviicd coniribuiions rom vcry di-
crcni clds io rcspond io ilis provocaiion rom plilosoplcrs,
arclacologisis and anilropologisis, io aciivisis, arcliiccis and
ariisis io ocus noi only on objccis ilcmsclvcs bui also on ilc
praciiccs wiilin wlicl ilcy arc consiiiuicd and ilc icrriiorics
ilcy rccr io. By raming ilcsc discussions wiilin objcci-rcscarcl
as wcll as acadcmic discoursc in clds ranging rom iciual
produciion, lcgal orums, imagc migraiion, siaic pcrormancc,
and acousiic cploraiion spcculaiion aboui objccis and ilings
also bccomcs a discussion aboui coniciing ccologics o ilougli,
ilus providing insigli inio oicn ovcrloolcd pragmaiic and poliii-
cal dimcnsions. uliimaicly, our lopc is ilai, by bringing sucl
divcrsc praciiccs iogcilcr, ncw lincs o ilougli can bc suggcsicd
and spaccs or ncw allianccs bc orgcd.
uodorcdo icrcira
I
wiilin anilropology, mucl las bccn wriiicn aboui ilc possi-
biliiy o a posilumanisi criiical social scicncc ilai is ablc io
cmancipaic ilings (objccis, aricacis, maicrialiiy, cic.i rom ilc
cnsnaring cpisicmological and oniological bonds o lumanism,
logiccnirism and oilcr modcrnisi imaginarics.
1lc aim o ilis

cssay is io ialc ilis projcci urilcr by cploring ilc possibiliiics
or an anilropological analyiics ilai is ablc io allow ilings by
wlicl I mcan somciling alin io ilings ilcmsclvcs, ilougl
only in ilc sirici lcurisiic scnsc ilai I slall spcciy prcscnily
io gcncraic ilcir own icrms o analyiical cngagcmcni. Migli
ilc cicd posilumanisi cmancipaiion o ilc iling bc slown io
consisi in iis pcculiar capaciiy io unsciilc wlaicvcr oniological
assumpiions wc, as analysis, migli malc aboui ii (including,
pcrlaps, ilc oniological prcmiscs o a posilumanisi iurn iiscli?
Migli ilings dccidc or ilcmsclvcs what they are, and in so
doing cmancipaic ilcmsclvcs rom us wlo would prcsumc io icll
L.g. Marilyn Sirailcrn, 'Aricacis o lisiory: cvcnis and ilc inicrprciaiion o

imagcs', in Culture and History in the Pacic, cd. ). Siilala (Bclsinli: 1ransaciions
o ilc iinisl Anilropological Sociciy, 99ui, 244; Alrcd ucll, Art and Agency:
An Anthropological Theory (uord: Clarcndon ircss, 998i; Bruno iaiour, Reas-
sembling the Social (uord: uord univcrsiiy ircss, 2uui; Danicl Millcr, 'Maic-
rialiiy: an iniroduciion', in Materiality, cd. D. Millcr (Durlam u iondon: Dulc
univcrsiiy ircss, 2uui, u.
1hings as Concepts:
AnthropoIogy and PragmatoIogy
Mti1i Boiiittu
11
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ilcm? Migli ilcy, i you lilc, bccomc ilcir own ilingilcorisis,
aciing as ilc originaiors (railcr ilan ilc objccisi o our analyii-
cal conccpiualisaiions?
2
Sucl qucsiions, I ialc ii, would consummaic ilc promisc
o a propcrly savagc ilougli: objccis aciing noi mcrcly as con-
duiis or ilc ilinling o ilc pcoplc anilropologisi siudy (ilosc
ilcy uscd io call savagcsi, bui railcr as a conduii or anilropo-
logical ilinling iiscl. ubjccis, ilcn, bccomc ilc basis noi only
or savagcs scicncc o ilc concrcic, as icviSirauss limscl
would lavc ii,
3
bui also or ilouglis ilai arc savagc cnougl io
unsciilc ilc conccpiual cconomy o analysis iiscl, including
anilropological analysis (wlicl I slall ialc lcrc as my poini
o dcpariurci. ici mc illusiraic wlai sucl a savagc concrciion
o anilropology migli lool lilc wiil rccrcncc io ach onc o
ilc mosi basic noiions involvcd in ilc prcsiigious AroCuban
iradiiion o divinaiion o Ia, wlicl I lavc bccn siudying cilno-
graplically in Cuba sincc 998.
1he power of powder
Mucl lilc ilc noiorious noiion o mana in uccania, ach is a
icrm ilai babalawos, wlicl is wlai mcn wlo arc iniiiaicd inio
ilc culi o Ia arc callcd, usc in a widc variciy o conicis. Mosi
salicniy, ilcy usc ii io rccr boil in ilc absiraci io ilcir powcr
(poder) or capaciiy (facultad) io divinc, or wlicl ilcy arc mosi
rcnown (io divinc you musi lavc ach , as ilcy sayi; and, mucl
2
C. Lduardo vivciros dc Casiro, And (Manclcsicr: Manclcsicr iapcrs in Social
Anilropology, 2uu2i.
3
Claudc icviSirauss, The Savage Mind (uord: uord univcrsiiy ircss, 966i.
1BI NuS AS CuNCLP1S: AN1BRuPuIuuY ANu PRAuMA1uIuuY
19
morc concrcicly, io ccriain powdcrs ilai ilcy considcr io bc a
primc riiual ingrcdicni or maling diviniiics appcar and spcal
during divinaiion. Among ilc many ways in wlicl spccially prc-
parcd powdcrs arc dccmcd ncccssary io Ia riiual, pcrlaps ilc
mosi siriling is iis rolc as a rcgisicr (registroi or ilc divinaiory
conguraiions ilrougl wlicl urula, ilc god o divinaiion, is said
io bc ablc io spcal during ilc riiual. Sprcad on ilc suracc o
ilc consccraicd divining iray ilai babalawos usc or ilc mosi
ccrcmonious divinaiions ilcy conduci or ilcir clicnis (pariicu-
larly during ilc iniiiaiion o ncoplyicsi, ilis powdcr bccomcs ilc
mcdium ilrougl wlicl urulas words appcar. 1lis ilcy do in ilc
orm o a scrics o signs (signos, also rccrrcd io in ilc original
Yoruba as oddu) ilai arc marlcd (marcar) by ilc babalawo on ilc
suracc o ilc powdcr, ollowing a complc divinaiory proccdurc
in wlicl consccraicd palmnuis arc uscd io gcncraic disiinci
divinaiory conguraiions, cacl corrcsponding io iis own sign.
Somciimcs considcrcd as guiscs o urula limscl (or lis pails or
rcprcscniaiivcsi, ilcsc gurcs, comprising cigli singlc or doublc
lincs drawn by ilc babalawo wiil lis middlc and ring ngcr in
ilc powdcr, arc considcrcd as poicni diviniiics in ilcir own rigli
ilai comc oui (salen) in ilc divinaiion: croucling around ilc
divining board as ilcy marl ilc sign, ilc babalawos and ilcir
consulianis arc in ilc prcscncc o a divinc bcing, a symbol ilai
siands or iiscl i cvcr ilcrc was onc.
4

Crucially, babalawos cmplasisc ilai ilc powdcr iiscl is an
indispcnsablc ingrcdicni or ccciing ilcsc cliciiaiions o ilc
divinc. iropcrly prcparcd according io sccrci rccipcs ilai only
4
Sensu Roy wagncr, Symbols that Stand for Themselves (Clicago: univcrsiiy o
Clicago ircss, 986i.
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babalawos lnow, ach de Orula, as ilc powdcr is rccrrcd io in
ilis conici, las ilc powcr io rcndcr diviniiics prcscni. Ach
powdcr docs ilis noi only by providing ilc suracc on wlicl ilcy
can appcar on ilc divining iray, bui also bccausc ii consiiiuics
a ncccssary ingrcdicni in ilc consccraiion o cacl o ilc vari-
ous objccis uscd in ilc divinaiion, including ilc divining iray,
ilc palmnuis and various oilcr iicms babalawos musi lavc
consccraicd or divinaiory usc during ilcir own iniiiaiion. As
ilcy cplain, nonc o ilcsc iicms worl unlcss ilcy arc propcrly
consccraicd, and ilis musi involvc clarging ilcm wiil acheses,
i.c. wiil achpowdcrs, according io sccrci proccdurcs.
Concepts versus things
Llscwlcrc I lavc cplaincd ways in wlicl ilc noiion o ach
so blaianily ccmplics somc o ilc ccniral prcoccupaiions
ilai inorm icviSirausss ilcorizaiion o savagc ilougli, sucl
as ilc aniinomics lc associaicd wiil oaiing signicrs ilai
can signiy anyiling c.g. boil powcr and powdcr bccausc, in
ilcmsclvcs, ilcy mcan noiling.
Bcrc wc may draw aiicniion

only io ilc aci ilai, vicwcd rom wiilin ilc prism o ilc linds o
anilropological prcoccupaiions icvi-Sirausss argumcni on oai-
Claudc icvi-Sirauss, Introduction to the Work of Marcel Mauss, irans. i. Barlcr

(iondon: Rouilcdgc u Kcgan iaul, 981i. Scc Mariin Bolbraad, ' 1lc powcr o pow-
dcr: muliipliciiy and moiion in ilc divinaiory cosmology o Cuban Ia (or mana
againi', in Thinking Through Things: Theorising Artefacts Ethnographically, cd.
A. Bcnarc et al. (iondon u icw Yorl: Rouilcdgc, 2uu1i, 89-22. Scc also Mar-
iin Bolbraad, Truth in Motion: the Recursive Anthropology of Cuban Divination
(Clicago: univcrsiiy o Clicago ircss, 2u2i.
21
ing signicrs iiscl ccmplics, ilc casc o ach raiscs classical
anilropological conundrums aboui ilc raiionaliiy crcdcniials o
wlai lc playully callcd savagc ilougli (pense sauvage). Mucl
as wiil classic anilropological conirovcrsics aboui so-callcd
apparcnily irraiional bclics (iucr iwins bcing birds, Bororo
mcn bcing rcd macaws, and so oni, wc sccm lcrc io bc conronicd
wiil a scrics o noiions ilai arc counicr-iniuiiivc io say ilc lcasi.
Ccriainly, ii would appcar ilai ilc icrminological coincidcncc o
ach as boil powcr and powdcr corrcsponds io an oniological onc,
sincc, as babalawos arm, a divincrs powcr io clicii diviniiics
inio prcscncc is irrcducibly a unciion o lis capaciiy io usc ilc
consccraicd powdcrs ai lis disposal as an iniiiaic. iowdcr, in
ilis scnsc, is powcr. And ilis would sccm io raisc ilc classical
anilropological qucsiion: wly migli Cuban divincrs and ilcir
clicnis bclicvc sucl a noiion? Bow do wc cplain ilis apparcnily
irraiional bclic anilropologically?
Ii slould bc noicd, lowcvcr, ilai ilis classical way o pos-
ing ilc qucsiion draws iis powcr rom wlai onc migli call iis
own inlcrcni perversity. In ordcr cvcn io asl wly ccriain pcoplc
migli bclicvc ilai a ccriain orm o powdcr las ilc powcr io
clicii ccriain diviniiics inio prcscncc, onc las rsi io ialc or
granicd ilai ilis could noi (or slould noii bc ilc casc in ilc rsi
placc. In pariicular, assuming ilai ilc pcriincni anilropological
qucsiion is wly pcoplc migli bclicvc in ilis way ilai powdcr
is powcr iurns on ilc corollary assumpiion ilai sucl a bclic
can bc parscd as ilc pariicular way in wlicl ilc pcoplc in qucs-
iion rcprcscni ilc objccis in ilcir midsi, namcly, in ilis casc,
rcprcscniing (signiying, imagining, socially consiruciing cic.i
powdcr as powcr. And ilis in iurn rclics on ilai oundaiional
oniological aiom o siraigli-ilinling modcrnism, namcly ilc
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22
disiinciion bciwccn ilings as ilcy arc in ilc world and ilc vari-
ous and variablc conccpis ilai pcoplc may aiiacl io ilcm. Indccd,
as long as ilc analysis o ach rcmains wiilin ilc icrms o an
aiomaiic disiinciion bciwccn ilings and conccpis, ii cannot
but asl ilc qucsiion in icrms o rcprcscniaiions, bclics, social
consiruciions and so on. Sincc wc lnow ilai powdcr is jusi
ilai dusiy iling ilcrc on ilc divincrs iray, ilc qucsiion cannoi
bui bc wly Cubans migli ilinl ilai ii is also a orm o powcr.
1lc movc io posilumanisi analyscs o ilings in anilropol-
ogy las bccn moiivaicd parily by a dcsirc io avoid prcciscly ilis
way o raising qucsiions, and in pariicular io ovcrcomc ilc blaiani
pcrvcrsiiy o sccling io parsc alicrnaiivcs io our own mciaplysic
o conccpis vcrsus ilings in icrms o jusi ilai mciaplysic (or
Cuban divincrs powdcr is powcr; wc, on ilc oilcr land, asl wly
ilcy migli bclicvc ii io bc so, sincc, rom rsi mciaplysical
principlcs, ii cani bc soi. Bcncc ilc pcnclani in rcccni wriiings
on maicrial culiurc (and noic ilc iclling oniological oymoroni
or so-callcd rclaiional oniological prcmiscs wlicl sccl, in onc
way or oilcr, io crasc or oilcrwisc compromisc ilc conccpi vcrsus
iling dividc.
6
Siill, railcr ilan placaiing ilc conccpiual impcrial-
ism o modcrnisi mciaplysics by binding ilings io an alicrnaiivc
6
L.g. Bruno iaiour, We Have Never Been Modern, irans. C. ioricr (iondon: ircniicc
Ball, 993i; Bruno iaiour, Reassembling the Social (uord: uord univcrsiiy
ircss, 2uui; 1im Ingold, Perceptions of the Environment: Essays on Livelihood,
Dwelling and Skill (iondon u icw Yorl: Rouilcdgc, 2uuui; 1im Ingold, ' Maicri-
als againsi maicrialiiy', Archaeological Dialogues 4, no. (2uu1i: -6; Bjrnar
ulscn, In Defense of Things: Archaeology and the Ontology of Objects (ianglam:
AliaMira ircss, 2uui; )anc Bcnncii, Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things
(Durlam u iondon: Dulc univcrsiiy ircss, 2uui.
23
(c.g. rclaiional, symmcirical, viial, vibranii oniological ordcr,
my inicrcsi lcrc is in ilc possibiliiy o rccing ilings rom any a
priori oniological dcicrminaiion wlaisocvcr, so as io allow them
io diciaic, as ii wcrc, ilcir own icrms o analyiical cngagcmcni.
As I proposc io slow, ilis mosi crucially involvcs cliding ilc
conccpiiling dividc, noi as a maiicr o subsianiivc oniologi-
cal rcvision, bui railcr as poini only o analyiical mcilodology.
uivcn spacc consirainis, I prcscni sucl a prospcci as a scrics o
ilrcc mcilodological movcs.
1
Step I: thing-as-heuristic
I in any givcn cilnograplic insiancc ilings may bc considcrcd,
somclow, also as non-ilings (c.g. a puiaiivcly maicrial powdcr
ilai is also a puiaiivcly immaicrial powcr, as in our camplci,
8

ilcn, anilropologically spcaling, ilc noiion o a iling can ai
mosi lavc a lcurisiic, railcr ilan an analyiical, rolc. 1lc iniiial
1
ior morc dciailcd discussion scc Amiria Bcnarc, Mariin Bolbraad and Sari
wasicll, 'Iniroduciion', in Thinking Through Things: Theorising artefacts ethno-
graphically, cd. wcnarc et al. (iondon u icw Yorl: Rouilcdgc, 2uu1i, -3; Mariin
Bolbraad, 'uniology, cilnograply, arclacology: an aicrword on ilc oniograply
o ilings', Cambridge Archaeological Journal 9, no3 (2uu9i: 43-44; Mariin Bol-
braad, Can ilc 1ling Spcal?, OAP Press, Working Paper Series #7 (2ui, availablc
ai: liip:opcnanilcoop.nciprcssliip:opcnanilcoop.nciprcsswp-conicni
uploads2uuBolbraad-Can-ilc-1ling-Spcal2.pd
8
ior classic argumcnis io ilis ccci wiil rccrcncc io ilc ilings anilropologisis
call giis scc Marccl Mauss, The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic
Societies, irans. w. D. Balls (iondon: Rouilcdgc, 99ui; Cf. Amiria Bcnarc ci al.,
Iniroduciion, 6-23.
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analyiical iasl, in oilcr words, cannoi bc io add io ilc ilcorcii-
cal purclasc o ilc icrm iling by proposing ncw ways io ilinl
o ii c.g. as a siic o luman bcings objcciicaiion,
9
an indc
o agcncy,
u
an on-going cvcni o asscmblagc,
or wlai lavc you.

Railcr ii musi bc ccciivcly io dc-ilcorisc ii, by cmpiying ii oui
o iis many analyiical connoiaiions, rcndcring ii a purc cilno-
graplic orm rcady io bc llcd oui coniingcnily according only
io iis own cilnograplic cigcncics. 1o rciurn io our camplc: i
calling ilc powdcr babalawos usc a iling implics ilai ii could
noi, propcrly spcaling, also be a orm o mciaplysical powcr,
ilcn lci us not call ii a iling in any scnsc oilcr ilan mcrcly as
an oniologically and analyiically vacuous lcurisiic idcniicr
mcrcly a iag or idcniiying ii as an objcci o siudy, wiil no
mciaplysical prcjudicc, and pariicularly wiil no prcjudicc as io
wlai ii migli bc, including qucsiions o wlai ii bcing a iling
migli cvcn mcan.
Step II: concept - thing
I ilc rsi sicp iowards lciiing ilings sci ilcir own icrms o ana-
lyiical cngagcmcni involvcs cmpiying ilcm oui o any a priori
9
Danicl Millcr, Material Culture and Mass Consumption (uord: Basil Blaclwcll,
981i; Danicl Millcr, Maicrialiiy: an iniroduciion, in Materiality, cd. D. Millcr
(Durlam u iondon: Dulc univcrsiiy ircss, 2uui, -u.
u
Alrcd ucll, Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory (uord: Clarcndon ircss,
998i.
Bruno iaiour, We Have Never Been Modern, irans. C. ioricr (iondon: ircniicc
Ball, 993i; Bruno iaiour, Reassembling the Social (uord: uord univcrsiiy
ircss, 2uui.
2
mciaplysical conicnis, ilc sccond is gcarcd iowards allowing
ilcm io bc llcd by (poicniiallyi alicrnaiivc oncs in cacl cilno-
graplic insiancc. wc may brand ilis mcilodological injunciion
by way o a urilcr lcurisiic ormula, namcly conccpis ilings.
According io ilis mcilodological cdici, insicad o ircaiing all ilc
ilings ilai pcoplc say o, do io, and do wiil ilings as modcs o
rcprcscniing ilcm (i.c. as manncrs o aiiacling various conccpis
io ilc ilings in qucsiion by way o social consiruciion, as pcr ilc
siandard anilropological way o ilinlingi, wc may ircai ilcm as
modcs o dening what these things are. 1lis rcndcrs widc opcn
prcciscly qucsiions aboui wlai linds o ilings ilings migli bc:
what maicrialiiy migli bc, objcciicaiion, agcncy all ilai is
now up or grabs, as a maiicr o cilnograplic coniingcncy and
ilc analyiical worl ii orccs upon us.
So, io rciurn again io ilc Cuban camplc, ilc idca lcrc is
io ircai all ilc ilings babalawos and ilcir clicnis supposcdly
bclicvc aboui ilcir ach-powdcrs as clcmcnis o a conccpiual
dcniiion o wlai sucl a iling migli aciually be: Cuban divincrs
do noi bclicvc ilai powdcr is a orm o powcr, bui railcr dene
ii as sucl. 1o ilc cicni ilai our own dcauli assumpiion is ilai
powdcr is not io bc dcncd as powcr (iis jusi a dusiy iling, wc
assumci, ilc clallcngc ilcn musi bc io reconceptualise ilosc
vcry noiions and ilcir many cmpirical and analyiical corollarics
(powdcr, powcr, dciiy cic. bui also iling, conccpi, diviniiy cic.i in
a way ilai would rcndcr ilc cilnograplically-givcn dcniiion
o powdcr as powcr rcasonablc, railcr ilan an absurd bclic.
I lavc sougli ai lcngil clscwlcrc io spcciy ilc ull gamui
o ways in wlicl dicrcni linds o daia may cnicr inio ilc coris
o analyiical conccpiualizaiion ilai problcms o ilc powdcr-
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
26
is-powcr ncccssiiaic or anilropologisis.
2
Crucially, a sound
cilnograplic undcrsianding is ncccssary in ordcr cvcn io or-
mulaic sucl problcms in ilc rsi placc, lci alonc solvc ilcm. ior
camplc, sincc wlai powdcr migli bc in Ia divinaiion dcpcnds
on ilc noiion o powcr ilai is ai sialc in ilis riiual aciiviiy, pari
o an aiicmpi io ariiculaic ilc qucsiion involvcs dcvcloping
ilc cosmological conundrum ilai lics ai iis corc: i powcr, in
ilis cilnograplic conici, rccrs io babalawos abiliiy io rcndcr
diviniiics prcscni as signs during divinaiion, ilcn arc wc noi in
somc pcriincni scnsc dcaling lcrc wiil a vcrsion o ilc agc-old
ilco-oniological conundrum, so amiliar in ilc anilropology
o rcligion,
3
o low cniiiics ilai arc imagincd as iransccndcni
migli undcr ccriain condiiions in ilis casc by riiual mcans
ilai involvc ilc usc o powdcr as an indispcnsablc componcni
bc rcndcrcd immancni? Conccpiualising powdcr as powcr, ilcn,
rcquircs us io undcrsiand low Aro-Cuban divinaiion ccciivcly
solves somciling alin io ilc so-callcd problcm o iransccndcncc
in )udco-Clrisiian ilcology alilougl immcdiaicly onc wanis
io add ilai ilis may wcll bc a misnomcr, ai lcasi insoar as ilc
vcry noiions o iransccndcncc and immancncc may ilcmsclvcs
lavc io bc rcconccpiualiscd in ilis conici.
2
Mariin Bolbraad, "uniology is jusi anoilcr word or culiurc: againsi ilc moiion",
Dcbaic u Discussion ai ilc uDA1 2uu8, Critique of Anthropology 3u, 2 (2uui: 19-
8, 8-2uu passim; Mariin Bolbraad, Truth in Motion: the Recursive Anthropol-
ogy of Cuban Divination (Clicago: univcrsiiy o Clicago ircss, 2u2i.
3
L.g. Maiilcw Lngcllc, A Problem of Presence: Beyond Scripture in an African
Church (Bcrlclcy: univcrsiiy o Caliornia ircss, 2uu1i; wcbb Kcanc, Christian
Moderns: Freedom and Fetish in the Mission Encounter (Bcrlclcy: univcrsiiy o
Caliornia ircss, 2uu1i.
21
wlai I wisl io malc cplicii lcrc, lowcvcr, is ilc irrcduc-
iblc coniribuiion ilai, lcurisiically undcrsiood, ilings ilcm-
sclvcs can malc io ilis worl o conccpiualizaiion. Indccd, wiil
rccrcncc io ilc casc o powdcr in Ia, onc migli say ilai wlilc
cilnograplic inormaiion dcrivcd rom babalawos scrvcs io sci
up ilc anilropological conundrum ilai ach in iis dual aspcci,
so io spcal, poscs, ii is wlai I slall call ilc pragmaiograplic
inormaiion cullcd rom iis pcculiar qualiiics as a iling (viz. as
powdcri ilai dclivcrs ilc mosi crucial clcmcnis or iis soluiion.
Step III: thing - concept
Considcr wlai powdcr aciually docs in ilc divincrs lands. As wc
saw, sprcad on ilc suracc o ilc divining board, ii providcs ilc
bacldrop upon wlicl ilc oddu, ilougli o as dciiy-signs, comc
oui. So powdcr is ilc caialysi o divinaiory powcr, wlcrc ilai
powcr is undcrsiood as ilc capaciiy io malc diviniiics comc oui
and spcal. iow, noic ilai, considcrcd prosaically as a iling,
powdcr is ablc io do ilis duc io iis pcrvious claracicr, as a collcc-
iion o unsiruciurcd pariiclcs iis purc muliipliciiy, onc migli
say. In marling ilc oddu on ilc board, ilc divincrs ngcrs arc
ablc io draw ilc conguraiion jusi io ilc cicni ilai ilc inicnsivc
capaciiy o powdcr io bc movcd (io bc displaccd lilc Arclimcdcan
bailwaicri allows ilcm io do so. 1lc cicnsivc movcmcni o ilc
oddu as ii appcars on ilc board, ilcn, prcsupposcs ilc inicnsivc
mobiliiy o powdcr as ilc mcdium upon wlicl ii is rcgisicrcd.
In ilis way powdcr rcndcrs ilc prcmisc o ilc oddus rcvclaiion
explicit, as a maiicr o ilcsc signs inlcrcni motility: by way o
gurcground rcvcrsal, oddu gurcs arc rcvcalcd as a icmporary
displaccmcni o ilcir ground, ilc powdcr.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
28
Bui ilis suggcsis also a logical rcvcrsal ilai gocs io ilc
lcari o ilc problcm ilai apparcnily iransccndcni oddu migli
bc imagincd io posc. I wc ialc scriously babalawos conicniion
ilai ilc oddu jusi are ilc marls ilcy malc on ach-powdcr (ilc
basic magic o divinaiioni, ilcn ilc consiiiuiion o dciiics as
displaccmcnis o powdcr iclls us somciling prciiy imporiani
aboui ilc oniological prcmiscs o Ia cosmology: ilai ilcsc divini-
iics arc io bc ilougli o noi, say, as cniiiics ilai may or may
noi cisi in siaics o iransccndcncc or immancncc, bui railcr
as motions. And i ilc oddu arc jusi moiions, ilcn ilc oniologi-
cal disconiinuiiy bciwccn iransccndcncc and immancncc (and
wiil ii ilc onio-ilcological problcm ilcy may bc imagincd io
posci is rcsolvcd. In a logical univcrsc wlcrc moiion is primi-
iivc, wlai lools lilc iransccndcncc bccomcs disiancc and wlai
lools lilc immancncc bccomcs proimiiy. Indccd: qua moiions,
ilc diviniiics lavc inlcrcni wiilin ilcmsclvcs ilc capaciiy io
rclaic io lumans immancnily, ilrougl ilc poicniial o directed
movement ilai ach-powdcr guaraniccs, as a soluiion io ilc
gcnuinc problcm o ilc disiancc dciiics musi iravcrsc in ordcr
io bc rcndcrcd prcscni in divinaiion.
iow, wlai I wisl io draw aiicniion io lcrc is ilc worl powdcr
docs or ilis analysis, by viriuc spccically o wlai lcurisiically
(oncc again!i onc would idcniiy as iis prosaic, maicrial clar-
acicrisiics. I cilnograply carrics ilc wcigli o ilc analyiical
problcm, in ilis argumcni, ii is ilc maicrial qualiiy o powdcr ilai
providcs ilc mosi crucial clcmcnis or iis soluiion. I dciiics arc
conccpiualiscd as moiions io dissolvc ilc problcm o iransccnd-
cncc, aicr all, ilai is only bccausc ilcir maicrial manicsiaiions
arc jusi ilai, motions. And ilosc moiions, in iurn, only cmcrgc
as analyiically signicani bccausc o ilc maicrial consiiiuiion
29
o ilc powdcr upon wlicl ilcy arc plysically marlcd: iis pcr-
vious qualiiy as a purc muliipliciiy o unsiruciurcd pariiclcs,
amcnablc io inicnsivc movcmcni, lilc ilc displaccmcni o waicr,
in rcaciion io ilc cicnsivc prcssurc o ilc divincrs ngcrs,
and so on. Lacl o ilis scrics o maicrial qualiiics inlcrcs in
powdcr iiscl, and ii is by viriuc o ilis maicrial inlcrcncc ilai
ilcy can cngcndcr conccpiual cccis, sciiing ilc paramcicrs or
ilc anilropological analysis ilai ilcy aord ilc argumcni. As
an irrcduciblc clcmcni o ilc analysis o ach, ii is powder ilai
brings ilc pivoial conccpis o pcrviouncss, muliipliciiy, moiion,
dircciion, poicniial and so on inio ilc ray o ii own analysis,
providing iis own answcr io iis own problcm iis savagc powcr,
i you lilc, analyiically (conccpiually, oniologicallyi io unsciilc.
So wlai is ai sialc in ilis modc o analysis is ilc capaciiy
ilai ilings lavc io cngcndcr conccpiual iransormaiions of
themselves, by viriuc o ilc conccpiual dicrcnccs ilcir maicrial
claracicrisiics can malc. Indccd, ilis irrcducibly pragmatological
clcmcni, as wc may call ii,
4
o anilropological analysis is noil-
ing oilcr ilan ilc corollary invcrsion o our carlicr conccpis
ilings ormula, namcly things = concepts. I ilc ormula conccpi
iling dcsignaicd ilc possibiliiy o ircaiing wlai pcoplc say
and do around ilings as ways o dcning wlai ilosc ilings arc,
iis symmcirical rcndiiion iling conccpi raiscs ilc prospcci o
ircaiing ilings as a way o dcning wlai wc as analysis arc ablc
io say and do around them. Ai issuc, io coin a icrm, arc a ilings
4
C. Clrisioplcr wiimorc, 1lc rcaliiics o ilc pasi: Arclacology, ubjcci-uricnia-
iions, iragmaiology, in Modern Materials: Proceedings from the Contemporary
and Historical Archaeology in Theory Conference, cds. B. R. ioricnbcrry and i.
McAiaclncy (uord: Arclacoprcss, 2uu9i, 2-36.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
30
conccpiual aordanccs: low ilings maicrial claracicrisiics
can givc risc io pariicular orms or ilcir conccpiualizaiion. unc
migli cvcn imaginc ilis lind o iransormaiional movcmcni
as a orm o absiraciion, providcd ilai noiion is discnianglcd
rom labiiually corollary disiinciions bciwccn concrcic ilings
and absiraci conccpis.
Indccd, ilis is jusi wlai ilc iling

conccpi clausc o our analyiical mcilod would suggcsi. wlcrc
ilc analyiical oniology o ilings vcrsus conccpis would posii
absiraciion as ilc abiliiy o a givcn conccpi io comprclcnd a
pariicular iling, cicrnal io iiscl, in iis cicnsion, ilc lcurisiic
coniinuiiy o iling conccpi casis ilis as a movcmcni inicrnal
io ilc iling iiscl: ilc iling dicrcniiaics iiscl, no longcr as
an insianiiaiion o a conccpi, bui a scl-iransormaiion as a
conccpi. Savagc ilougli ilinling iiscl.
Scc also Mariin Bolbraad and Moricn A. icdcrscn, 'ilanci M: ilc inicnsc absirac-
iion o Marilyn Sirailcrn', Anthropological Theory 9, 4 (2uu9i: 31-94.
uabricl 1ardc livcd rom 843 io 9u4. A ailcd rival o milc
Durllcim or dominancc in ircncl sociology, 1ardc cll inio
obscuriiy or many dccadcs bcorc cnjoying a rcsurgcncc, duc
largcly io ilc admiraiion o uillcs Dclcuzc and Bruno iaiour.
1ardcs sparlling 89 ircaiisc Monadology and Sociology las
rcccnily bccn iranslaicd inio Lnglisl by 1lco iorcnc,
and will
scrvc as ilc iopic o ilc prcscni ariiclc. In ilc words o ilc pub-
lislcrs dcscripiion, ilis siiy-pagc ircaiisc scis oui a ilcory o
univcrsal sociology, wlicl aims io cplicaic ilc csscniially social
naiurc o all plcnomcna, including ilc bclaviour o aioms, siars,
clcmical subsianccs and living bcings. 1ardc[ argucs ilai all o
naiurc consisis o clcmcnis animaicd by bclic and dcsirc, wlicl
orm social aggrcgaics analogous io ilosc o luman sociciics and
insiiiuiions.
2
wlai pcrson o any dcgrcc o imaginaiion could
rcsisi a bool dcscribcd in ilis way? I ilcrc is any possibiliiy o
including non-luman cniiiics in ilc poliiical splcrc, 1ardc sccms
uabricl 1ardc, Monadology and Sociology, irans. and cd. 1lco iorcnc (Mclbournc:
rc.prcss, 2u2i. All parcnilciical rccrcnccs in ilc ariiclc arc io ilis worl, and
will consisi o clapicr numbcr in Roman numcrals ollowcd by pagc numbcrs in
Arabic numcrals. ior camplc: (Iv, 3ui rccrs io Clapicr Iv, pagc 3u in ilc rc.prcss
cdiiion.
2
irom ilc publislcrs onlinc advcriiscmcni, ound ai liip:rc-prcss.orgbools
monadology-and-sociology.
un the Supposed Societies of ChemicaIs,
Atoms, and Stars in uabrieI 1arde
uititr Btirt
33
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
34
lilc an cccllcni candidaic or ilc job. ioncilclcss, I will claim
ilai ilis imprcssion is largcly illusory.
In ilc rsi scnicncc o ilc bool, 1ardc givcs us ilc namc
o lis lcro plilosoplcr, wlo in somc rcspccis is also my own:
1lc monads, clildrcn o icibniz, lavc comc a long way sincc
ilcir biril (I, i. 1lc icibnizian monads, ilosc iiny aiomic
souls sprcad ilrougloui naiurc, sirilc many rcadcrs as ilc
quaini rcsiduc o an arclaic cra o spcculaiivc plilosoply. By
conirasi, 1ardc sccs ilc monads as pcnciraiing ilc wlolc o
naiural scicncc in lis iimc. Monads is a urccl-dcrivcd icrm
ilai would bc uniis in ilc iaiinaic.
3
Monadology and Sociol-
ogy was wriiicn lal a dccadc bcorc Ma ilancl discovcrcd
ilai lcai comcs in discrcic paclcis, or quanta; ilis was soon
ollowcd by Linsicins quanium ilcory o ligli and lis proo
o ilc cisicncc o aioms ilrougl lis cplanaiion o Brown-
ian moiion, ilcn Bolrs ilcory o clccirons jumping bciwccn
discrcic orbiis in an aiom. ioncilclcss, ilc movc iowards a
discrcic railcr ilan coniinuous naiurc was alrcady undcrway
in 89. Clcmisiry lad bccn marcling away rom coniinuous
maiicr iowards discrcic individual aioms ilrougloui ilc ninc-
iccnil ccniury: 1lc progrcss o clcmisiry lcads us io arm
ilc aiom and io dcny ilc maicrial coniinuiiy wlicl ilc con-
iinuous claracicr o ilc plysical and living manicsiaiions o
maiicr, cicnsion, movcmcni and growil sccm supcrcially io
rcvcal (I, -6i. 1ardc ciics i. A. iangc as lolding ilai or icwion
graviiaiional orcc docs noi occur bciwccn largc-sizcd cclcsiial
3
And uniis is in aci ilc avorcd icrm o objcci-oricnicd plilosoplcr Ian Bogosi
in Unit Operations: An Approach to Videogame Criticism (Cambridgc, MA: MI1
ircss, 2uu6i.
uN 1BL SuPPuSLu SuCI L1I LS uI CBLMI CAIS, A1uMS, ANu S1ARS I N uABRI LI 1ARuL
3
bodics, bui is only a sum o ilc graviiy o all ilc iinicsi pariiclcs
o wlicl ilcsc bodics arc madc. So ioo in biology, wlcrc ilc
oundcrs o ccllular ilcory lavc slown ilcmsclvcs io bc icwions
iruc lcirs. In ilc samc way ilcy lavc brolcn apari ilc uniiy o
ilc living body, ilcy lavc rcsolvcd ii inio a prodigious numbcr
o clcmcniary organisms, isolaicd and cgoisiic (I, 6i. 1ardc
grasps a similar possibiliiy or ilc siudy o lisiory. 1lougl lc
ciics no orcrunncrs or ilis claim, 1ardc is adamani ilai wc
nccd a clcarcr and morc posiiivc orm o cplanaiion, wlicl
accounis or a givcn lisiorical cvcni only by individual aciions,
and pariicularly by ilc aciion o invcniivc mcn wlo scrvcd as a
modcl or oilcrs and rcproduccd ilousands o copics o ilcm-
sclvcs, lilc moilcr-cclls o ilc social body (I, 8i. Bc cvcn praiscs
Anioinc Augusiin Cournci or supplcmcniing Darwin wiil a
ilcory o evolution by leaps or criscs (I, 3i, lilc Sicplcn )ay
uould in morc rcccni iimcs, again privilcging ilc discrcic ovcr
ilc coniinuous. Alilougl 1ardc cnjoys grcai avor wiil Dclcuzc
and lcncc wiil Dclcuzians, lc puis a railcr un-Dclcuzian spin
on ilis ilcory o discrcic individuals, spcaling opcnly o ilc
supcrioriiy o subsianiialisi sysicms ilrougloui lisiory, rom
Dcmocriius io Dcscarics, ovcr ilc livclicsi o dynamisiic doc-
irincs (II, 2ui. And in yci anoilcr clallcngc io aslionablc
conicmporary dogma, 1ardc adds ilai ilc idca o orcc lcads
naiurally io ilc idca o subsiancc againsi[ ilc agiiaiions o
an illusory plcnomcnalism (II, 2ui.
All ilis migli suggcsi ilai 1ardc ocrs a junglc-lilc land-
scapc madc up o individuals o cvcry slapc and scalc: wiil aioms
ai onc lcvcl, cclls ai anoilcr, and auionomous luman gcniuscs
slaping lisiory ai siill anoilcr. Bui ilis is noi ilc casc. ior 1ardc
jusi as or lis lcro icibniz, monads cisi ai onc lcvcl only: ilc
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
36
iinicsi lcvcl. 1ardc noics ilai scicniisis wlo livc in daily coniaci
wiil ilc so-callcd clcmcnis lavc no doubi o ilcir complciiy (I,
8i, and or lim ilc complciiy o sucl non-uliimaic cniiiics as
clcmical clcmcnis mcans ilai ilcy cannoi lavc inlcrcni uniiy
and rcaliiy o ilcir own. Bc ciics ilc promincni clcmisi Marccl-
lin Bcrilcloi as saying ilai ilc dccpcr siudy o ilc clcmcniary
masscs wlicl, on our currcni undcrsianding, consiiiuic ilc sim-
plc bodics lcads cvcry day morc and morc io an undcrsianding
o ilcm noi as indivisiblc aioms, lomogcnous and admiiiing o
movcmcni only as a wlolc, bui as liglly complc consiruciions,
urnislcd wiil a spccic arcliicciurc and animaicd by liglly
varicd inicrnal movcmcnis (ciicd ai I, 8-9i. In slori, ilcrc is a
dcsccni inio ilc inniicsimal. visiblc niic ilings arc simply ilc
bull summaiion o many iinicr ilings ilai scrvc as ilc uliimaic
sourcc o all ilings in ilc cosmos: Lvcryiling comcs rom ilc
inniicsimal and cvcryiling rciurns io ii; noiling in ilc splcrc
o ilc niic and complc a surprising aci wlicl nobody is
surpriscd ai appcars suddcnly, nor dics away. wlai slould wc
concludc rom ilis, i noi ilai ilc inniicly small, in oilcr words
ilc clcmcni, is ilc sourcc and ilc goal, ilc subsiancc and ilc
rcason o all ilings? (I, i. 1lc idca ilai ncw auionomous cnii-
iics migli emerge ai cacl laycr o ilc cosmos sirilcs 1ardc as
absurd. ior insiancc: Ii is iruly surprising io scc mcn o scicncc,
so siubborn in rcpcaiing ai cvcry iurn ilai noiling is crcaicd,
admii impliciily as ilougl scl-cvidcni ilai rclaiions bciwccn
disiinci bcings can o ilcmsclvcs bccomc ncw bcings numcri-
cally addcd io ilc ormcr (v, 3i. ur rcsiaicd morc sarcasiically:
uncc cmbarlcd on ilis coursc, ilcrc is no rcason io siop: cvcry
larmonious, proound and iniimaic rclaiion bciwccn naiural
clcmcnis bccomcs ilc crcaior o a ncw and supcrior clcmcni,
31
wlicl in iurn assisis in ilc crcaiion o anoilcr yci liglcr clc-
mcni ai cvcry sicp o ilc scalc o plcnomcnal complciiy (v,
3-36i. In ordcr io orcsiall sucl prolicraiion o cniiiics ai cvcry
laycr o ilc cosmos, 1ardc asscris ilai in ilc casc o luman socic-
iics, lowcvcr iniimaic, proound, and larmonious a givcn social
group may bc, wc will ncvcr scc springing oril ex abrupto rom
among iis mcmbcrs, io ilcir surprisc, a collective ego wlicl is
rcal and noi only mciaplorical, a marvcllous ouicomc o wlicl
ilcsc individuals would bc ilc condiiions (v, 36i. Sincc ilis is
prcciscly wlai many pcoplc do lold, ii would bc nicc io rcad an
aciual argumcni by 1ardc on ilis scorc. Bui lc is adamani ilai
wlaicvcr lools lilc a collcciivc cniiiy is rcally jusi onc or morc
micro-cniiiics asscriing ilcmsclvcs againsi ilc oilcrs. ior cam-
plc: Doubilcss ilcrc is always onc mcmbcr o a luman social
group[ wlo rcprcscnis and pcrsonics ilc wlolc group, or clsc a
small numbcr o ilcm (lilc ilc minisicrs o a Siaici wlo, cacl in
a dicrcni rcspcci, individualizc ii no lcss cniircly in ilcmsclvcs
(v, 36i. Again, noiling cisis bui ilc iinicsi ilings. Bcrc 1ardc
sounds mucl lilc ilc analyiic plilosoplcr icicr van Inwagcn,
4

wlo bclicvcs in noiling bui plysical simplcs and living organ-
isms, dcnouncing ilc supposcd cisicncc o all inicrmcdiaic and
largc-sizcd cniiiics.
1lc dicrcncc bciwccn 1ardc and van Inwagcn, o coursc,
is ilai 1ardc ilinls plysical simplcs are living organisms. 1lc
lypoilcsis o monads, wlicl 1ardc ully supporis, implics boil
ilc rcduciion o iwo cniiiics, maiicr and mind, io a singlc onc,
sucl ilai ilcy arc mcrgcd in ilc laiicr, and ai ilc samc iimc a
prodigious muliiplicaiion o purcly mcnial agcnis in ilc world
4
icicr van Inwagcn, Material Beings (Iilaca, iY: Corncll univcrsiiy ircss, 99ui.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
38
(I, i. 1o givc jusi onc praciical insiancc, 1ardc ciics a rcpori rom
u. ). Almann ilai ilc movcmcnis o sporcs sccm rcqucnily
io obcy a rcal voliiion; i ilc sporc cncounicrs an obsiaclc, ii
clangcs dircciion and movcs bacl by clanging ilc movcmcni o
iis cilia (ciicd ai II, 22i. 1ardc adds approvingly ilai a railway
mcclanic could do no bciicr (II, 22i. I wc acccpi 1ardcs gcncral
lypoilcsis, ilc movcmcni o bodics would bc noiling oilcr
ilan iypcs o judgcmcnis or objcciivcs ormulaicd by ilc mon-
ads (II, 1i. Souls arc claracicrizcd by bclic and dcsirc, wlicl
scrvc rcspcciivcly as ilc grounds or armaiion and will (II, 6i.
1lis linls 1ardc uncpccicdly wiil ilc pcssimisiic mciaplysics
o Sclopcnlaucr and Lduard von Barimann (II, 2i, wlilc also
providing an unusual poini o cniry inio sociology and poliiics.
Spcaling o bclic and dcsirc, 1ardc asls boil rlciorically and
bcauiiully: Is ii noi clcar ilai wiil ilcir rcciprocal combina-
iions, passions and inicniions, ilcy arc ilc pcrpciual winds o
lisiorys icmpcsis, and ilc waicralls wlicl iurn ilc mills o
poliiics? (II, 2i. And morc dccisivcly: bclic and dcsirc[ alonc
can producc sociciics (II, 2i.
uivcn ilai ilcrc is no soullcss maiicr and ilai all is purcly
mind, ii is noi mciaplorical io spcal o sociciics ai ilc inra-
luman lcvcls o ilc world. Indccd, everything is a society cvcry
plcnomcnon is a social aci (Iv, 28i. 1ardc ilinls ilis mcrcly
raiics wlai scicncc is alrcady lcarning on iis own: Scicncc iclls
us o animal sociciics o ccllular sociciics, and wly noi o aiomic
sociciics? I almosi orgoi io add sociciics o siars, solar and sicl-
lar sysicms (Iv, 28i. Bui paradoically cnougl, or 1ardc ilcrc
is rcally no sucl iling as sociciics o clcmicals, aioms, siars, or
cvcn lumans. 1lcrc cisi noiling bui ilc inniicsimal monads,
and ilcsc group iogcilcr inio largcr uniis only in ilc scnsc ilai
39
somc dominani monad ialcs conirol or as long as a givcn cniiiy
cisis. ior cvcn i a ccll acis as i ii wcrc animaicd by a singlc
soul, wc musi railcr concludc ilai ii was only ilc soul o a wlolc
pcoplc o worlcrs (II, 22i. wlcn wc siudy naiurc, rocls, waicr,
or cvcn planis, wc nd ilai cacl is a lcrmciically closcd world
o clcmcnis (vII, 6i. Cclcsiial bodics ilcmsclvcs arc crcaicd by
ilc dominancc o individual monads, as in ilc ollowing bizarrcly
bcauiiul passagc: ilcrc siill cisis, wc mainiain, ai ilc lcari
o ilc sun, ilc conqucring aiom wlicl by iis individual aciion
cicndcd by dcgrccs io ilc wlolc primordial ncbula, disrupicd
ilc conicnicd siaic o cquilibrium wlicl, wc arc iold, ilc laiicr
cnjoycd (vIII, 62i. 1lc samc proccss lolds ai ilc lcvcl o lumans,
wlo arc noi unicd Clrisiian souls, bui swarms o inniicsimal
gcrms: I call consciousncss, soul, mind, ilc iransiiory viciory o
an cicrnal clcmcni, wlicl by somc avourablc clancc riscs abovc
ilc obscurc rcalm o ilc inniicsimal, io rulc a pcoplc o broil-
crs wlo arc now bccomc lis subjccis (vIII, 6i. 1lc cnd o ilis
iransicni rcign is dcscribcd jusi as icibniz dcscribcd ii, bui cvcn
morc pociically: I call dcail ilc gradual or suddcn dcilroning,
ilc voluniary or orccd abdicaiion o ilis spiriiual conqucror wlo,
lilc Darius aicr Arbcla and iapolcon aicr waicrloo, Clarlcs
v ai Yusic and Dioclciian ai Salona, bui cvcn morc complcicly
sirippcd barc oncc morc, rciurns io ilc inniicsimal wlcrc ii
was born and wlcncc ii camc (vIII, 6i.
wc lavc sccn ilai, lilc icibniz, 1ardc proposcs a world
madc up cniircly o inniicsimal monads, in wlicl all largcr-
scalc cniiiics clcmicals, aioms, siars, lumans arc mcrcly ilc
rcsuli o onc dominani monad organizing lcss dominani col-
laboraiors io do iis bidding. wlcrc 1ardc and icibniz dicr mosi
is on ilc iopic o lnowlcdgc and communicaiion. wc lnow ilai
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
40
or icibniz, monads lavc no windows.
1lcy arc cui o rom

dircci communicaiion wiil cacl oilcr, and mirror cacl oilcr
only ilrougl ilc mcdiaiion o uod, wlo malcs no appcarancc
in ilc rcmarlably sccular pagcs o Monadology and Sociology.
By conirasi, 1ardc docs noi ilinl ilai monads arc windowlcss
ai all. Insicad, ilc wlolc cicrnal univcrsc is composcd o souls
disiinci rom my own bui undamcnially similar (II, i. Accord-
ingly, i ii is ilc casc ilai ilis bcing in iiscl is undamcnially
similar io our own bcing, ilcn ii will no longcr bc unlnowablc,
and may consisicnily bc armcd (II, i. wlcrcas icibniz madc
cacl monad[ a camera obscura wlcrc ilc wlolc univcrsc o oilcr
monads is rcprcscnicd in a rcduccd orm and rom a pariicular
anglc, 1ardc avors opcn monads wlicl would pcnciraic cacl
oilcr rcciprocally, railcr ilan bcing muiually cicrnal (III, 26i.
Ciiing icwionian graviiy wiil iis aciion-ai-a-disiancc (rcuicd
iwo dccadcs laicr by Linsicini, 1ardc culis ilai monads cannoi
bc muiually impcncirablc (III, 26i. wlcrcas icibniz vicwcd ilc
monad as a microcosm closcd in on iiscl, 1ardc vicws cacl
monad as ilc cniirc cosmos iiscl, sincc ii dirccily grasps all
oilcr monads (III, 21i. Baving bcgun ilc bool wiil a disconiinu-
ous landscapc o discrcic uniis, 1ardc cmplaiically iurns ilc
iablcs midway ilrougl: wlai do wc placc wiilin ilc uliimaic
disconiinuiiy i noi coniinuiiy? (III, 21i. Insicad o a scrics o
scl-cncloscd clambcrs as in icibniz, ilc world is a giganiic
rclaiional wlolc in wlicl all inniicsimals malc coniaci ai a
disiancc. Bcrc lics ilc rooi o 1ardcs projcci o sliiing ilougli
rom being io having: All plilosoply liilcrio las bccn bascd on
u.w. icibniz, Philosophical Essays, irans. Rogcr Aricw and Danicl uarbcr (India-
napolis: Baclcii, 989i, 24.
41
ilc vcrb Bc, ilc dcniiion o wlicl was ilc plilosoplcrs sionc,
wlicl all sougli io discovcr. wc may arm ilai, i ii lad bccn
bascd on ilc vcrb Bavc, many sicrilc dcbaics and ruiilcss inicl-
lcciual ccriions would lavc bccn avoidcd (vII, 2i. 1lis slii io
laving would amouni io cmbracing an opcnly rclaiional conccp-
iion o ilc world, ilrougl wlicl scicncc supposcdly ouislincs
plilosoply (vII, 4i.
wc lavc sccn ilai 1ardcs univcrsal sociology condcmns
mosi purporicd cniiiics io non-cisicncc. wlai rcally cisis arc
ilc inniicsimals, univcrsally in coniaci wiil onc anoilcr, bui
somciimcs locally slapcd inio spccic ilings undcr ilc guidancc
o a dominani monad. Bcrc 1ardc joins ilc prc-Socraiic pliloso-
plcrs and many scicniisis in undermining objccis by rcducing
ilcm io iiny subcomponcnis. Bui ai ilc cnd o ilc day, dcspiic
bcginning wiil a discrcic cosmic modcl o aioms, cclls, individual
lumans, and oilcr quania, 1ardc uscs all ilcsc cniiiics inio a
giganiic rclaiional wlolc. Bcing is rcplaccd by laving; an indi-
vidual is noiling morc ilan ilosc oilcr individuals ii iouclcs.
1lc univcrsc bccomcs cvcn morc a lall o mirrors ilan ii was or
icibniz, or ii is now onc giganiic vcrsaillcs o mirrors railcr ilan
irillions o micro-mirrors scalcd o rom coniaci wiil all oilcrs.
I 1ardcs movc io ilc inniicsimal was a way o undcrmining
objccis, lis iall o immcdiaic laving ai a disiancc is a orm o
wlai I call overmining, sincc ii idcniics monads clausiivcly
wiil ilcir inicraciions wiil oilcrs.
6
Ii slould comc as no surprisc
6
ior my prcvious discussions o ilc ovcrminingundcrmining doublci, scc ilc ol-
lowing publicaiions: un ilc undcrmining o ubjccis: urani, Bruno, and Radi-
cal ililosoply, in The Speculative Turn: Continental Materialism and Realism,
cd. icvi Bryani, iicl Srniccl and uralam Barman (Mclbournc: rc.prcss, 2ui,
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
42
ilai 1ardc arms boil ilc smallcsi pari o ilc cosmos (ilc inni-
icsimal uniii and ilc largcsi (ilc rclaiional wlolci, wlilc mocl-
ing ilc cisicncc o cvcryiling in bciwccn. ior as I lavc oicn
argucd in prini, ilcsc iwo circmcs arc almosi always parasiics
on onc anoilcr, io sucl an cicni ilai I lavc callcd ilis iwoold
plilosoply ilc bcasi wiil iwo bacls.
1
iarmcnidcs dcnounccs
all individual bcings, lcaving us wiil noiling bui a unicd lump,
bui ilcn musi accouni or pluraliiy by arming a pluraliiy o
ilings in ilc splcrc o doxa or opinion. Mainsircam scicniic
naiuralisis rcducc ilc world io iiny pariiclcs, bui io sacguard
scicniic lnowlcdgc ilcy musi arm ilai ilc propcriics o
ilcsc pariiclcs arc isomorplic wiil luman lnowlcdgc wlicl
is noi iiscl a iiny undcrlying subsiraium, bui a suracc locaicd
ai somc rcmovc rom ilis subsiraium. 1lrougloui Clapicr vI o
Monadology and Sociology, 1ardc givcs wondcrul dcscripiions
o low liglcr-lcvcl cniiiics migli sccm io an ouisidc obscrvcr
io cmcrgc bcyond ilc inniicsimal ilrougl a mcrcly subiraciivc
proccss o simplicaiion. iorms arc only bralcs and laws arc only
dylcs (vI, 46i, mcaning ilai wlaicvcr sccms lomogcncous and
unicd aciually swarms wiil inicrnal divcrsiiy. Bui io bc madc
o paris docs noi ncccssarily mcan io bc reducible io oncs paris,
sincc ilosc paris may slii or bc rcplaccd wiiloui ilis clanging
ilc iling ilcy join io composc. 1ardc conccdcs in passing ilai
ilings cannoi bc rcduccd upward io ilcir orcign rclaiions wiil
oilcr ilings, sincc i ilings[ wcrc only social ii would ollow
2-4u; I Am Also o ilc upinion 1lai Maicrialism Musi Bc Dcsiroycd, in Envi-
ronment and Planning D: Society and Space 28, no. (2uui, 112-19u; uralam
Barman, The Quadruple Object (winclcsicr, uK: zcro Bools, 2ui.
1
Slalcspcarc, Othello. Aci , Sccnc .
43
ilai sociciics and naiions would cisi wiiloui clangc or all
cicrniiy (vI, 48i. In oilcr words, i a iling wcrc noiling morc
ilan iis rclaiions wiil oilcr ilings, ii would bc idcniical wiil
iis rclaiions, and would ilus bc dcvoid o any surplus allowing
ii io clangc rom iis currcni siaic.
Yci ilc samc also lolds in rcvcrsc. A iling also cannoi bc
rcduccd downward io ilc domcsiic rclaiions o iis own inicrnal
componcnis, sincc io paraplrasc 1ardc, ii would ollow rom ilis
ilai sociciics and naiions would clangc unrcmiiiingly wiil cacl
iiny clangc o iis inicrnal picccs. 1lc singlc lair alling rom ilc
lcad o ubama, or rom ilai o an iron worlcr, ooiball playcr, or
cai, would clangc noi only ilc uniicd Siaics bui ilc cosmos as
a wlolc a purcly arbiirary assumpiion. irom ilis wc can scc
ilai wc nccd a ilcory o inicrmcdiaic objccis largcr ilan 1ardcs
inniicsimals, and smallcr ilan lis global nciworl o lavings
and rclaiings. In bciwccn inniicsimals and rclaiions ilcrc arc
objccis, and in bciwccn ilcm is also being railcr ilan laving.
Indccd, ilcrc may bc no inniicsimals or global rclaiions ai all.
wiiloui inicrmcdiaic rcaliiics, ilcrc would bc nciilcr luman
nor inluman sociciics, and no savagcry o savagc objccis. 1lcrc
could bc no sociciics o clcmicals, aioms, siars, or lumans. 1lc
world would bc a colossal bui iamc savanna madc up o iiny
swarming crcaiurcs always alrcady in coniaci wiil cvcry oilcr.
)oao Maria uusmao and icdro iaiva, The Soup, 2uu9.
I am bcmuscd by low so-callcd Liraicrrcsirials ilinl so liiilc o
man ilai ilc sicrn and macro-ccplalous gurc wc lavc grown
uscd io ncvcr conccals, in ilai languid and anorcciic rcprcscn-
iaiion, ilc privaic paris o ilc body. Bow odd ilai ilai disiinci,
albcii sligli, impoicni and clild-lilc plallus docs noi, in our
imaginaiion, dcign io bcar ilus lonoring our bipcdal iradi-
iion ilc slamc o a simplc pair o undcrpanis. A bric glancc
ai ilc crcaiurcs ncilcr rcgion would succ io cplain ilc plilo-
logical proimiiy bciwccn ilc Mariian myil and ilc avaiar o
homo sapiens civilizaiion, ilc climpanzcc. A somcwlai absurd
comparison, sincc, conirary io ircudian opinion, our illusirious
simian anccsior, laving all lis lic givcn mucl aiicniion io lis
gcniialia, masiurbaics in ilc samc amouni and manncr as wc,
ilc iruc lumans, a aci ilai is alonc cnougl io sci lim apari
rom ilc Mariians vcncrablc lacl o libido. 1lc common alicns
ncar-rcligious absiincncc, rivaling in disgracc ilc ccclcsiasiic
rcsiraini upon wlicl Cailolicism was oundcd, scrvcs, lowcvcr,
an undcrlying aniasy as aiicsicd by ilc aci ilai ilcrc arc
numcrous lysicrical dcscripiions and accounis wlcrcin ilosc
androgynous bcings conduci cpcrimcnis wiil mcdicval insiru-
mcnis on abduciccs lying on opcraiing iablcs. wlicl lcads us io
concludc ilc ollowing: ilis L.1., i lc cisis ai all, is psyclologi-
cal lilc ilc daia ilai, riglily or wrongly, lcad us on ilc road io
ilis clausiivc inquiry inio solipsism.
SoIiIoquy, A uwarf in the Stratosphere
)oto Mtiit uusrto
4
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
46
Summa summarum, i ilis is so, wlai inqucsi slould ilcn
bc carricd oui io asccriain ilc possibiliiy o anoilcr conscicncc
oilcr ilan our own in ilc univcrsc? Is ilcrc, in ilc crannics o
divcrsiiy, in ilc outside wc nd oui ilcrc, somciling ilai can ai
lcasi quici wlai musi bc ilc mosi proound ccling o lumans
ilc scnsc o abandonmcni? ur, on ilc conirary, docs ilai di-
crcncc wlicl looms ncarby, or was always lcld ilcrc, lilc an
cicrniiy corscicd in iimc and spacc, rcquirc a ncw conccpiual
ordcr io inicgraic ilc plcnomcnal cpcricncc o ilc world?
Irrcvocably, ilai wlicl pcriains io ilougli, ilai wlicl iruly
cmcrgcs during ilc mcdiiaiivc modc, ariscs only wlcn onc docs
noi ll ilc unlnown wiil ilc assurancc o ccriainiy ilai ccr-
iainiy wlicl adcs wlcn all ccascs io mcci our cpcciaiions lcad
on. I ilcrc is an ulicrior rcason in ilc world, ii is ccriainly noi
an luman rcason, and surcly noi a divinc rcason; a noiion wlicl
is ccriainly conccivablc, bui aliogcilcr inconccivablc, a sidcrcal
unreason wlicl wc may supposc cniircly lacling in judgmcni
and will, ilc rcason, ilus, or ilc unrcasonablc naiurc, noi o
man, bui o ilc world. Ll sucno dc la razon producc monsiruos
and rccciion may wcll suspcci, noi a monsicr ilc lilcs o ioly-
plcmous or ilc bcardcd uod o ilc uld 1csiamcni, bui railcr,
o ilc word mostrare, o a world ilai dcmonsiraics indicrcncc
io any luman ani. Abovc all, a non-psyclological world, alin io
ilosc rcaliiics ilai, ilougl wc may noi ully asccriain, wc allow
io subsisi in ordcr io spcculaiivcly illusiraic ilc sciiing or our
cisicncc.
1lus ilc iasl bcorc all ilinling labiis and ccccniriciiics,
bc ilcy submcrgcd in ilc unconscious or opcn io dialcciics, is
railcr io submii io ilc logic o ilai original disiurbancc, ilai
wlicl movcs ilc subjcci io ordcr appcaranccs, as onc inscribcs
SuII IuuY, A uwARI I N 1BL S1RA1uSPBLRL
41
ilc luman in an unclassiablc icrriiory. And, sincc cacl o ilc
scnscs is ianglcd in ilis ordcr o ilougli; sincc cvcry rccciion
rccommcnccs cacily lcrc, moving rom ilc worlds inniiy io
analogy, cngcndcring all imagcs o ilc possiblc and ilc impossiblc,
ii is also rom lcrc ilai wc comc io our ilcorciical bcni, wlicl
wc musi cplain, sciiing lcnccoril ilc coursc or ilc prcscni
opusculc ilai wc may bc ialcn, i noi scriously (as ilai was ncvcr
our pariicular objccii, or pcoplc o good inicniion wlicl is io
say, pcoplc inicni on a singlc iasl: morc and morc io pcrccivc
ilc ncccssary claracicrs in ilings as ilc bcauiiul (i iooling
asidc, lci ilai bc my solc ncgaiion! And all in all, io sum up: I
)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Hand, smaller than hand, 2uu9.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
48
wisl io bc ai any iimc lcrcaicr only a yca-saycr! (iicizsclc,
The Gay Sciencei Sucl icrms, o coursc, obligc us io a cauiious
advcricncc: wc slall ncvcr vcniurc bcyond ilc minimum risc o
ilougli; ilus, noiwiilsianding ilc vaunicd pcals conqucrcd by
ilcorys uppcr licrarclics, wc can ocr only ilai wlicl soplism
las granicd our cssay an apologciic slcicl, noi o a ilcological
or maicrialisiic summa, bui o a dwar plilosoply, an abbrcvi-
aicd alicnisi ircaiisc.
)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, The Initiate, 2uu8.
49
Item concerning the eternity which underIies the eperience
of the worId.
1lc rsi maiicr is discusscd ilus, ii sccms man is morial and
ilc world cicrnal
ircmisc
(1lc ilrcai o disappcarancc, Bumc and ircudi
I cacl iimc ilai, inicrmiiicnily, ilc ligli in ilc siairway
gocs oui and bacl on again, and i, cvcry iimc ilc Sun scis
ovcr ilc lorizon, suspcnding visibiliiy, ilcrc is no guaranicc
ilai ii will arisc again ai dawn (David Bumc, An Enquiry
Concerning Human Understandingi, sincc ilc Sun migli
bccomc ciinguislcd wlilc wc slccp, and ilc ligli bulb could
blow oui ai any momcni; and i in iurn ilcsc iwo lypoilcscs
mirror, ai lcari, ilc opcraiion dcscribcd by ircud in Beyond
the Pleasure Principle, ilc gamc o fort-da in wlicl ilc
clild ilrows a spool only io rccl ii bacl in and wondcr ai
iis prcscncc (appcaring and disappcaringi, ilus addrcssing
ilc irauma o disappcarancc and parcnial abandonmcni
ilcn low can wc livc wiiloui ilc rcpciiiivc scnsc ilai all is
ialcn rom us and musi comc io an cnd, sccing as ilc clild
soon lcarns io livc, rcplacing ilc iling by iis rcmission io
ilc void rcsuliing, by dcauli, in a loss ilai rcsidcs in ilc
subjcci railcr ilan ilc world?
wlicl is, ilcn, ilc mosi pcriincni qucsiion, ilai o ilc ncuroiic
do I cisi? or ilai o ilc rcligious man docs ilc world cisi?
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
0
Answcr io ilc rsi (ilc ncuroiici
As ircud cplains, ilc mcnial apparaius and, in pariicular, iis
unconscious proccsscs, arc sirongly dcicrmincd by ilc pleasure
principle. 1lus, and aiicmpiing io invcsiigaic ilc inlibiiion
o sucl principal psycloanalyiic obscrvaiion, ircud aiicmpis
a dicrcni inquiry in Beyond the Pleasure Principle. 1lis ncw
analysis is ilc rcsuli o obscrving a compulsion io rcpcai ilc
iraumaiic cpcricncc, wlcn, conirary io clinical ndings, psyclic
mcclanisms icnd io submii displcasurc io ilc principle of reality
and siabiliiy, usually rcprcssing ilc mcnial pain ilus brougli on
by dclaying ilc drivc. Larly in ilc cssay and bcorc ilc amous
camplc o ilc fort-da gamc, ircud conronis ilai wlicl lc calls
iraumaiic ncurosis, wlicl is oicn ound in viciims o accidcnis
and vcicrans o war: iow in ilc iraumaiic ncuroscs ilc drcam
lic las ilis pcculiariiy: ii coniinually ialcs ilc paiicni bacl io
ilc siiuaiion o lis disasicr (i 1lc obirusion on ilc paiicni ovcr
and again, cvcn in slccp, o ilc imprcssion madc by ilc iraumaiic
cpcricncc is ialcn as bcing mcrcly a proo o iis sircngil. 1lc
paiicni las so io spcal undcrgonc a psyclical aiion as io ilc
irauma. ircud gocs on io comparc ilc sympiom io lysicria,
concluding ilai boil pailologics sucr or ilc mosi pari rom
rcminisccnccs. I. c., cpisodcs ilai lcad quoiidian cpcricncc
bacl io a sccond, and imaginary, rcpciiiivc cpcricncc. wly
docs ilc siruciurc o ilcsc individuals icnd marlcdly io imaginc
ilis pasi occurrcncc as orcsladowing ilcir own uiurc disap-
pcarancc incarnaiing ilc ilrcai o ilcir own ciinciion? Ii musi
bc in ilis scnsc ilai )acqucs iacan aiiribuics a lovc o casira-
iion io ilc lovc o iruil; in so ar as ilc unconcealedness o ilc
bcing (Bcidcggcrs Alcilciai is ialcn as larbingcr o ilc worlds
1
)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, 3 Suns, 2uu9.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
2
disappcarancc, in oilcr words, low, paradoically, appcarancc
is cpcricnccd ilcorciically: simuliancously and iransiiivcly,
concealed and unconcealed and also, a movcmcni bciwccn not-
being and being, somclow invcriing ilc ordcr o ilings, ailing
io undcrsiand ilai ilc ciinciion o man (dcaili is a ar morc
aciual daium ilan ilai o ilc world (apocalypsci. ici us ilcn
imaginc, mutatis mutandis, ilc world rcduccd io a woodcn spool,
and ilc plilosoplcr, in an cori ilai wc cannoi bui dcscribc as
aillciic, ilrowing ilai samc spool and rccciing ilc idcaiion o
iis abscncc (wly is ilcrc somciling insicad o noiling?i. 1lc
criiiquc ilai may bc crccicd lcrc is ilai, in a ccriain dimcnsion,
mciaplysics and ilc plilosoplcr mimic almosi complcicly ilc
mosi primiiivc mcnial mcclanisms or rcsolving subjcciivc
loss. uccasionally, lowcvcr, ilis wcll-bclavcd clild cvinccd
ilc iroublcsomc labii o inging inio ilc corncr o ilc room or
undcr ilc bcd all ilc liiilc ilings lc could lay lis lands on, so
ilai io gailcr up lis ioys was oicn no ligli iasl. Bc accompa-
nicd ilis by an cprcssion o inicrcsi and graiicaiion, cmiiiing
a loud long-drawn-oui o-o-o-ol (i I saw ai lasi ilai ilis was a
gamc, and ilai ilc clild uscd all lis ioys only io play bcing gonc
(ircud, Beyond the Pleasure Principlei. ior ilc plilosoplcr, ioo,
ilc world las gonc. iaicr, rciurning io ilc ncuroiic qucsiion
do I cisi?, ilc iling is casily rcplaccd wiil iis cviciion io ilc
void rcsuliing by dcauli, as noicd abovc, in a loss ilai is in ilc
subjcci and noi ilc world. Did ilc ncar-world disappcar? io, ilc
subjcci, indccd, is gonc. Mciaplysics rcprcscnis rsi ilc icmporal
dicgcsis o man, and only laicr ilc spaiial dicgcsis o spirii; as
a conscqucncc, ilc worldvicw is oundcd on ilc occurrcncc o
dcail and noi on ilc aciiciiy o ilc world. 1lcrcin lics mcaning,
a rcason wc scruiinizc oncc again: a morc-ilan-psyclological
3
rcason, mcia-psyclological, a conscicncc noi o oncscl, bui or
oncscl. A Snalc ialcn inio a mans siomacl and nourislcd ilcrc
rom iccn ycars io iliriy-vc, iormcniing lim mosi lorribly.
(Borgcs quoiing Bawilornc, Other Inquisitionsi
Answcr io ilc sccond (ilc rcligiousi
In Bislop Bcrlclcys paradigmaiic worl, A Treatise Concerning
the Principles of Human Knowledge, wc rcad: 1lc iablc I wriic
on I say ii cisis, ilai is, I scc ii and ccl ii; and i I wcrc oui o my
siudy I slould say ii cisicd mcaning ilcrcby ilai i I was in my
siudy I migli pcrccivc ii, or ilai somc oilcr spirii aciually docs
pcrccivc ii. (i ior as io wlai is said o ilc absoluic cisicncc o
unilinling ilings wiiloui any rclaiion io ilcir bcing pcrccivcd,
ilai sccms pcrccily uniniclligiblc. unc lundrcd and iwo ycars
laicr, wiil ilc advcni o probabiliiy ilcory, wc nd in iicrrc-Simon
iaplacc ilc ollowing cndorscmcni o rclaiivc ccriainiy: wlcn
all cascs arc avorablc io an cvcni, ilcir probabiliiy bccomcs a
ccriainiy (i undcr sucl condiiions, ccriainiy and probabiliiy
arc comparablc, alilougl ilcrc may bc an csscniial dicrcncc
bciwccn ilc iwo siaics o conscicncc, wlcn a iruil is rigorously
dcmonsiraicd, or, on ilc conirary, wlcn a small sourcc o crror
can siill bc pcrccivcd. Admiiiing, io usc Bcrlclcys camplc, ilai
ilc iablc in lis siudy, in ilc non-prcscniial insiancc (Bcrlclcy
is noi ilcrc io pcrccivc iii, may in aci noi cisi, lci us imaginc,
by supposing ilc ciraordinary: ilc iablc las gonc. Is noi ilai
rcmoic conjcciurc, improbablc io ilc poini ilai ilc morc rcason-
ablc invcrsc can bc considcrcd, i noi an absoluic ccriainiy, ilcn
pcrlaps ilc minimum dcviaiion o ilai dccisivc vcrdici. Is ii noi
morc probablc, ilc missing cvidcncc o ilc iablcs immobiliiy
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
4
noiwiilsianding, ilai ii slould bc in ilc samc placc waiiing,
lilc any oilcr gravc inanimaic objcci, waiiing bccausc ii is noi
lilcly ilai somciling will orcc ilc iablc io cscapc ilc occ,
and ilc occ io abandon ilc lousc, and ii io lcavc ilc ciiy, and
ilc ciiy io lcavc Ircland, ilus lcaving Bcrlclcy wiiloui a iablc
in ilc world upon wlicl io worl. wc can ilcn supposc ilai ilai
wlicl cisis, cvcn ai ilc minimum lcvcl o appcarancc, sucl as
ilai wlicl was always impassiblc, bui ncvcr pcrccivcd, or wlicl
occurs, cciing, bui impcrccpiiblc, is noi swcpi rom ilc world
lilc somc grcai lypoilcsis. As iaplacc argucs, ii may bc said ilai
all lnowlcdgc is problcmaiic; and in ilc small numbcr o ilings
wlicl wc arc ablc io lnow wiil ccriainiy, cvcn in ilc mailcmaiical
scicnccs ilcmsclvcs, ilc principal mcans o asccriaining iruil -
induciion and analogy - arc bascd on probabiliiics. Bowcvcr, ilc
mciaplysical nausca rcsidcs cacily ilcrc, in ilai cvcryiling
only is on ilc ncar-drcamlilc condiiion ilai wc lavc io imaginc
cisicncc dividing ilc samc and ilc oilcr, bccausc ilai aci, no
longcr imagincd bui rcal, wiiloui ilc sliglicsi vcil o illusion
raw cisicncc las no raison dtre, and, again, docs ilc world
cisi?. Ii ollows ilai, or ilc lisiory o idcas, all bcginnings
and cndings, dicrcnccs and uniiy, all ilc paris and ilc wlolc,
arc naugli bui a ciion o ilougli. unc ccriainiy, lowcvcr, sincc
an inniic numbcr o inconccivablc ilings rcsulis in a minuic
amouni o iruils: somciling is oui ilcrc, and ii is noi luman or,
ai lcasi, noi as luman as iaplaccs Dcmon: An inicllcci wlicl ai
a ccriain momcni would lnow all orccs ilai sci naiurc in moiion,
and all posiiions o all iicms o wlicl naiurc is composcd, i ilis
inicllcci wcrc also vasi cnougl io submii ilcsc daia io analysis,
ii would cmbracc in a singlc ormula ilc movcmcnis o ilc grcai-
csi bodics o ilc univcrsc and ilosc o ilc iinicsi aiom; or sucl
)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Camera inside camera, 2uu.

SAvAuL uB) LC1S
6
an inicllcci noiling would bc unccriain and ilc uiurc jusi lilc
ilc pasi would bc prcscni bcorc iis cycs. Somclow, ilc logos
is launicd by ilc dcnial o unccriainiy. A iling musi ai lcasi bc
lnown in ordcr io cisi. Diciaiing ilc cnd o probabiliiy, ilis
aiiiiudc is jusi as mucl a conccssion io ilc improbabiliiy o
ilc world, sincc any Noumenon, as a purc idcaiion o ilc spirii,
csclcws subjcciiviiy and, in ilis casc, wc would bc discussing
an idca, railcr ilan somciling insicad o noiling.
1lc sccond maiicr is discusscd ilus, ii sccms cicrniiy is a rocl
and lic is cicmporancous
ircmisc
(un ilc maicrial illusion o ilc cicrnali
1lai a sionc upon oncs pail, a sionc worily o graviiys
circumspcciion, no so mucl a sionc, bui a rocl, an immcnsc
crag in our way, ilcn dcmonsiraics io man, io ilc grcaicsi
o lumans, ilai lc will sooncr malc way or cicrniiy ilan
cicrniiy will movc or lim, and, dcniicly, ilai our ragiliiy
is immcnsc in acc o absoluic immobiliiy.
1lc agc o ilc rsi man is counicd rom ilc momcni wlcn lc losi
lis immorialiiy. Adam dicd ai ninc lundrcd and iliriy. iaradoi-
cally, ilc dcicrminaiion o ilis anccsiors ilcorciical agc can bc
ormulaicd ilus: low many ycars did ilc man wiiloui a bclly
buiion livc? Answcr: ninc lundrcd and iliriy plus inniiy. wc
can ilcn concludc, ai lcasi in onc o iimcs dircciions, ilai Adam
lad always cisicd, morc prcciscly, sincc ilc inniicsimal poini
ai wlicl inniiy iouclcs noiling, and immcdiaicly bccomcs all
or noiling, wiil no middlc icrm, bccausc onc coniradicis zcro.
1
Rccalling ilai ilc drcad o ilc cicrnal lics in iis unrcaliiy; ilai
noiling, ioo, insiills ilc grcaicsi icrrors; and sincc Adam and
Lvc lavc no bclly buiion, and wcrc ilcrcorc madc ex-nihilo, rom
noiling (bui Lvc rom ilc ribi; ilc cgg and ilc cliclcn, ioo, bring
us io ilc riddlc: wlo was ilc rsi io bc born, born o noiling?
Licrniiy, as ilaio dcncs ii, is prcciscly wiiloui a subjcci, ii is
ilc rcsuli o a modcl, o an arclciypc. Rcvicwing ilc argumcnis
o iarmcnidcan stasis io dcicrminc ilai dclciion o subjcciiviiy,
wlai ioppcr callcd ilc rsi dcduciivc cosmology, wc lavc: .
unly wlai is cisis; 2. 1lc ioiling cannoi cisi; 3. 1lc world
is ull; 4. Movcmcni is an impossibiliiy; . 1lc univcrsc is onc
indivisiblc, unmovablc blocl. iinlcd io ilis argumcni, ilc idca
o cicrniiy bcgins wiil iwo impcraiivcs wc will poini oui: rsi,
ilc rclaiionslip o ilc principlc o non-coniradiciion and ilc
ccludcd middlc, ilc noiling is absurd, bccausc all ilai cisis
ciilcr is or is noi, ilcrc is no oilcr opiion; sccond ilc principlc o
ncccssiiy o ilc world, sincc all ilings rcquirc causcs and sincc
noiling is no causc ai all, sincc noiling comcs rom noiling,
ii cannoi coniain a bcginning or an cnd io ilai wlicl cisis.
Conscqucnily, i rcaliiy is onc, ilcn, bcing ilc samc as iiscl, ii
musi bc unlimiicd in all dircciions, i.c., cicrnal, cvcn during ilc
proccsscs cngcndcrcd by clangc, and, ilis, wiiloui inicrval, wiil-
oui cmpiy spaccs, a blocl. Bui i iarmcnidcs spcciral world wcrc
io cisi, ii would bc as a world wiilin a brain an ideal world in
which a dreamer believes he was conceived by a demiurge with
a reality box, a special box within which all of creation is built
and all probabilities and accidents foreseen by that supernatural
thinker. In that ideal world, the dreamer, in turn, imagines himself
to be a brilliant architect building in dreams a world within a box
very like that one he believes to be his world. And he dreams. He
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)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Falling Cat, 2uu.
9
dreams of a creature who resembles him, he conceives it in that
box. He imagines it lives with only one purpose, that of nding
the rst cause, just as he had done before, thus doubting the most
subtle variations in appearance. He dreams, even, that this man
in a box will himself make a box, a box as innite as the one he
had originally planned, reproducing the perfect nature in which
he lives in that other box. This creature will imagine other enti-
ties, free beings in an absolute space-time, and, thereby, beings
who would themselves suspect as many other gods and dreams,
dreamers and dreamed, and as many boxes as may exist from
the beginning to the end of times. 1lc bcsi answcr io ilis (by now
unoriginali noiion, is ound in Sianislaw icm: And do you lnow
wlai ilis uod, ilis Crcaior ilinls (i? Ycs, I rcplicd. 1lai Bc
is ilc samc as ilc madman. Bui, ilcn, ii is also possiblc ilai ilc
owncr o ilc dusiy laboraiory in wlicl wL arc bocs on slclvcs
is limscl a bo, a bo buili by anoilcr, siill liglcr scicniisi, wlo
las original and aniasiic noiions . . . and so on, ad innitum.
Lacl onc o ilcsc cpcrimcnicrs is uod, ilc crcaior o a univcrsc
in ilc orm o bocs and ilcir aic, and undcr lim lc las Adams
and Lvcs, and ovcr lim lis uod, onc rung up in ilc licrarcly. (i
And ilcrc is no grcaicr rcward or ilis diviniiy ilan ilc rcvoli
o ilc iron bocs ilai rccurs in cvcry gcncraiion, wlcn ilcy
concludc vcry raiionally ilai He does not exist. (Memoirs of a
Space Traveler: Further Reminiscences of Ijon Tichyi
Bui
You lavc noi allowcd or ilc wind, Bubcri, said lis aniago-
nisi, bcnding lis bow, or ilai lad bccn a bciicr sloi. (Sir walicr
Scoii, Ivanhoei.
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Item Concerning the determination of the aIien in man
1lc rsi maiicr is discusscd ilus, ii sccms man is pari o naiurc
ircmisc
ior i in ilc biological and sociological csiimaiion, man
is lands and lcari iicd io ilc world or iis lcrmcncuiic
cploraiion and dcoraiion, as in a prospcrous gardcn in
wlicl all vcgciaiion grows and is bcauiicd by ilc lands o
a carcul gardcncr, wly, ilcn, is ii noi man, wlo progrcsscs
and conqucrs so mucl, ilc iruc Amazonian orcsi o naiurc?
I, wliclcvcr way man iurns all is maicrially, symbolically
and viriually iransormcd, low arc ilcsc noi ilc ncw land-
scapcs o a ncw scnsc o ilc bucolic and pasioral? Banls
and slyscrapcrs ilc ncw mouniains; ood supply and goods
iransporiaiion nciworls ilc grcai and criilc plains; ilc
cnicriainmcni indusiry, ilc clcarings. 1lc icclno capiial
ovcrsccs, ilc slcplcrds dog rounds up ilc slccp, and ilc
wcc lambs blinl and say ycs: ilc grass is rcally rcsl!
upon rciurning rom Brazil, Amcrigo vcspucci wriics a scrics
o lciicrs iclling in prousc dciail o ilc rsi cncounicrs and
imprcssions o ilc ncw world conronicd by ilc ioriugucsc and
Spanisl ccis in uu. vcspucci, wlosc rsi namc was givcn io
ilc Amcricas, dcscribcs ilc Indian, iclling us ilcy wcrc nalcd and
aic cacl oilcr a aci mci wiil uiicr slocl by ilc wcsicrncr, and
wlicl would lavc somcwlai jusiicd ilc cvangclic and colonial
violcncc o ilc carly days o iransailaniic cpansion. ior luman
csl is an ordinary ariiclc o ood among ilcm. You may bc ilc
morc ccriain o ilis, bccausc I lavc sccn a man cai lis clildrcn
61
and wic; and I lncw a man wlo was popularly crcdiicd io lavc
caicn 3uu luman bodics. I was oncc in a ccriain ciiy or iwcniy-
scvcn days, wlcrc luman csl was lung up ncar ilc louscs,
in ilc samc way as wc cposc buiclcrs mcai. I say urilcr ilai
ilcy wcrc surpriscd ilai wc did noi cai our cncmics, and usc
ilcir csl as ood, or ilcy say ii is cccllcni. (Mundus Novusi
u coursc, ilc ncw las ilis anilropoplagic logic o ilc ncw,
las ilis capaciiy io dcsiroy all ilai was prcviously acccpicd and
io brcal wiil ilc prcvalcni ordcr, ilc dispcnscr o mcanings and
idcas. Rcvoluiion, in ilc lisiorical scnsc o ilc icrm (ilc Copcrni-
can rcvoluiion, ilc Kaniian, cic.i, carrics ilai gii, namcly, ilai ilc
lnowlcdgc o ilc pasi is cncloscd in illusion and ilai cvcryiling
will lcnccoril bc dicrcni, ncvcr bcorc livcd. ior Alain Badiou,
ilc conccpi o iruil is prcciscly inauguraicd by a ncw daium,
somciling rcvoluiionary cmcrging rom scicncc, rom ari, rom
lovc and poliiics and ilai scis o a niic proccdurc in ilc subjcci.
1lis rcvoluiionary aciion is dcpcndcni upon an inniic inquiry,
as i in aniicipaiion, ai any givcn momcni, o ilc asscriion o a uni-
vcrsal iruil. Clcarly, Badious conccpiion o iruil movcs away rom
a proposiiional modaliiy; iruil is a proccss. 1lai somciling morc
ilai cmcrgcs rom ilc siaic o ilc siiuaiion, lc calls a supplement.
wly is ii ilai only a supplement can cngcndcr a iruil? Bccausc
ii brcals wiil rcpciiiion and norm, opcns up ilc lumans cpcri-
cncc io a lorizon as vasi, noi as lnowlcdgc, bui as ilc absoluicly
unlnown. 1lai wlicl approaclcs on ilc walc o ilc supplcmcnis
brcalilrougl, ilc event, is also noi a ccriainiy; ii is coniingcni on
a risl, on a wagcr. ioiling rcgulaics iis coursc, sincc ilc aiom
ilai supporis ii las arbiiraicd ouisidc o any rulc o csiablislcd
lnowlcdgc. 1lc proccdurc ilus ollows a clancc-drivcn coursc, a
coursc wiiloui a conccpi. (Alain Badiou, Philosophy and Truthi
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)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Solar, the Blindman Eating a Papaya, 2u.
63
wlcn Didcroi wriics ilc Supplement au Voyage de Bou-
gainville, lc ialcs lis inspiraiion rom ilc accounis o luman-
isis iravclling io ilc icw world. In pariicular, lc dcals wiil ilc
landscapcs dcscribcd by iouis-Anioinc dc Bougainvillc, a ircncl
navigaior and wriicr wlo, in 11, dcscribcs a 1aliiian paradisc
(1aliii lad rsi bccn visiicd by wcsicrncrs ilc ycar bcorc Bou-
gainvillcs journcyi. unlilc vcspuccis accounis, Voyage autour du
Monde, an 8
il
ccniury bcsi-scllcr, spcals o an idyllic paradisc
populaicd by good savagcs; ilc primiiivcs o Rousscaus aniasics,
upon wlicl ilc romaniicism o losi innoccncc and ilc rciurn io
naiurc could nally bc projccicd. 1lc supplcmcni dcvclopcd by
Didcroi, railcr ilan addrcssing ciilcr vcspuccis or Bougainvillcs
vcrsion, las a wlolly dicrcni inicrprciaiion o ilc acis o ilc
ncw world. Didcroi dramaiizcs ilc wcsicrn idcological arcc in
dialog bciwccn a claplain and a naiivc namcd urou. urou:
wlai do you mcan by ilcsc words ornicaiion, inccsi, adulicry?
Claplain: Crimcs, icrriblc crimcs, or any onc o wlicl mcn arc
burni in my couniry. urou: I carc liiilc i pcoplc arc burni in
your couniry or noi. Bui you will noi indici ilc morals o Luropc
by ilosc o 1aliii nor ilosc o 1aliii by your own. You arc mis-
ialcn, my ricnd, i you ilinl all is said oncc a law is publislcd,
an ignominious word invcnicd or a ioriurc dccrccd. Answcr mc,
ilcn, wlai do you mcan by inccsi? And Didcroi is carcul io issuc
a disclaimcr (in ilc mouil o anoilcr claracicr wlo is rcading
ilc convcrsaiion abovc in ilc supplcmcnis raming narraiivci:
I nd ilc discoursc vclcmcni; bui undcr iis somcwlai abrupi
and savagc siylc, I sccm io dcicci Luropcan idcas and iurns o
plrasc. Didcroi las ilc capaciiy io scc rom aar ilc dicrcncc
wiilin ilc dicrcncc: ilc gazc wlicl dcicrmincs ilc cncounicr
wiil ilc ncw world was ncvcr anyiling oilcr ilan a condiiioncd
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gazc. 1lc grcai rcvoluiion ilai would rcsuli rom ilc imprcssion
o ilc Amcricas (as would laicr bc ilc casc in Aricai is rcvcalcd in
a grcai conccpiual abscncc. 1lc dcgrcc io wlicl ilc non-cisicni
is implicii in ilc idca o ncw (ii was ilus ar unlnown, all ilis
is ncw, and noiling will bc as bcorci rcmains unalicrcd. 1lis
slows low rcmiss or conirary Luropcan logoccnirism is iowards
ilc oilcrncss produccd by cncounicrs bciwccn culiurcs, ilc
uilcr a Fata Morgana.
1lc sccond maiicr is discusscd ilus, ii sccms ilcn ilai ilc world
is alicn.
I in classical logic ilc bcing is ilc samc as limscl (idcniiiy
principlci, lc is or is noi (non-coniradiciioni, ilcrc is no oilcr
opiion (ilc ccludcd middlci. And i ilosc cisicniial quaniicrs
and prcmiscs only poini man io ilc incrcncc o a grcai solipsisi
incrno, sincc ilis pail lcads only io ilc ollowing dcduciion:
i ilc world is all dicrcncc, and i ilc asscriion o dicrcncc
implics ii is ilc samc as iiscl, ilcn, sincc in considcring ilc
world is or is noi, cvcryiling indicaics ilai ii is, ilcn, i bcing is
univocal, ilc world cnmcslcd in dicrcncc can only bc equivocal,
ilcrc bcing no oilcr opiion ilan ilc asscriion o dicrcncc; and,
ilcrcorc, wiiloui ilc possibiliiy o lnowing anyiling wiil any
ccriainiy, wc arc lci wiil non-scnsc: ilc world is unlnowablc.
1lc oldcsi lnown Briiisl jolc daics bacl io ilc u
il
ccniury
and gocs lilc ilis: wlai langs ai a mans iligl and wanis io
polc ilc lolc ilai iis oicn polcd bcorc? Answcr: A lcy. 1lc
anii-plilosoplical iradiiion bcgins wiil Diogcncs o Sinopc.
1cllingly, all ilai las comc down io us o ilis plilosoplcr arc
ilc anccdoics aiiribuicd io lim; in csscncc, vignciics in wlicl
6
lc siaics inconvcnicni iruils. 1lus, lis cynical plilosoply las
ilc sirangc claracicrisiic o noi nding iiscl plilosoplical, o
consiraining iiscl in ilc acc o ilc proiocols o wisdom, in oilcr
words, o noi bcing lcd by ilc paicrnal signicr, noi occupying
ilc posiiion iacan dcscribcs as ilc subject supposed to know
(ilai o ilc analysi during iranscrcncci. Diogcncs viriuc is, ilcn,
morc ilai o a plysiologisi ilan o a plilosoplcr: uncc as lc was
masiurbaiing opcnly in ilc Agora, lc cclaimcd: Al, i I could
only sooilc my lungcr by also rubbing my siomacl! (Diogcncs
iacriius, Lives of Eminent Philosophersi 1lcrc is somclow a will
in ilc body ilai docs noi answcr io ilc prcsumpiion o conscicncc.
wc scc lcrc ilc imporiancc psycloanalysis aiiribuics io ircud-
ian slips, lapscs and misialcs, and wlicl can bc ramcd in ilc
samc maicrialisiic guilclcssncss o cynicism, morc clcarly wlcn
iruil cbbs io ilc suracc. In ormcr ycars, wlcn I madc morc
calls ai ilc lomcs o paiicnis ilan I do ai prcscni, ii oicn lap-
pcncd, wlcn I siood bcorc a door wlcrc I slould lavc lnoclcd
or rung ilc bcll, ilai I would pull ilc lcy o my own lousc rom
my poclci, only io rcplacc ii, quiic abaslcd. (i Ii was cquivalcni
io ilc ilougli Bcrc I ccl ai lomc. (ircud, Psychopathology of
Everyday Lifei By ilc ircudian slip or ilrougl non-scnsc, wc scc
low ilc splcrc o ilc rcal is always grcaicr ilan ilc splcrc o
possibiliiics. In ilc rcal, ilc possiblc lappcns, and ilai unca-
siblc mcans only ilai ii is ouisidc ilc scopc o ilc rcprcscniablc.
Lpisodcs o ilis naiurc occur accidcnially and insianiancously,
and arc immcdiaicly cclipscd, bricy cposing ilc siu ilc body
is madc o, a sympiom, maybc ilc only naiurc wc posscss.
iilc ilc mciaplysical jolc, ilai ilinling obsiaclc, soplism
docs noi cscapc ilc modcling o involuniary gcsiurcs, bui only
suggcsis ilc cnirancc inio ilc qucsiion o ilc problcmaiic. 1lc
lcy is noi or ilis locl.
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1lcy say Diogcncs dicd ai somc ninciy ycars o agc. 1lcrc
arc scvcral vcrsions o lis dcail. Somc say, aicr lc aic raw ocio-
pus, lc cli colic and dicd. According io oilcrs, lc dicd voluniarily,
lolding lis brcail.
A brief epiIogue
wc now prcscni, by way o summary and cplanaiion, ilc argu-
mcniaiivc synopsis ilis ici is commiiicd io, and wlicl, by cccss
ormalism, is rcmiss in noi maling clcar ilc ollowing:
iacans asscriion ilai ilcrc is no sexual rapport, reason,
or relation, can also cplain ilai ilcrc is no existential rapport,
reason or relation. 1lc cniirc casiraiion complc rcvolvcs around
ilc plallic issuc. ilaloccnirism and solipsism arc cnigmaiically
linlcd; ilc iling iiscl is noi consubsianiiaicd in a prcscncc, bui
railcr is a ilcorciical and cvancsccni iling, in wlicl ilc lacuna
in ilc subjcci is noi a lacuna in ilc world, bui ilc aciiciiy o a
supcr-abundancc ilai, in cposing iiscl, provcs io bc grcaicr
ilan iis rciinal imprcssions. Ii is man, and noi ilc world, ilai
disappcars.
All o mans aciiviiy, ari includcd, is vanquislcd by a
rcgimc o inlcrcni domcsiiciiy; namcly, in so ar as lnowlcdgc
is imparicd, no maiicr wlai ii may bc, any and all worl, in ilc
scnsc o mcnial and bodily cori iowards an cnd, a ulllmcni,
is as ar rom wild as ilc mosi surprising o mcclanical cucloos.
1lc lopc was ilai Ari could somclow rcdccm ilis panorama
ilai so diminislcs mans libcriarian csscncc, by diving, in iurn,
inio ilc unconscious and iis drivcs, as i impcrvious io modcr-
niiy and civilizaiion, io bc rcborn as ilc mirror scl o man, lilc
limscl, bui inluman: prcciscly, ilc oilcr io ilc condiiioncd
61
)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Cassowary, 2uu.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
68
man, ilc uncondiiional luman. Ii docs noi sccm amiss io now
call ilai savagc o ilc imaginary ilc alicn, as i ari, in ordcr io
bciicr poriray ilc iruly iragic dimcnsion o luman coniingcncy,
wcrc io supprcss ilc subjcci o quoiidian banaliiy and rc-inscribc
lim in a narraiivc, ilc subicrrancan and clandcsiinc lisiory o
cisicncc, 1lis is ilc miraclc o ilc worl o ari in gcncral, ilai
ii can disiill in iiscl wlai is mosi iniolcrablc, mosi unbcarablc
and painul wiiloui, in ilc proccss, bccoming morial. (Inicrvicw
wiil Danicl Dobbclsi
Ari las always proposcd io mcicorically conccivc ilc ncw,
and wiil ii, ilc uilcr, ilai wlicl comcs o a minimum cisicn-
iial dcgrcc, io ilc maimum o iis oniological inicnsiiy. As or
wlai cscapcs ilc bounds o sucl gcncric dcniiion, wc migli
say, wc lool asidc.
Arclacological spoils o lisiory. Lcavaiing ircncl , Lyri, Iccland.
(ploio: Bjrnar ulscni
1lings arc bacl, or so ilc rumors say. Aicr a ccniury o oblivion in
mosi social and culiural rcscarcl, and aicr dccadcs o linguisiic
and iciual iurns, ilcrc is now mucl iall aboui a maicrial iwisi:
a (rciiurn io ilings. 1lc ascinaiion wiil Saussurc, Dcrrida and
discoursc las diminislcd, maiicr las rcplaccd symbols; signs
lavc bccn subsiiiuicd by ilings. As ncaily summarizcd by lis-
iorian iranl 1rcnimann, a[icr ilc iurn io discoursc and signs
in ilc laic iwcniicil ccniury, ilcrc is a ncw ascinaiion wiil ilc
maicrial siu o lic.
Coming rom a disciplinc wlcrc ilc siudy

o ilings or ilc lasi 1u ycars or so las bccn closc io a disciplinary
caicgorical impcraiivc, ilis clangc o aiiiiudc is o coursc grcai
ncws. Indccd onc gcis dccply imprcsscd, cvcn sliglily movcd, by
wiincssing low disciplincs and praciiiioncrs ilai noi so long ago
slowcd liiilc morc ilan disinicrcsi, cvcn disiasic or ilc objcci,
now ircai ii wiil sucl obvious carc and conccrn.
uivcn ilis sinccrc and widcsprcad dcvoiion ii is pcrlaps
liiilc morc ilan a iriing iribal scibacl io obscrvc ilai ilc lnowl-
cdgc and slills posscsscd by ilc iradiiional iling disciplincs, sucl
as arclacology, cilnology and olllorc siudics, sccm so irrclcvani
io ilosc wlo currcnily cmbracc objccis wiil sucl cnilusiasm
and cmpaily. icvcrilclcss - and apologics or any disciplinary
iranl 1rcnimann, Maicrialiiy in ilc iuiurc o Bisiory: 1lings, iraciiccs, and

ioliiics, Journal of British Studies 48, no. 2 (2uu9i: 283.
1he Return of 1hings and the Savagery
of the ArchaeoIogicaI ubject
Bioiti uisi
11
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
12
siubbornncss and narcissism - ii is prcciscly ilis ncglcci I wani
io siari oui wiil. Also bccausc ii can slcd ligli on my gcncral
conccrn aboui wlcilcr ii is ilc ilings ilcmsclvcs ilai arc bacl,
or, railcr, somc vcry domcsiicaicd or disguiscd subsiiiuics.
1he savagery of archaeoIogy
wlilc arclacology bccamc a popular i obligaiion-rcc caicl
word during ilc iciual rcgimc, and libcrally uscd by pliloso-
plcrs, liicrary criiics and psyclologisis in nccd or somciling
sucicnily mciaplorically maicrial io buiircss ilcir absiraci
conccpiions wiil, ilc namc o ilis brand las paradoically almosi
complcicly vanislcd rom vicw wlcn ilcrc in aci is a maicrial
iurn. Dcspiic iis pcrsisicni commiimcni io ilings, arclacology
or somc rcasons sccms morc or lcss irrclcvani or ilosc wlo now
cagcrly claim io lavc rciurncd io wlai las always bccn our primc
subjcci maiicr. 1o namc bui onc camplc, u12 pagcs o Bruno
iaiour and icicr wcibcls Making Things Public
2
coniain ilc
worl o anilropologisis, ari lisiorians, lcgal lisiorians, ariisis,
arcliiccis, dcsigncrs, cnginccrs, curaiors, plilosoplcrs, psyclolo-
gisis, sociologisis o scicncc and icclnology, and cvcn Lnglisl
procssors, linguisis and poliiical ilcorisis; bui no arclacologisis.
ioi onc! And ilis is dcspiic ilc aci ilai no oilcr disciplinc las
donc morc io malc ilings public. wly ii is ilai arclacology ilc
disciplinc o ilings par excellence is considcrcd irrclcvani io
a discussion o things?
unc lilcly suggcsiion may bc ilai arclacology dcals wiil
ilc disiani pasi; iis dcvoicdncss io bygonc cras and moss-covcrcd
2
Bruno iaiour and icicr wcibcl, cds., Making Things Public: Atmospheres of
Democracy (Cambridgc, Mass: 1lc MI1 ircss, 2uui.
1BL RL1uRN uI 1BI NuS ANu 1BL SAvAuLRY uI 1BL ARCBALuIuuI CAI uB) LC1
13
or dusiy ruins rcndcrs ii irrclcvani, givcn ilc social scicnccs
conccrn wiil ilc modcrn, ilc living, and ilc now. Againsi ilis
pcrsisicni imagc ii is probably uiilc io lcciurc on low arclacol-
ogys cicnsivc lisi o iopics includc modcrn bccr consumpiion
3
,
iransisior radios and clcciriciiy,
4
laic 2u
il
ccniury Sovici mining
iowns,
and lunar and planciary rclics o spacc cploraiion?

6
Bowcvcr, ilcrc may bc oilcr and somcwlai morc subilc
argumcnis io couni or ilc uncasc wiil wlicl arclacology is
conccivcd in mainsircam social scicnccs and lumaniiics. Doing
arclacology usually brings io mind ilc down and diriy o cld-
worl. un ilc onc land, sucl aciiviiics and praciiccs arc sccn
as sliglily clildisl and cvcn cmbarrassing (grown-up pcoplc
digging in ilc sandi, always iriggcring a smilc or a jolc. uur
cploraiions and discovcrics may bc wcll suiicd or popular
consumpiion ilrougl programs on ilc Discovcry or iaiional
ucograplic Clanncls, bui noi or ilc discourscs and inicllcciual
issucs wiil wlicl social scicnccs wrcsilc.
3
william Railjc and Miclacl McCarily, Rcgulariiy and variabiliiy in Conicm-
porary uarbagc, in Research strategies in historical archaeology, cd. S. Souil
(icw Yorl: Acadcmic ircss, 911i, 26-286.
4
Miclacl Sclicr, The Portable Radio in American Life (1ucson: univcrsiiy o Ari-
zona ircss, 99i; Miclacl Sclicr, Power Struggles: Scientic Authority and
the Creation of Practical Electricity before Edison (Cambridgc MA: 1lc MI1 ircss,
2uu8i.
Llin Andrcasscn, Bcin Bjarimann Bjcrcl, and Bjrnar ulscn, Persistent Memo-
ries: Piramiden A Soviet Mining Town in the High Arctic (1rondlcim, iorway:
1apir Acadcmic ircss, 2uui.
6
icicr )oscpl Capcloiii, The Human Archaeology of Space: Lunar, Planetary and
Interstellar Relics of Exploration ()ccrson, i.C.: Mciarland iublislcrs, 2uui.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
14
un ilc oilcr land, ilcrc is an clcmcni o bluc collar savagcry
associaicd wiil ilc arclacological ioil. Arclacologisis dig ruins,
sori ilrougl wlai our orcbcars rcgardcd as irasl, wc landlc
dcad bodics, and ilis craft,
1
involving dircci and iougl cngagc-
mcnis wiil soil and rocls, worling ouidoors and gciiing diriy,
docs noi comply wcll wiil ilc dominani imagc o inicllcciual
worl. 1aling inio accouni ilc long lcld bourgcois conicmpi in
acadcmia (cspccially in ilc lumaniiicsi or diri, manual labour,
and worling class lic in gcncral, ii may noi comc as a big sur-
prisc ilai ilc crai o arclacology, and iis rcpugnani irivia, is
noi ioo casiblc. 1lis oilcrncss, ilis disciplinary savagcry, las
also madc arclacology diculi io locaic wiilin ilc acadcmic
landscapc, a lumanisi disciplinc cnmcslcd wiil an array o
insirumcnis, mcilods and praciiccs always unolding in closc
collaboraiion wiil ilc naiural scicnccs.
8

1he wished for objects of return
Sucl acadcmic norms and licrarclics o valuc may also lavc
accicd ilc conccpiion o ilc wislcd or objccis o rciurn. )usi
givc ii a ilougli, wlai linds o ilings arc allowcd inio ilc warmil
o ilc social scicnccs? wlai ilings arc spolcn and wriiicn aboui?
Arc lay raclcis bacl? Bavc log louscs, rcplaccs, wlorls and
1
C. Miclacl Slanls, and Randall Mcuuirc, 1lc Crai o Arclacology, American
Antiquity 6, no. (996i: 1-88.
8
Bjrnar ulscn, In Defense of Things: Archaeology and the Ontology of Objects
(ianlam, Md.: AliaMira ircss, 2uui; Bjrnar ulscn, Miclacl Slanls, 1imo-
ily wcbmoor, and Clrisioplcr wiimorc, Archaeology: The Discipline of Things
(Bcrlclcy: univcrsiiy o Caliornia ircss, 2u2i.
1
spindlcbacl clairs bccomc maiicrs o conccrn? ilini dcbris, bro-
lcn pois, posi lolcs and nci sinlcrs? And wlai aboui door lnobs,
rcrigcraiors and bunl bcds? 1lcy may o coursc bc prcscni bui
lcang ilrougl somc o ilc laicsi volumcs and journal issucs
carrying ilc conccpis o maiicr, maicrialiiy, ilings and objccis
on ilcir roni covcrs, railcr suggcsi ilai wlai wc arc wiincssing
is a somcwlai condiiioncd and sclcciivc rciurn. Ai lcasi ilcsc
irivial ariiacis, brolcn ilings and dusiy muscum objccis arc noi
quiic in ilc samc lcaguc as Boylcs air pump, ilc body, Sccond
iic, prosilcscs and iniclligcni dcsign. 1lcrc may bc an obvious
ascinaiion wiil ilings bui noi jusi any iling.
ior camplc, wlcn iranl 1rcnimann is io subsianiiaic
lis claim o a ncw ascinaiion or ilc maicrial siu o lic, lc
providcs a sccmingly cicnsivc lisi o siu ranging rom:
)anc Campions lm The Piano (993i, biograplics o objccis,
and clibiiions in ilc iiil Bcrlin Bicnnial or Conicmpo-
rary Ari, wlcn 1lings Casi io Sladow (2uu8i, all ilc way
io public dcbaics aboui ilc iransormaiion o luman csl
and mind in an agc o nanoicclnology, cloning, and cyborgs.
9
Indccd an inicrcsiing invcniory. icaving io onc sidc wlai any
arclacologisi could lavc inormcd lim, namcly ilai ilc agc o
ilc cyborg siaricd somc . million ycars ago and ilus ilai wc
always lavc bccn cyborgs
u
, ilc sclccicd iicms on 1rcnimanns
lisi is aciually quiic sympiomaiic: lm, biograplics, ari clibi-
9
iranl 1rcnimann, Maicrialiiy in ilc iuiurc o Bisiory: 1lings, iraciiccs, and
ioliiics, Journal of British Studies 48, no. 2 (2uu9i: 283.
u
Scc Bjrnar ulscn ci al., Archaeology.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
16
iions, luman csl (and mindi, nanoicclnology, cloning. wlcrc
arc ilc ordinary ilings wc dcal wiil in our cvcryday lic? wlcrc
arc ilc sircci liglis, wall plasicr, sloclaccs, car iircs, buiions,
slccpcrs, bcsoms, orls, sinls, ioilci scais and doggy bags?
And wlcn ilcsc diligcni and incviiablc lcrocs o our cvc-
ryday lic arc missing, ii is no wondcr ilai ilc uncanny arclaco-
logical maicrial is lci oui. Arclacological objccis arc oicn bully,
ragmcnicd or brolcn; ilcy comc in cnormous quaniiiics, ll-
ing up sioragc rooms, muscum ccllars and labs. 1ruc, ilcrc arc
marvcls, ircasurcs; lowcvcr, morc oicn ilan noi arclacological
ilings doni siimulaic acsilciic plcasurc. And onc may spcculaic
low ilcsc mcssy ilings, oicn rcusing io bc labclcd and idcnii-
cd, comply wiil ilc wislcd or objccis o rciurn? 1lings may bc
wclcomcd bacl, bui ilcy slould bc clcan, wlolc, and prccrably
discursivc or ploiograplcd; and noi so many and claoiic, plcasc,
and ai ilc vcry lcasi bc casy io labcl.
1lcsc rarcly discusscd prccrcnccs lavc clcarly prcvcnicd
morc ilan dug-up objccis rom bcing pcrmiiicd cniry inio ilc
ncw and supposcdly iling-ricndly cnvironmcnis. Bowcvcr, as I
slall dcscribc soon, ilcrc migli bc oilcr and morc subilc issucs
involvcd.
1he reaI Dasein
Ii migli bc objccicd ilai my complainis aboui ilc cclusion o
ccriain disciplincs and ilings rom ilis admirablc rcpairiaiion
campaign misscs ilc wlolc poini aboui ilc maicrial iurn; ilai
ilc main issuc is low wc conccivc o ilings and ilc allowancc
now gcncraicd or maiicr and maicrialiiy in ilc discussion o
sociciy and culiurc. 1lis migli bc iruc, bui low ilings and maiicr
11
arc conccivcd o by ilcir ncw sialcloldcrs docs noi ncccssarily
ocr rcassurancc. In aci, ilc spccd and sccming casc wiil wlicl
ilc iransiiion rom social consiruciivisi idcas io maiicr iool
placc was almosi ioo smooil and scamlcss io bc iruc. As argucd
clscwlcrc
, ilings may bc conspicuously prcscni in currcni

discourscs and ilcorics bui oicn in a modc condiiioncd by ilc
ccciivc lisiorics o prcvious noi-so-iling-ricndly plilosoplics.
In oilcr words, ilc objcci may lavc rciurncd, bui ii is an objcci
ilai oicn complics surprisingly wcll wiil ilc cpcciaiions o
prcvious rclaiivisi and social consiruciivisi programs. 1lus
ilc condiiional rcsiriciions o ilc rciurn arc noi only rcccicd
in which things arc allowcd bacl bui also in which mode ilcy
arc allowcd io bc.
wc scc ilis in ilc populariiy o all linds o maiicr-in-u
approaclcs wlcrc ilings, objccis, maicrials, arc ncvcr allowcd
io bc lard, siablc, lasiing or in placc. 1lings arc always blurrcd,
unsiablc, porous, scaiicrcd and mobilc. 1lings can clangc
quiclly and wiiloui warning, rigli in roni o our cycs jusi as
in a magicians slow,
2
and i noi so abrupily ilcy arc siill always
in ow.
3
In oilcr words, cvcryiling solid is siill mcliing inio
ilc air. And ii complics wcll wiil ilc morally loadcd conccpiual
Bjrnar ulscn, Kccping 1lings ai Arms icngil: A ucncalogy o Asymmciry,

World Archaeology 39, no. 4 (2uu1i: 1988; Bjrnar ulscn, In Defense of Things:
Archaeology and the Ontology of Objects (ianlam, Md.: AliaMira ircss, 2uui.
2
Cornclius Bolior, ioics on ilc iic Bisiory o a ioi Slcrd, Journal of Material
Culture 1, no. (2uu2i: .
3
L.g. 1im Ingold, Maicrials againsi Maicrialiiy, Archaeological Dialogues 4, no.
(2uu1i: 6; 1im Ingold, Bindings againsi Boundarics: Lnianglcmcnis o iic
in an upcn world, Environment and Planning A 4u, no. 8 (2uu8i: 1968u.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
18
licrarcly, wlcrc clangc, dynamics, ow, is ai iop and pcrsisicncy,
solidiiy and inplaccncss always is ai ilc boiiom. According io ilis
rcgimc, ilcrc arc no inirinsic valucs or csscnccs (cvcryiling is
produccd in rclaiions, is lybridizcd or quasii, no sccurc ccnicrs,
and o coursc siabiliiy is rcaciionary and oui o ilc qucsiion. 1o
paraplrasc )udiil Aiicld, ilc maicrial world las bccomc dcma-
icrializcd io ilc cicni ilai wc can no longcr bclicvc our cycs.
4
And low could wc bclicvc our cycs; low, in aci, could wc
livc our livcs and oilcr cniiiics livc ilcir livcs i wlai wc wcrc
iold was iruc? ioriunaicly ii is noi. 1lings arc also solid, ilc
maicrial world lasis. Duc io ilis pcrsisicncy ilc maicrial world
is always dirccicd alcad o iiscl and inio ilc uiurc. As mucl
as ilings lasi ilcy arc also in placc; ai lcasi cnougl o ilcm io
malc our cisicncc prcdiciablc and sccurc. 1lcy arc boil ilc
mosi binding pari o ilc communal rlyilm,
and wlai malcs

lisiory slow.
6
wlcn wc walc up iomorrow, ilc bcd, room, and
lousc arc siill ilcrc and in placc. So ioo arc our privaic bclong-
ings, oilcr louscs, ilc sirccis, wircs and pipclincs ilai conncci
ilcm. Buscs and cars, ilc slops and aciorics, ilc cnccs and
gardcns, ilc mouniains and irccs, arc all ilcrc in ilcir dormani
rcady-io-landncss and consiiiuic ilc inconicsiablc acquisiiion
o our slarcd lic world. In oilcr words, and as wc cpcci, ilings
arc ovcrwlclmingly there; ilcy arc ilc rcal Dasein.
4
)udy Aiicld, Wild Things: The Material Culture of Everyday Life (uord: Bcrg,
2uuui, 42.
walicr Bcnjamin, Selected Writings, volume 1: 19131926 (Cambridgc, Mass.:

Bcllnap ircss, 996i, 48.
6
Miclcl Scrrcs, Genesis (Ann Arbor: univcrsiiy o Micligan ircss, 99i, 81.
19
Notes on a bygone Zeitgeist?
1lcn wly isni ilcrc morc conccrn wiil ilings qua things? wly
lavcni ilc irivial, ilc cvcryday and cvcrywlcrc bccomc mai-
icrs o conccrn? And wly, wc may add, docs ilc discardcd and
ouidaicd, sucl as ilc arclacological spoils o lisiory, inici an
cmbarrassmcni or disiurbancc? In lis classic worl, The Philoso-
phy of Money,
1
ucorg Simmcl noicd a sccmingly paradoical
icndcncy in ilc modcrn aiiiiudc ioward ilings: ai ilc samc iimc
ilai ilings wcrc losing ilcir cmbcddcd social and rcady-io-land
mcaning, ilcrc was a growing inicrcsi in and ascinaiion or ilc
singular and assumcd auilcniic objcci. Bc saw ilis ncw inicrcsi
in inicrior dccoraiions, in aniiquiiics, in iurning objccis inio
ari, as basically bcing an aci o rcdcmpiion. Ii was bccausc ilc
ncw moncy-condiiioncd rclaiionslips lad dcprivcd ilings o ilcir
ormcr livcd mcaning, ilai a subsiiiuic was consciously sougli:
Sincc so many objccis coniinuously dciaclcd by moncy losc ilcir
dircciion-givcn signicancc or us, ilcrc dcvclops... a dccp ycarn-
ing io givc ilings a ncw imporiancc, a dccpcr mcaning, a valuc o
ilcir own.
8
In Simmcls ranl siylc, ilc ncw obscssion wiil ilc
ragmcni, wiil ilc aiomizcd and acsilciicizcd iling, bccomcs
liiilc morc ilan comoriing siimulaiion or wcalcncd ncrvcs:
1lc prcscni vividly cli clarm or ilc ragmcni, ilc mcrc
allusion, ilc aplorism, ilc symbol placcs[ us ai a dis-
iancc rom ilc subsiancc o ilings; ilcy spcal io us as
rom aar; rcaliiy is iouclcd noi wiil dircci condcncc
1
ucorg Simmcl, The Philosophy of Money (iondon: Rouilcdgc, 918i.
8
Simmcl, The Philosophy of Money, 4u4.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
80
bui wiil ngcriips ilai arc immcdiaicly wiildrawn. 1lc
mosi circmc rcncmcni o our liicrary siylc avoids ilc
dircci claracicrizaiion o objccis; ii only iouclcs a rcmoic
corncr o ilcm wiil ilc word, and grasps noi ilc iling bui
only ilc vcil ilai cnvclops ilcm... In all ilis wc discovcr
an cmoiional iraii wlosc pailological dcormaiion is ilc
so-callcd agoraplobia: ilc car o coming inio ioo closc
a coniaci wiil objccis.
9

Somc dccadcs laicr walicr Bcnjamin dcvclopcd a similar pcrspcc-
iivc in lis wriiings on ilc modcrn aiiiiudc iowards ilings. Bis
main conccrn was low a mimciic and auraiic aiicniivcncss
io ilings was giving way io modcrniiys sublimaicd and iniimaic
aiiiiudc. wlilc ilc mimciic aiiiiudc implicd a rcspcci or ilings
in ilcir oilcrncss and ilcir auraiic own-ncss, ilc modcrn gazc
was isomorplic, subjcciing ilcm io iniimacy and samcncss.
2u

As mosi conspicuously ccmplicd by ilc intrieur o bourgcois
lomc, ilings lad complcicly losi ilcir oilcrncss and individualiiy.
1lcy wcrc scnicnccd io scrdom and bccamc noiling bui labcls
o privacy, aiilully mirroring ilcir owncr.
wlilc ilings oilcrncss originally was ilc sourcc o com-
municaiion and inicraciion, ilc loss o ilc mimciic capaciiy
madc ilings dicrcncc problcmaiic and carsomc. 1lcir maicrial
inicgriiy bccamc a ilrcai and ilus a subjcci or domcsiicaiion.
In a rcmarlablc ragmcni, Bcnjamin cprcsscd low modcrn
9
Simmcl, The Philosophy of Money, 414.
2u
Bcllnap ircss, 2uu2i, 2-26.
81
man, clillcd in a clilly cnvironmcni
2
, irics io ovcrcomc ilis
maicrial csirangcmcni:
warmil is cbbing rom ilings. ubjccis o daily usc gcnily
bui insisicnily rcpcl us. Day by day, in ovcrcoming ilc sum o
sccrci rcsisianccs . . . wc lavc an immcnsc labor io pcrorm.
wc musi compcnsaic or ilcir coldncss wiil our warmil
i ilcy arc noi io rcczc us io dcail, and landlc ilcir spiny
orms wiil inniic dcicriiy i wc arc noi io blccd io dcail.
22
Simmcl and Bcnjamins wriiings bring oril low ilc modcrn
aiiiiudc io ilings cmbroils an ambiguiiy: a car o ilings in
ilcir ilingly oilcrncss and, simuliancously, a rcdcmpiivc
longing or ilc warmil o ilc aiomizcd and lumanizcd ariiaci.
1lings oilcrncss and disiinciivcncss unsciilc and disiori us,
and ilus urgc mcans or domcsiicaiion and subordinaiion.
Among acadcmics and inicllcciuals languagc las always bccn
ilc main iaming dcvicc io copc wiil ilc uncasc and discomori
inicicd by ilc unmcdiaicd and ilc raw. By subjcciing ilcm io
words ilc objccis disquiciing maicrial obsiinacy is counicrcd.
Maling ilings perform lilc words, cnslaving ilcm in scmioiic
wcbs o rclaiions, is anoilcr bui morc scrious cprcssion o
ilis cncroaclmcni.
2
22
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82
ConcIusion: 1he fear of udradek
Dcspiic ilc nuanccs and cccpiions ilai any aiicmpi ai a gross
gcncralizaiion will cncounicr, ii can siill bc argucd orccully ilai
ilc buzz aboui a (rciiurn io ilings is somcwlai ovcrsiaicd or, ai
lcasi, is a vcry condiiional clangc o coursc. 1lc ilings brougli
bacl, and low ilcy arc conccivcd, arc io a largc cicni subjccicd
io siubborn mciaplysics ilai siill lold sway ovcr our conccpiion
o ilc maicrial world and ilc lnowlcdgc allowcd aboui ii. 1lings
primarily appcar io us in ilc modc o usculncss (and rclaiional-
iiyi and as phenomena pcrcolaicd ilrougl Kaniian cogniiion.
23

1lcir oilcrncss, ilcir ilingly and savagc sidc, is banislcd io
ilc margins, io ilc darl placcs and ilc undcrground. )usi lilc
Kalas udradcl, ilings in ilcir dicrcncc lavc io lidc in crcv-
iccs, in aiiics, closcd-o rooms and lallways, rom wlcrc ilcy
may rcapproacl us wiil ilcir carsomc coldncss and spiny orms.
In a world incrcasingly subjccicd io smooil dcsign and pcr-
cciion ilis oilcr sidc o ilings is mosi conspicuously discloscd
in ilc ouidaicd and sirandcd, in discardcd and abandoncd objccis;
in ilc maicrial rcdundancy o ilc pasi. In ilis siaic o abandoncd
bcing, rccd rom ilc drudgcry o bcing uscul
24
and rclcascd
rom ilc clains o rclaiions ilcy lavc bccn cnslavcd in, ilings
ownncss and inicgriiy arc nally allowcd io slinc ilrougl and
cvcn io bccomc dominani. Maybc ilai is wly wc nd dcrclici
23
Dag 1. Andcrsson, Tingenes taushet, tingenes tale (uslo: Solum iorlag, 2uui, 82-
9u.
24
Bcllnap ircss, 2uu2i, 39.
83
louscs, abandoncd buildings and siics, so iroublcsomc. 1lings
bccomc morc prcscni, morc manicsi bui also, as wiil udradcl,
morc pcsicring and disquiciing. In ilcir ouimodcd and sirandcd
aic ilings suddcnly appcar io us in ways ncvcr noiiccd, cposing
ilcir own unruly ilingncss, inicgriiy and inlcrcni sourcc o
signicaiion. Maybc ilis ilus also cplains somc o ilc uncasc
wiil wlicl ilc arclacological objcci is accounicd or, by mal-
ing manicsi ilc usclcss, ilc orgoiicn, ilc unlnown and lcss
dcsirablc sidc o ilings. Bcing uncarilcd ilcsc savagc objccis
arc brougli bacl rom ilcir conccalmcni bui, as wc lavc sccn,
arc yci io bc rciurncd.
II
iariics asscmblc around ilc modcl.
Illusiraiion: Clrisiinc Corncll and Lyal wcizman, 2uu8.
In his forthcoming book, 1lc icasi o All iossiblc Lvils,
archi-
tect Eyal Weizman focuses on the participation of architec-
tural and spatial devices in contemporary forms of power,
particularly in the ethical economy of calculating the optimum
balance between good and evil, inherent to humanitarian and
military practices at large. According to Weizman, this liberal
ethics of the lesser evil constitutes a eld of calculation that
needs to be broken and disrupted so that political claims might
emerge. As part of this process, architectural objects are often
transformed into material witnesses within the context of
public and legal forums, referring to another central aspect
of Weizmans recent work, the idea of orcnsic arcliicciurc a
method for reconstructing violent events from their inscription
in the built environment.
The following conversation took place in London, at the
Centre for Research Architecture, 2012.
uodofredo Pereira - I would lilc io siari wiil ilc camplc o ilc
prcscniaiion o a iopograplical modcl o ilc wall scparaiing
Isracl and ialcsiinc in couri,
2
wlcrc opiions or ilrcc pos-
Lyal wcizman, The Least of All Possible Evils: Humanitarian Violence from
Arendt to Gaza (iondon: vcrso, 2u2i.
2
In 2uu4 ilc iopograplical modcl o Bcii Souril arca in ilc wcsi Banl was
In Lcess of CaIcuIations:
a conversation with LyaI weizman
81
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siblc rouics wcrc prcscnicd, and duc io wlicl, suddcnly ilc
discoursc o law lad io bc rc-organizcd, ii lad io lcarn low
io lool ai arcliicciurc. In The Least of All Possible Evils you
givc ilis camplc: bccausc ilc judgcs bcncl was ioo ligl
and ilc iablc ioo low, ilc judgcs could noi scc ilc modcl
wiil sucicni clariiy rom wlcrc ilcy sai, and ilcy lad io
sicp down io lool ai ii propcrly. 1lc judgcs also callcd ilc
lawycrs rom boil pariics io join ilcm. And urilcr on you
arguc: 1lc modcl gcncraicd ilc gcograplical grammar or
ilc law io slapc plysical rcaliiy. As a modcl ilc wall is
ilcrcorc alrcady a orm o poliiical inicrvcniion. I supposc
ii is rom ilis ilai ilc idca o orcnsic arcliicciurc cmcrgcs?
LyaI weizman - 1lc projcci o orcnsic arcliicciurc originaics
rom ilis siory so mucl o wlai las siruciurcd ilc projcci
is alrcady ilcrc. iirsily, ilc iniroduciion o arcliicciural
rcprcscniaiions as cvidcncc inio couri is noi simply yci
anoilcr iypc o cvidcncc ilai is addcd io oilcrs; railcr, ii
is an inicrvcniion in ilc languagc by wlicl ilc lcgal proc-
css unolds. 1lc iniroduciion o an arcliicciural modcl
spawns an arcliicciural discussion and ilc lcgal proccss
bccomcs spacc maling, arcliicciurc in aciion. 1lc sccond
iling ilai lappcns ilcrc is ilai ilc modcl sliis rom bcing
cvidcncc io bccoming an agcni in ilc proccss. Ii is iniiially
prcscnicd io dcmonsiraic ilai a less invasive wall a lcsscr
cvil is possiblc. Bui iis objcci qualiiy, iis maicrial prop-
prcscnicd in ilc Isracli Bigl Couri o )usiicc (BC)i in )crusalcm, as pari o an
appcal againsi scgmcnis o ilc wall ilai would scparaic ilc villagcrs rom 3uu
acrcs o ilcir clds. C. wcizman, The Least of All Possible Lvils.
89
I N LXCLSS uI CAICuIA1I uNS: A CuNvLRSA1I uN wI 1B LYAI wLI zMAN
criics, iis dimcnsions, crcaic anoilcr iypc o discussion,
anoilcr grammar, anoilcr orm o inicraciion and anoilcr
plysical spacc. So ii is no longcr cvidcncc bui a icrrcsirial
aricaci wlicl, wlcn couplcd wiil ilc lcgal discussion, gcn-
craics a dcsign scssion. I, iniiially, wc arc spcal o orcnsic
arcliicciurc as ilc prcscniaiion o arcliicciural cvidcncc
in ordcr io rcndcr judgmcni on ccriain cvcnis, ilc modcl
subscqucnily ialcs ilc lcad and siaris mobilizing a proccss
by wlicl ilc dcsign lappcns in couri. 1lai is, a dicrcni
lind o orcnsic cnginccring, i.c. an arcliicciural proccss
ilai lappcns wiilin ilc orum iiscl. irom ilai momcni
on, ilc arcliicciurc o ilc wall is madc by ilc judgcs, ilc
lawycrs, ilc luman riglis organizaiions and ilcir advisors,
all ilc lcgal icams, and ilc modcl iiscl.
Arcliicciurc is ilcn conccivcd as a sci o disposiiions and
modulaiions o ilc u o pcoplc and ilings an ccology
o rclaiions on a icrriiorial scalc.
I wc cicnd rom Hollow Land
3
ilc conccpi o ilc political
plastic, arcliicciurc can bc sccn as a orcc cld, slowing
orccs inio orm. So poliiics is ilc movcmcni o maiicr in
spacc, a maicrial praciicc. ioliiics docs noi lappcn in spacc,
ii is spacc-maling. Ii is noi as i spacc is a lind o arcna or
arcliicciurc io lappcn. Lvcry arcliicciural inicrvcniion is
a rc-organizaiion o spaiial rclaiions. So in ilai scnsc, onc
would say ilai ilc modcl in ilc siory abovc las pariicipaicd
3
Lyal wcizman, Hollow land: Israels Architecture of Occupation (iondon: vcrso,
2uu1i.
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in ilc dc-congcaling o orccs ilai wcrc prcviously ossi-
cd inio ilc prc-cisiing orm o ilc wall ilai ilc siaic o
Isracl siaricd io build. And all o a suddcn, in couri, ilc wall
bccomcs clasiic, bccomcs ncgoiiablc, bccomcs pronc io pusl
and pull, and ilai lappcns wiilin ilc arcna o ilc law iiscl.
You somciimcs rccr io ii as an arclivc...
An arclivc o powcr rclaiions i you lilc. In a scnsc ilc pail
o ilc wall is lilc a lmsirip cposcd io poliiics, ii is a
doublc, iriplccposurc, slow cposurc. Iis mcssagc is noi
wlai is wriiicn on ii as graii cic., bui railcr iis pails, iis
maicrialiiy.
Ai onc lcvcl ilc wall cisis in iis maicrial dimcnsion as an
arclivc, and ai anoilcr lcvcl, as a uniiary imagc, by ilc wall
as a wlolc migraiing as an imagc. 1lcsc dicrcni dimcn-
sions bring io mind anoilcr camplc you mcniion in The
Least of All Possible Evils: ilc wall in iwo dicrcni couris.
You quoic ilc lawycr Mulammad Dalla, wlo said: I lad
io appcal againsi ilc illcgaliiy o ilc cniirc wall in 1lc
Baguc and againsi ilc dciails o iis cccuiion in )crusalcm.
1lis implics, in a way, ilai ilc wall bccomcs dicrcni lcgal
objccis. Bow docs ilcir balancc play oui, onc claim acci-
ing ilc oilcr?
1lis is io say ilai cacl orum is also a ramcworl, a lcgal and
also poliiical ramcworl, in wlicl ilc samc objcci appcars
as somciling complcicly dicrcni. 1lc wlolc qucsiion o iis
maicrialiiy and dcsign docs noi caiurc ai all in 1lc Baguc.
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1lcrc, ii is aboui a binary rcndcring o ii bcing ciilcr lcgal
or illcgal. And ii docsni cnicr in ilc calculus o proporiional-
iiy, o maicrialiiy, o cvcryiling ilai is plysical. Iis noi an
arcliicciural dccision ai all. 1lc minuic ii iouclcs occupicd
ground ii is illcgal. wlai onc lcarns oui o ii is ilai i onc
invcsis oncscl ully wiilin onc orum and onc arcna, onc
incviiably cnds up rcproducing and rcinorcing ilc only
iypc o discussion availablc ilcrc. Bui Dalla docs ilrcc
scparaic ilings. Bc lcads ilc lcgal casc in 1lc Baguc, ilc
local cascs in Isracls ligl couri (wlicl arc arcliicciurali,
and lc is also pari o a poliiical proccss. Bc ncvcr limiis
limscl io onc proccss. wlai I ilinl lc could lavc donc
bciicr an idca or all o us io spcculaic on, wiiloui laying
accusaiions on lim is low io gcar onc arcna io ilc oilcr.
1lc ccdbacl bciwccn ilcm?
1lcrc is a landscapc o dicrcni orums. ioicniially, and
lopcully, wc arc in many o ilcm simuliancously: bcing
dicrcni pcoplc, doing dicrcni ilings, mobilizing ilc samc
objcci poliiically, lcgally, in icrms o luman riglis, cconomy,
cic. As a singlc projcci io gcar onc wlccl io ilc oilcr, and io
also siand ouisidc ilcm and rccci upon ilcm, ilai sysicm
is vcry imporiani.
was ii a maiicr o Dalla noi wisling io invcsi ioo mucl in
ilis ovcrall conncciion, pcrlaps duc io crcdibiliiy wiilin
lcgal sysicms, saying somciling in onc placc bui dccnding
ilc opposiic in oilcr siiuaiions?
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)usiicc Alaron Baral camincs ilc dicrcni rouics.
Illusiraiion: Clrisiinc Corncll and Lyal wcizman, 2uu8.
93
Bc alrcady docs noi limii limscl io onc orum, and wc
slould crcdii lim or ilai. Bc coniradicis limscl, and says
wlaicvcr lc can ialc in ilc Isracli Bigl Couri o )usiicc
(lnowing ilai ii rcinorccs onc o Isracls insirumcnis o
occupaiion and disposscssioni is in ordcr io bring oui con-
iradiciions rom ilc insidc. wc nccd io ialc ilis idca as a
clallcngc or us, io considcr low io coniinuc ilis projcci
urilcr.
1lc lcsson sccms io bc ilai you nccd noi aliaic your-
scl io ilc orum. unc las io cngagc wiil oicn-impcrcci
sccnarios, bui always in ordcr io opcn ncw possibiliiics,
consianily rc-adjusiing. 1lc principlc sccms io bc onc o
ircason And ai ilc samc iimc, lcrc, orcnsics is no longcr
simply ilc prcscniaiion o maicrial cvidcncc bcorc a orum,
bui aciually an cngagcmcni wiil scvcral dicrcni orums,
implying ilc produciion o coniradiciory objccis.
1lc objcci is ilc objcci in conici, ilcrc is no objcci pcr sc;
iis noi an oniological qucsiion lcrc. Ii is an objcci ilai is
ormcd and mobilizcd by a pariicular proccss, an ccology
o praciicc and discoursc ilai produccs a ccriain claim in
a pariicular conici, and ilais ilc limii. In oilcr orums
ii produccs oilcr claims and ilc qucsiion is low io pui all
ilosc in moiion iogcilcr and in rclaiion io cacl oilcr. So
ilc idca o onc orum o orums, ilc ull lousc or ilc singlc
parliamcni o ilings is impossiblc. Lvcry orum is also a
bordcr, ilc cdgcs o an arcna inio wlicl wc can or cannoi
cnicr, in wlicl ccriain iypcs o cnunciaiion and iypcs o
proccss arc allowcd or noi. 1lcy arc noi ncuiral spaccs or
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opcn dcbaic bui poliiically conccivcd and poliiically slcwcd.
And ilcy could bc clangcd rom ouisidc or insidc. So wlcn
you iniroducc somciling ncw inio an cisiing orum, or
camplc wlcn you iniroducc arcliicciural cvidcncc inio
couri, iis noi only ilai ilcrc is somciling ncw in an old
orum, bui ilai ilc couri is also poicniially iransormcd
iis languagc and possibiliiics opcn up so wc can say
ilai cpansion is also iransormaiion. iorums can also bc
conccivcd ancw rom ilc ouisidc so io spcal. ioliiically.
1lcy cpand and muliiply, nciworl inio oilcr asscmblics
and dispcrsc and ilcy also bursi. 1lcsc lavc io bc mappcd;
siill ii is ilc cdgc condiiion o ii ilai is imporiani. 1lcrcorc
ii is so imporiani io bc worling on ilc cdgc condiiion, on
cpanding ilc orum, on conncciing ii wiil oilcrs.
I would lilc io bring ilis bacl io somciling youvc mcn-
iioncd rcgarding ilc proccss o ncgoiiaiing ilc wall in local
orums. In ilai, a proccss o inclusion ialcs placc, wlcrc a
scrics o pariicipanis, miliiary rcprcscniaiivcs, indcpcndcni
coniraciors, luman-riglis lawycrs, all comc io pariicipaic
in ilc proccss ilis is ilc proccss ilai Dalla would ialc
posiiion againsi saying ilai lcs pariicipaiing and adjusiing
ilc lcsscr cvil and you arguc ilai ilis inclusion is poliii-
cally violcni, as pcoplc lavc no opiion bui io pariicipaic.
Bui ai ilc samc iimc, ilis inclusion imposcs always a lcvcl
o cclusion, rcgarding wlo las ilc capaciiy io bring ilc
orum iogcilcr.
1lais ilc dilcmma o ilc lcsscr cvil. You pariicipaic in
somciling ilai is unacccpiablc in ordcr io modcraic iis
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cccss, and cnd up rcinorcing ilc sysicm. 1lc dilcmma
and ilc calculaiion arc only uscd by ilc powcrul sidc ilai
scis ilc rulcs in uaza, wlcrc ilc ilrcslold o ilc iolcrablc
coniinuously sliis.
I would now lilc io asl you aboui ilc objccis ilcmsclvcs.
wc could say ilai ilc prcscniaiion o an objcci in couri is
always an acsilciic praciicc o maicrial organizaiion in
ordcr io producc a iruil-ccci. Bui ilc objcci, pariicularly
wlcn produccd undcr icclnological proccdurcs is always a
rcsuli o pcrccniilc calculaiions, in rclaiion io unccriainiy.
And cvcn i, lcgally, you dccidc upon unccriainiy, a maic-
rial rcsisiancc siill rcmains, a cld o possiblc rcscarcl
ilai laicnily undcrmincs ilc poliiical dccisions in orums.
You coniinuously go bacl io ilc objcci o discussion ilai
produccd an ouicomc in ilc orum.
I can ocr an analogy, o ilc inancy o ilc luman riglis
discoursc praciicc in rclaiion io anii-ioialiiarian or anii-
communisi idcology. Somciimc in ilc laic scvcniics and
cigliics, luman icsiimony unciioncd noi only as an cpis-
icmic rcsourcc, i.c. io dcscribc and dcnc cvcnis, bui also as
an cilical poliiical movc ilai comcs io dcmonsiraic cmpaily
wiil lumans wlosc riglis wc comc io proicci. Morc cili-
cal in cccss ilan cpisicmic. iow wiil ilc orcnsic iurn
in lcgal and luman riglis issuc, ii is noi only ilai objccis
bccomc somc lind o wiincsscs, bui also ilai ilcy arc bcing
problcmaiiscd as bcaring riglis and duiics ilcmsclvcs.
1lcir agcncy is qucsiioncd and bccomcs a major issuc or
lcgal ilcory. ior camplc roboiic wcapons and droncs posc
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lcgal qucsiions ilai arc noi yci rcsolvcd. Also riglis arc now
bcing discusscd in rclaiion io inanimaic objccis, as iaulo
1avarcs slows in lis ilD rcscarcl as ilc riglis o naiurc.
Anoilcr way io answcr your qucsiion is io say ilai boil
law and scicnccs opcraic upon a balancc o probabiliiics, bui
vcry dicrcni oncs. iaw nccds io rcndcr vcry diculi qucs-
iions somciimcs o lic and dcail on a bcyond rcasonablc
doubi balancc o probabiliiy, wlicl, bcing non-numcrical is
siill considcrcd as a low-ilrcslold probabiliiy. Also in sci-
cncc, in plysics or insiancc, ilcrc is always a probabilisiic
calculaiion. iow, orcnsic acsilciics a subjcci I lavc wrii-
icn aboui wiil 1om Kccnan is aboui ilc way ilis balancc
o probabiliiy is disrupicd. Balancc o probabiliiy docs noi
ncccssarily lcad io a conviciion. 1lc acsilciics o cvidcncc
nccds io cnicr lcrc, as a lind o crupiion ilai opcraics in
cccss o probabilisiic calculus.
1o conncci io our prcvious discussion Im ilinling aboui
iwo rclaicd sysicms o calculus, onc o producing spacc
proporiionaliiy and ilc oilcr a modc o rcading cvidcncc
probabiliiy cacl las a dicrcni modc o poicniial rupiurc,
o moving in cccss o calculaiion. wiil probabiliiy and
proporiionaliiy ilcrc arc no clcar ircnclcs, no lincs, no
cncmics anymorc, ilcrc is proimiiy, ilcrc arc dcgrccs o
ncgoiiaiion, and cvcryiling bccomcs a qucsiion o ilrcsl-
olds and balanccs. I ilinl ilai, againsi ilis icndcncy ilc
poliiical rcquircs ilc rupiurc o ilcsc.
wlicl is wlai lappcns wlcn ilc poliiical, via mcclanisms o
paranoia, appropriaics ilai calculus as a consiani dcgrcc o
possibiliiy ilai is incorporaicd inio cvcryiling or insiancc,
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Bugo Clavcz docs ilis in ordcr io ccri vcry prccisc orms o
powcr io consianily rc-organizc ilc poliiical discoursc. ior
camplc, ilai ilc carilqualc in Baiii is possibly a produci
o u.S. icclnologics, in ilc samc way ilai maybc lis own
and iulas canccr wcrc also icclnologically orclcsiraicd.
Lvcn wiil ilc clumaiion o Bolivar, as long as ilcrc is
somc dcgrcc o probabiliiy, ilcn lc could siill possibly lavc
bccn poisoncd.
wlai you dcscribc is cacily ilc momcni wlcrc poliiics
opcraics noi in rclaiion io ilc balancc o probabiliiics, bui
wlcrc ilc smallcsi probabiliiy bccomcs ilc mcaningul
onc. And ilais orcnsic acsilciics. 1lai is ilc acsilciic
movc and iis way inio poliiics. You crcaic somciling; you
bring somciling io visibiliiy ilai crcaics ncw possibiliiics.
Anoilcr camplc o rupiuring ilis cconomy o calculaiions
is ilc worl o Dccolonizing Arcliicciurc (DAARi
4
wlcrc
arcliicciurc is sccn in boil iis accis as pari o ilc sysicm
o calculaiions wiilin Isracls occupaiion, and also as a way
io rc-iniroducc ilc poliiical, prcciscly by improvcmcnis
iniroduccd inio ilc rcugcc camps, somciling ilai so ar
lad bccn sccn as an admission o dccai.
1lis is dcniiivcly ilc casc wiil DAARs worl in rcugcc
camps; ii was also ilc way I cloosc ilc cnd ilc bool Least
of all Possible Evils io say ilai ilc poliiical and acsilciic
4
Dccolonizing ArcliicciurcAri Rcsidcncy is an arcliicciurc collcciivc oundcd
by Alcssandro iciii, Sandi Bilal and Lyal wcizman.
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arc uniicd in an aiicmpi io brcal ilai cld o calculaiion,
ilai ilcrc is always an ouisidc io a qucsiion ilai opcraics by
ilai rupiurc o calculaiions. ialcsiinians icndcd io opcraic
wiilin ilis cquaiion by wlicl improvcmcni mcans nor-
malizaiion, accommodaiion, acccpiancc o ilcir posiiion.
Bui insicad o opcraiing wiilin ilai givcn cconomy you
can rupiurc ii, you can dcsiroy ii. And ilis is wlai I ilinl
ilc modcl proposcd by (Sarii Bana, (iasscri Abouralmc
and (Sandii Billal docs. Ii brcals away rom ilc cisiing
ormula, by rcuiing ilc idca ilai miscry crcaics ilc morc
sirong poliiical claim, and insicad conicnds ilai in aci ilc
sirongcr ilc camp, ilc morc wc can invcsi in ii, ilc morc
wc can brcal ilc social rom ilc poliiical. ioliiical rigli is
a poliiical rigli wlcilcr you arc a ricl or a poor rcugcc,
cducaicd or non-cducaicd. In aci ii is bciicr io bc cducaicd.
wlo is io malc ilis call or ilc mainicnancc o miscry in
ilc namc o oilcr pcoplc? As Rony Brauman
said, ii in a
way so simplc bui so imporiani: ilc basic condiiion or
poliiics io lappcn is ilai you nccd io bc alivc. I do noi nccd
io indocirinaic you I nccd io lcar you. And ii is so simplc
bui nowadays so radical.
uliimaicly in your worl arcliicciurc cmcrgcs as a mul-
iiaccicd sci o praciiccs, aciing wiilin ilc apparaius o
powcr and colonizaiion in ilc dcsign o miliiary scpara-
iions; bcing includcd in ilc naivc good willcd dcsign o
Rony Brauman is a docior and ormcr prcsidcni o Mcdccins Sans ironiicrcs,

wlosc posiiions vis-a-vis lumaniiarianism arc ilorouglly discusscd in wciz-
mans ncw bool.
uP -
99
rcugcc camps and ilc violcncc ilcy pcrpciuaic; bui also
as a orm o inicrvcniion ablc io opcn spaccs or lic as ilc
poliiical. wiil DAAR, wlai is ai sialc, is noi so mucl io
producc a rc-organizaiion o ilc orum, bui allowing ncw
rc-organizaiions io ialc placc. And ilai is ilc poliiical: ilc
opcning o ncw cmancipaiory possibiliiics.
wc iry io usc arcliicciurc as an alicrnaiivc poliiical arcna a
orum i you lilc io imaginc dccolonizaiion and dicrcni
uiurcs or ialcsiinc.
Lw -
100
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
1lc )amcs wcbb Spacc 1clcscopc (somciimcs callcd )wS1i
will bc a largc inrarcd iclcscopc wiil a 6.-mcicr primary
mirror. 1lc projcci is worling io a 2u8 launcl daic. 1lc
wcbb will bc ilc prcmicr obscrvaiory o ilc nci dccadc,
scrving ilousands o asironomcrs worldwidc. Ii will siudy
cvcry plasc in ilc lisiory o our univcrsc, ranging rom ilc
rsi luminous glows aicr ilc Big Bang, io ilc ormaiion
o solar sysicms capablc o supporiing lic on plancis lilc
Laril, io ilc cvoluiion o our own Solar Sysicm.
An eIectromagnetic fabIe for the LnIightenment: irom a global

pcrspcciivc, ligli is a conncciivc opcraior ilai iransporis inorma-
iion in ilc orm o clcciromagnciic radiaiion bciwccn dicrcni
spaiio-icmporal clds. In oilcr words, ilc global scopc o ligli or
clcciromagnciic radiaiion wcavcs a wcb o conncciions bciwccn
lcicrogcncous rcgions o spacc-iimc or local clds o inormaiion.
In ilis scnsc, ilc global conccpiion o ligli rcvcals ilc global
scopc o compliciiics bciwccn dicrcni spaiio-icmporal rcgions,
and in doing so, ii illuminaics ilc scopc o ilc modcrn abyss as
an inormaiic-objccial wcb. 1o pui ii dicrcnily, ilc univcrsal
scopc o ligli cprcsscs global-local iransiiions o objccis, rom
1lc iaiional Acronauiics and Spacc Adminisiraiion (iASAi, About the Webb,
Availablc ai: liip:www.jwsi.nasa.govaboui.liml
A vertiginous LnIightenment
()wS1 and teIescopic view of the objecti
Rizt iictiis1ti
101
102
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
global io local lorizons and vicc vcrsa. Insoar as ligli connccis
incommcnsurablc local clds o inormaiion, iis global scopc
is always non-irivial in rclaiion io iis local scopcs. An iniuiiivc
cprcssion o ilis non-irivialiiy is ilc iwisi o a Mobius sirip. 1lc
Mobius sirip is a bundlc o linc scgmcnis or local bcrs ovcr a
circlc. 1lc global projcciion o ilcsc local scciions will producc
a scciion o a cylindcr bui noi a Mobius sirip wlicl is a iwisicd
bundlc o local bcrs. 1lc non-irivialiiy inlcrcni io ilc global
scopc o ligli mcans ilai any local cld o inormaiion or rcgional
lorizon on ilis wcb is, in a scnsc, blind or myopic io ilc global
scopc o ligli as ilc wcb o compliciiics bciwccn anonymous
maicrials (i.c. incommcnsurablc local bcrs, dicrcni rcgions
o spacc-iimc, objccis and lcicrogcncous clds o inormaiioni.
An object-induced vertigo caIIed knowIedge: I ilc global
scopc o ligli illuminaics ilc scopc o ilc abyss as ilc uliimaic
wcb o objccis and i ligli in iis global scopc is invisiblc io local
pcrspcciivcs, ilcn in ordcr io siarc bacl inio ilc abyss onc musi
rsi rcconsiruci ilc global scopc o ligli as wlai illuminaics
ilc abyss. Lnliglicnmcni slould bc, accordingly, undcrsiood
as a rcsponsc io ilc problcm o illuminaiing ilc abyssaliiy o
ilc univcrsc and bringing inio ocus iis inormaiic-objccial wcb
ilrougl ilc agcncy o a rcason ilai docs noi cmanaic rom ilc
subjcciivc vision bui iravcls in ilc dircciion o a gcncric ligli.
1lc cdicc o lnowlcdgc commiiicd io ambiiions o ilc Lnligli-
cnmcni, lilcwisc, can bc sccn as a sysicm or dcvcloping opiimal
pcrspcciivcs cndowcd wiil a univcrsal oricniaiion capablc o
concciving inormaiion rom dicrcni clds inio an acccssiblc
global cld ilrougl wlicl inormaiion rom lcicrogcncous local
clds sircam and can bc subscqucnily synilcsizcd and organizcd.
In oilcr words, as ar as ilc Lnliglicnmcni is conccrncd, ilc pro-
103
A vLR1I uI NuuS LNII uB1LNMLN1
duciivc valcncc o lnowlcdgc lics in iis abiliiy io rcconsiruci ilc
global scopc o illuminaiion ligli as a conncciivc opcraior by
unlcasling dicrcni (oniologicali pcrspcciivcs upon ilc objcci so
as io combinc all ilcsc local pcrspcciivcs inio a global pcrspcciivc.
In concciving iis global wcb o illuminaiion by agiiaiing ilc objcci
wiil opiimal pcrspcciivcs rom all possible anglcs, lnowlcdgc
ilus bccomcs a univcrsal siraicgy io cmbracc ilc abyss, ilc
inormaiic-objccial wcb, immancni io ilc global scopc o ligli.
Yci insoar as cmbracing ilc abyss is ilc vcry idca o a sysicmaiic
dcsccni inio ii, Knowlcdgc can bc undcrsiood as a global sclcmc
or siaring bacl, or morc accuraicly, sysicmaiically dcsccnding
inio ilc abyss. A sysicmaiic dcsccni is compriscd o global-local
siraicgics or moving bacl and oril, asccnding and dcsccnding
bciwccn various vcriiginous prccipiccs o ilc abyss. Bowcvcr, ii
is imporiani io rccognizc ilai sucl a gazc or sysicmaiic dcsccni
navigaiion is purcly condiiioncd by ilc objcci and iis abyssal
lorizon o compliciiy wiil oilcr objccis.
Perspectives are genuine true-to-the-object agitations
upon objects:
2
According io ilc modcrn dcniiion o lnowlcdgc,
2
1lougl navigaiion sicms rom iaiin navigarc, and ilis onc rom navis plus
agcrc, wlicl mcans giving moiion io a slip, ilc prcscni mcaning o naviga-
iion is rcsiricicd io ilc passivc siccring o a vcliclc wlicl is alrcady movcd by
somc moior. Bowcvcr, navigaiion on ilc LncycloSpacc musi rcgain ilc original
aciiviiy, sincc LncycloSpacc las bccn dcicrmincd as an inicraciivcly landlcd
body o lnowlcdgc, a body wlicl is noi buili, alicrcd and dcvclopcd by mysicri-
ous orccs bui by our gcnuinc agitation upon ilc objcci. 1lcrcorc, ilc original
ciymology o navigaiion is rcsiiiuicd: wc slall disiinguisl bciwccn receptive
and productive navigaiion. Rcccpiivc navigaiion mcans moving around wiilin
ilc body o lnowlcdgc wiiloui clanging ii. In conirasi, produciivc navigaiion
104
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
ilc gazc or ilc dcsccni inio ilc inormaiic-objccial abyss is consii-
iuicd o sysicmaiic and opiimal pcrspcciivcs or approacling ilc
objcci and acccssing various laycrs, bordcrs, lcvcls o coniinuiiy
and prccipiccs o ilc abyss. Condiiioncd by ilc dialcciics o dcpil
and ilc gcomcirical ouilincs o ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb, ilc
pcrspcciivcs or navigaiional sclcmcs o ilc modcrn lnowlcdgc
can bc ccciivcly comparcd io dcsccnding and climbing cquip-
mcnis dcsigncd io navigaic objccis in ilcir abyssal conccpiion.
icrspcciivcs arc sclcmaiically classicd on ilc basis o ilcir
abiliiy and objcciivc in approacling spccic aspccis o ilc global
wcb o objccis or pcrorming pariicular navigaiional iasls or
opcraiions on ilc lorizon o lnowlcdgc and iis conccpi-spaccs
wlicl allow or iniclligiblc acccss io ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb.
1lcrc arc pcrspcciivcs wlicl arc or ilc solc purposc o approacl-
ing objccis rom dicrcni bordcrs and orbiis (ropcs and wcbbing
gcarsi, laicling onio spccic objccis io aciliiaic ilc navigaiion
o ilc cniirc abyssal wcb ilrougl icmporal nodcs (anclorsi, mov-
ing rom onc objcci or lcicrogcncous cld o inormaiion io
anoilcr, navigaiing dicrcni gradcs or coniinua o ilc abyss
(rappcls and asccndcrsi and various orms o conirol, proicciion
and bralc iools (bclay dcviccsi io pursuc dicrcni approaclcs
io ilc objcci and cnsurc an cndurablc and ilorougl navigaiion
o ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb.
3
docs clangc ilc body o lnowlcdgc. Scc uucrino Mazzola, The Topos of Music:
Geometric Logic of Concepts, Theory, and Performance (Bascl: Birllauscr, 2uu3i,
43-44. ior morc dciails on navigaiional claracicrisiics o lnowlcdgc wiil rcgard
io objccis, scc Mazzolas bool pariicularly clapicr 2 (1opograplyi and clapicr
(iavigaiion on Conccpi Spaccsi.
10
3

In ordcr io rcconsiruci ilc global scopc o illuminaiion and
bring io ligli ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb invisiblc io a irivial
conccpiion o local subjcci, lnowlcdgc coniinuously sirivcs io
dcvclop and synilcsizc non-irivial and opiimal pcrspcciivcs,
muliivalcni navigaiional sclcmcs or subjcciivc lcnscs. Railcr
ilan approacling ilc objcci rom a limiicd rangc o local pcrspcc-
iivcs, ilc modcrn conccpiion o lnowlcdgc adopis pcrspcciivcs
wlicl arc synilciic, capablc o simuliancously approacling ilc
objcci rom dicrcni orbiis and in dicrcni local conicis and
modal ramcworls so as io concurrcnily indc and mcrgc ilc
microscopic (drivcn by inicrnal dicrcnccsi, ilc macroscopic
(inicgral according io ilc undcrlying u o invariancci, ilc
panscopic (uniiary or usion o dicrcncc and inicgraiioni, ilc
synclronic and diaclronic imagcs o ilc objcci. 1lc ambiiion o
modcrn lnowlcdgc io dcvclop synilciic pcrspcciivcs and mulii-
valcni navigaiional sclcmcs slould bc undcrsiood in ilc conici
o modcrn lnowlcdgcs rccogniiion o Lnliglicnmcni as a global
modcl o ligli wlcrcin ligli is no longcr issucd oril rom ilc
cyc bui iravcls according io a gcncric inormaiic-objccial irajcc-
iory. In oilcr words, modcrn lnowlcdgc dcvclops and opiimizcs
iis pcrspcciivcs and navigaiional sclcmcs by coniinuously syn-
clronizing ilcm wiil non-irivial sclcmaia o ilc objccial wcb.
In a scnsc, ilc vcriiginous prccipiccs o ilc inormaiic-objccial
abyss diciaics modcs and mcilods o dcsccni. Ii is ilc objcci
3
1lcsc simplc climbing cquipmcnis ccciivcly rcprcscni ilc modcrn dcniiion
o pcrspcciivc as a navigaiional linc ilai yiclds oricniaiion and is ablc io asccnd
and dcsccnd bciwccn ilc local and ilc global ilrougl dicrcni sccmingly impos-
siblc pails and alicrnaiivc oricniaiions. Lacl pcrspcciivc carrics iis oniological
spacc lilc a snalc carrying iis slcll (Mazzola, Ibid. ui.
106
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
ilai lics ai ilc basc o agiiaiions wlicl inducc ilc vcriigo o
lnowlcdgc and drivc ilc ambiiion o ilc Lnliglicnmcni urilcr
down inio ilc abyss.
A perspective accustomed to the gIobaI scope of Iight: 1lc
synilciic pcrspcciivc or a pcrspcciivc navigaiional sclcmc
synclronous wiil non-irivial sclcmaia o ilc inormaiic-objccial
wcb is ilc vcry idca o ilc iclcscopic vicw. As a vicw condiiioncd
by and adapicd io ilc vcriiginous prccipiccs o ilc abyss, ilc
iclcscopic vicw (wlcilcr as a modc o pcrspcciivc in culiurc,
inicrprciaiion or asironomyi is a synilciic pcrspcciivc wiil a
univcrsal oricniaiion. Ii is a mulii-modal pcrspcciivc ilai wcavcs
microscopic and macroscopic vicws o ilc objcci wiilin a uni-
vcrsal panscopic ramc, lcncc prcvcniing ilc cngagcmcni wiil
objccis rom dcicrioraiing inio a wlimsical orgy wiil objccis
wlcrc ilc bourgcoisic-curaicd cabinci o curiosiiics mccis ilc
circus-oricnicd mciaplysics o objccis. Accordingly, ilc iclcscopic
vicw is ablc io inicrmcdiaic dicrcniiaiion and inicgraiion; on
ilc onc land, indcing dicrcncc againsi an invariani bacl-
ground and on ilc oilcr, bringing ilc univcrsal u o invariancc
bcncail insianccs o dicrcncc inio ilc orcground. In addiiion,
ilc iclcscopic vicw is csscniially a wcb-oricnicd vicw wlcrcby
local coniraciion and global cpansion (dcconiraciioni can bc
incorporaicd inio a nciworl o global-local corrcspondcnccs and
dialcciics wlcrc dogmaiic oricniaiions ioward onc polc or anoilcr
arc dissolvcd. 1o ilis cicni, ilc iclcscopic vicw is a pcrspcciivc
synclronous io ilc cosmological sclcma o an cpanding uni-
vcrsc wiil local insianccs o complcicaiion and coniraciion.
1lc iclcscopic vicw slould bc considcrcd as a irans-rcgional and
irans-modal pcrspcciivc capablc o camining ilc ull cicni
o ilc 1RAiS prc. irom ilc pariiculaic io ilc galaciic io ilc
101
A
s
c
e
n
t

D
e
s
c
e
n
t
Back
Forth
A
s
c
e
n
t

D
e
s
c
e
n
Telescopics
D
e
e
p
e
n
i
n
g
Broadening
A
n
t
Back
Forth
iigurc . 1lc iclcscopic vicw brings inio ocus ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb by inicrlocling bacl-
and-oril navigaiion ilai broadcns ilc scopc along a unicd lorizon wiil asccni-and-dcsccni
navigaiion ilai dccpcns ilc scopc across a diaclronic dcpil.
108
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
Back and Forth adjuction
(broadening scope)
Panscopic
dialectic of differentiation
and integration
dialectic of Borders and Edges
ramification of the Local and
concentration of the Global
Synchronization
Spatial navigation
TELESCOPI CS
aScEnt and dEScEnt adjunction
(deepeing scope)
Microscopic / Macroscopic
dialectic of Generality and Vagueness
dialectic of Surface and depth
Embedding of the Global in the Local
and immersion of the Local into the Global
diachronization
chronic navigation
1ablc . 1clcscopics navigaics ilc inormaiic-objccial wcb along iwo major navigaiional siraicgics,
asccni dcsccni and bacl oril adjunciions. 1lcsc iwo adjunciions rcspcciivcly dccpcn and
broadcn ilc scopc o navigaiion by covcring all possiblc univcrsal and rcgional oricniaiions, giving
a comprclcnsivc and abyssal vicw o ilc wcb.
109
sicllar io ilc clcmical io ilc planciary io ilc biological and
social domains, ilc iclcscopic vicw is in consiani iransii bciwccn
various global-local agiiaiions o ilc objcci, bciwccn naiurc and
culiurc, dicrcncc and inicgraliiy, univcrsaliiy and rcgionaliiy.
ior ilis rcason, Colombian mailcmaiician icrnando zalamca
associaics iclcscopics wiil irans-modcrnism, a irans-rcgional
and irans-modal approacl io culiurc and naiurc ilai iopologically
glucs dicrcni culiural maniolds and lnowlcdgc-spaccs sucl
as microscopic and dierential perspectives of post-modernism
and the panscopic and integral views of modernism iogcilcr.
4
Irom object to object, or the story of teIescope from the
perspective of the abyss: As a synilciic pcrspcciivc condiiioncd
by ilc global-local iransiiions o ilc objcci or ilc prccipiccs
o ilc inormaiic-objccial abyss, ilc iclcscopic vicw slould bc
considcrcd as a modc o approacl pivoial io ilc cniirc panorama
o ilc modcrn accouni o lnowlcdgc. Indccd wc can spcal o a
proio-sclcma o iclcscopic vicw cvcn bcorc ilc iniroduciion o
ilc rsi modcrn iclcscopcs a sclcmc, an ambiiion, an idcal or
a subjcciiviiy-yci-io-comc orgcd in ilc univcrsalisi approaclcs
o mcdicval sclolasiics and orcrunncrs o opiics. Ii is in ilis
scnsc, ilai ilc iruc-io-ilc-objcci valcncc o ilc iclcscopic vicw
slould bc sccn as ilc drivc bclind somc o ilc mosi soplisii-
caicd icclnological proccsscs and cnginccring sparls lcading io
ilc dcvclopmcni o modcrn iclcscopcs and obscrvaiorics. As ar
as ilc siory o ilc modcrn iclcscopc is conccrncd, global-local
iransiiions o ilc objcci wlicl slapc ilc prccipiccs o ilc abyss
4
Scc icrnando zalamca, Amrica Una Trama Integral: Transversalidad, Bordes
y Abismos en la Cultura Americana (Bogoia: univcrsidad iacional dc Colombia,
2uu9i.
110
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
as ilc iruc objcci o Lnliglicnmcni condiiion and diciaic an
approacl a way io scc, a sclcmc io navigaic ioward objccis.
Condiiioncd by objccis, ilis approacl bccomcs a ccniral idca
wiilin ilc sysicm o lnowlcdgc ilai in iurn insirucis and dirccis
iis own cmbodimcni inio an objcci or aciliiaiing ilc sysicmaiic
dcsccni inio ilc abyss. irom a spcculaiivc pcrspcciivc wiilin
ilc sysicm o modcrn lnowlcdgc, wc can ilus say ilai iclcscopc
is ilc non-irivial incarnaiion o ilc abyss siaring inio iiscl. In
ilc lasi insiancc, iclcscopc is bui an insirumcnial objcci wlosc
original sclcma slould bc ound in ilc global wcb o objccis
and iis abyssal impaci upon ilc oundaiion o lnowlcdgc, lic,
culiurc, icclnology and cnginccring ilrougl a global scopc o
ligli wlicl is noi immcdiaicly given in local pcrspcciivcs.
1eIescopic descent, a space odyssey: 1lc ambiiion o icl-
cscopic vicw in dcvcloping a univcrsal and non-myopic approacl
io global-local iransiiions o ilc objcci liglliglicd by ilc global
scopc o ligli ully manicsis in ilc advcni o spacc iclcscopcs.
1lc objcci-induccd vcriigo o Lnliglicnmcni docs noi cnd wiil
cvcr-complicaiing pcrspcciivcs corrcsponding io ilc sliiing
prccipiccs o ilc inormaiic-objccial abyss, ii siaris wiil uprooi-
ing rom ilc dominani local lorizon ilc icrrcsirial splcrc
ilai rcgulaics or disioris ilc scopc o various pcrspcciivcs. 1lc
launcl o iclcscopcs inio orbii slould bc sccn as a sysicmaiic
aiicmpi io dcvclop pcrspcciivcs and sclcmaia o a ncw vision
noi only libraicd rom ilc planciary consirains bui also capablc
o obscrving ilc icrrcsirial cradlc o lic iiscl as an objcci wiilin
ilc coniinuous objccial wcb o ilc abyss. As a iruc lcir io ilc
lcgacy o ilc Copcrnican orbiial subvcrsion o ilc Laril, Bubblc
Spacc 1clcscopc iool ilc idca o obscrvaiion inio orbii wlcrc ligli
is nciilcr licrcd nor disioricd by ilc Larils aimosplcrc. 1lc
111
immincni arrival o sccond gcncraiion spacc iclcscopcs lcadcd
by )amcs wcbb Spacc 1clcscopc ()wS1i, lowcvcr, broadcns ilc
scopc o luman lnowlcdgc and iis iclcscopic dcsccni inio ilc
abyss cvcn urilcr. 1lc dcploymcni o )wS1 ai ilc sccond Sun-
Laril iagrangc poini
ouisidc o ilc Larils own orbii ialcs ilc

idca o Copcrnican uprooiing o ilc ground in avor o ilc abyss
muliiplc sicps urilcr. ioi only is ilc icrrcsirial scopc o illumi-
naiion abandoncd in avor o an orbiial illuminaiion implicii
in ilc vcry idca o Copcrnican Rcvoluiion bui also ilc carils
orbii and ilc solar scopc o ligli arc lci bclind in avor o a morc
global, morc abyssal scopc o ligli as wlai illuminaics ilc wcb o
cosmological objccis. Boil visiblc ligli as a scopc o ligli ully in
conormiiy io ilc biological capaciiics o ilc icrrcsirial organism
and sunligli as a conccpiion o ligli ully ingraincd wiilin ilc
ambii o icrrcsirial lic lavc crcaicd a local cnvironmcni ilai las
bccn or ar ioo long misundcrsiood as a global visia propcr io
a univcrsal subjcciiviiy and vision. By sliiing iis cmplasis io
inrarcd ligli 93u,uuu milcs away rom ilc Laril wlcrc ii will
oai againsi a baclground wiil minimum lcai radiaiions in onc
o ilc coldcsi cnvironmcnis possiblc, )wS1 will bc ablc io dcicci
inrarcd radiaiions coming ilrougl clouds o dusi and cmiiicd
by ilc dimmcsi o objccis, pccring inio ilc carlicsi siagcs o ilc
univcrsc. In doing so, ilc uiurc iclcscopc will illuminaic a gco-
cosmic coniinuum ilai connccis ilc inccpiion o ilc univcrsc
io ilc galaciic, sicllar and planciary lorizons.
iagrangc poinis arc locaiions in spacc ai wlicl a small mass can orbii ai a cd
disiancc rom ilc largcr masscs duc io ilc balancc bciwccn ilc ccniriugal orcc
and ilc iwo gradaiional orccs associaicd wiil largcr masscs, or camplc, ilc
Sun and ilc Laril.
112
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
)wS1 and objects behind the Sun: Compriscd o a scgmcnicd
and cryogcnically conirollcd (opcraiing icmpcraiurc undcr u
Kclvini primary mirror wiil ilc collcciing arca o 2 m2, )wS1
will orbii around ilc Laril-Sun sccond iagrangc poini. In an
opiical and mciaplorical gcsiurc, )wS1 will acc away rom ilc
Sun and will bc slicldcd rom radiaiion rom ilc Sun, ilc Moon
and ilc Laril. 1lc iclcscopc is dcsigncd io primarily worl wiil
inrarcd ligli railcr ilan invisiblc ligli (Bubblc iclcscopci. Slicld-
ing o ilc iclcscopc rom solar and icrrcsirial radiaiions as wcll
as cryogcnic conirol o ilc mirrors icmpcraiurc cnablc )wS1
io dcicci ncar and mid rangcs o ilc inrarcd spccirum o ligli
wiil minimal disioriion. Bcing a low-rcqucncy spccirum o ligli
ilai las bccn sirciclcd ioward iis rcd cnd, inrarcd illuminaics
global-local iransiiions o objccis in a univcrsc ilai las bccn
cpanding sincc iis inccpiion. Sincc ligli rom objccis sirciclcs
as ii iravcls across an cpanding spacc, ilc urilcr ilc objcci in
iimc (conccivcd in ilc carly siagcs o ilc univcrsc and now dcad,
iigurc 2. Rcdslii and Blucslii
Object Observer
Object Observer
Redshift
Blueshift
113
ciinci or raycd inio ilc opcni ilc morc sirciclcd ilc wavclcngil
o iis ligli ioward ilc rcd cnd o spccirum. 1lcrcorc, ilc global-
local iransiiion o objccis ilrougl clcciromagnciic radiaiion or
ligli in an cpanding univcrsc always icnds io ilc rcd cnd o ilc
spccirum as objccis o siudy go urilcr bacl in iimc. 1lis slii
ioward ilc rcd cnd o ilc spccirum (inrarcd wavclcngili or
objccis o anccsiral iimc is lnown as cosmological rcdslii: 1lc
urilcr ilc objcci in iimc, ilc morc sirciclcd iis ligli across ilc
accclcraiing cpansion o spacc, ilc rcddcr ilc objcci.
Cosmological rcdslii, accordingly, illuminaics ilc global
conccpiion o objccis as ilai wlicl is indcpcndcni o a iimc
ilai can synclronizc ilc subjcci wiil ilc objcci. )wS1 prima-
iigurc 3. 1clcscopic cnliglicnmcni: Lpansion o spacc and ilc diaclroniciiy o ilc objcci (or ilc
irauma o spacciimci condiiion ilc iclcscopic approacl o (univcrsali lnowlcdgc.
M
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B
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an
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A
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Age of the Universe
An Ancestral Object Dark Age Big Bang
114
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
rily sccs ilc univcrsc in ligli o ilis diaclroniciiy o ilc objcci
ilai cnorccs ilc scopc o ilc abyss as an cvcr-cpanding wcb o
inormaiion and objccis. wlcrcas Bubblc Spacc 1clcscopc opcncd
ilc modcrn sysicm o lnowlcdgc io ilc imporis and implicaiions
o an cpanding univcrsc, )wS1 las bccn spccically dcsigncd
io worl wiilin and in accordancc wiil an cpanding univcrsc
wlcrc roniicrs in an accclcraicd manncr ray inio ilc opcn.
ior )wS1, abyssaliiy is, ilcrcorc, nciilcr a conclusion nor a goal
bui ilc vcriiablc cnvironmcni or ilc opcraiion o lnowlcdgc and
approacling ilc global conccpiion o ilc objcci implicii in ilc
global scopc o ligli. Sincc )wS1 is primarily opiimizcd io scc ilc
univcrsc ilrougl cosmological rcdslii or ligli in an cpanding
univcrsc ii is ablc io illuminaic ilc global conccpiion o ilc objcci
in icrms o a non-irivial and abyssal disiancc rom ilc subjcci, an
inacccssiblc disiancc ilai is bcsi undcrsiood as diaclroniciiy o
ilc objcci. Incommcnsurablc io ilc clronology o ilc ilinling
sccing subjcci, ilc diaclroniciiy or ilc inacccssiblc disiancc o
ilc objcci cprcsscs ilc idcniiiy o ilc abyss as wlai occasions
ilc iclcscopic dcsccni o lnowlcdgc. iar rom bcing an obsiaclc
or ilc cdicc o lnowlcdgc, ilis inacccssiblc disiancc bccomcs
as wc slall scc ilc sourcc and ilc drivc o lnowlcdgc as ilc sum
o all pcrspcciivcs or agiiaiions upon ilc objcci.
)wS1, an augmented strategy for approaching the trauma
of the object: 1lc clronic iruil o ilc objcci lics ouisidc o ilc
iimc in wlicl ilc subjcci ilinls, sccs and rcccis. 1lc diaclro-
niciiy o ilc objcci consiiiuics ilc vcry irauma o ilc objcci or
ilc sccing or ilinling subjcci. 1lc diaclronic objcci is, ilcrc-
orc, a sourcc o an unbindablc icnsion ilai can nciilcr bc ully
ovcrcomc nor ciricaicd rom ilc subjcci, yci ncvcrilclcss ii is
a icnsion around wlicl ilc cniirc analyiico-synilciic apparaius
11
o lnowlcdgc and ilc subjcci ialcs slapc and rcvolvcs. In ilc
samc vcin, ilc subjcci coniinuously rc-cpcricnccs ilc iracc
o irauma in ordcr io obliqucly approacl ilc cicrior sourcc o
irauma, ii can bc said ilai ilc sysicm o lnowlcdgc is bui a mazc
or an obliquc navigaiion o ilc diaclronic iruil o ilc objcci. I
lnowlcdgc is a sysicm buili upon and drivcn by ilc irauma o ilc
objcci, ilcn ii bccomcs a compulsory objcciivc or lnowlcdgc io
producc iis own objccis ilrougl wlicl ilc icnsion o ilis irauma
can bc rcsolvcd. As an objcci idcaicd, sclcmaiizcd and slapcd
by ilc sysicm o lnowlcdgc and rcspcciivcly, ilc irauma o ilc
objcci indwclling wiilin ilai sysicm, ilc iclcscopc ccrciscs ilc
iraumaiic powcr o ilc objcci on ilc subjcciivc vision. Ii simply
slapcs, or morc prcciscly, objcciics ilc vision o ilc obscrvcr
according io ilc irauma o ilc objcci as a diaclronic iruil. 1lc
scicniic insirumcni, )wS1 in ilis casc, can only bc camincd
wiilin ilc ncsicd licrarcly o objccis: Ii is an objcci conccivcd
by icnsions produccd by ilc irauma o ilc objcci wiilin ilc sys-
icm o lnowlcdgc. In slori, ilc scicniic insirumcni bcars ilc
imprini o ilc objcci upon ilc sysicm o lnowlcdgc in ilc orm
o a compulsion io urilcr dclvc inio ilc diaclronic iruil o ilc
objcci. I wc broadcn ilc ircud-icrcnczian
6
ilcory o irauma
according io a ncw cosmological coniinuum ilai connccis ilc
galaciic io ilc ccrcbral rom ilai o ilc icnsion wiilin ilc ncrv-
ous sysicm causcd by an indc o cicrioriiy io ilai o a univcrsal
icnsion causcd by ilc diaclroniciiy o ilc objcci, ilcn ii is casy
6
According io ircud and Bungarian psycloanalysi, Sandor icrcnczi, irauma is
undcrsiood noi as wlai is cpcricnccd by ilc subjcci bui as an inassimilablc
indc (or ilc subjccii wlosc rcaliiy is cicrior and diaclronic io ilc ordcr o
cpcricncc.
116
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
io scc )wS1s obscrvaiional siraicgy wiilin ilc cosmological rc-
inscripiion o irauma: 1lc spacc iclcscopc approaclcs ilc global
conccpiion o ilc diaclronic objcci or ilc sourcc o irauma by
way o synilcsizing iis iracc i.c. ligli sirciclcd across ilc abric
o spacc. In oilcr words, )wS1 iranslaics ilc spaiial iracc o
diaclroniciiy or ilc inrarcd ligli inio an imagc o ilc anccsiral
objcci. Morc ilan bcing a ncw pinnaclc o luman icclnology,
)wS1 as an objcci o lnowlcdgc is a ncw drivc (in ilc scnsc o
noi only trieb bui also instrumentumi or binding ilc irauma o
ilc objcci and rcslaping ilc plasiic cdicc o lnowlcdgc along
iis linc o obscrvaiion.
1eIescopic compossibiIization of subject and object, ascent
and descent, back and forth: Lvcn ilougl ilc impaci o ilc irauma
o ilc objcci upon ilc sysicm o lnowlcdgc is incradicablc and
ilc compulsion io approacl ilc sourcc o irauma ilc diaclronic
iruil o ilc objcci consiiiuics ilc coursc o lnowlcdgc, ilc
prospcci o cpisicmological rcaciivaiion and amplicaiion o
ilc oniological condiiion o lnowlcdgc is noi by any mcans a
maiicr o a givcn privilcgc or aii accompli. 1lc rcalizaiion o
)wS1 as a uiurc objcci ilrougl wlicl lnowlcdgc iranslaics iis
oniological lcrncl inio an cpisicmological navigaiional sclcmc
or raiional odysscy or dcsccnding inio ilc abyss dcpcnds on,
rsi o all, a subjcciivc guaranior. 1lc iasl o ilis subjcciivc
guaranior is io dcmarcaic ilc boundarics and condiiions o ilc
local and discnianglc ilc subjcci rom ilc objcci so as io idcn-
iiy local cigcncics and raiionally cngagc ilcm. 1lc currcni
prccarious siaius o )wS1 as an objcci ilai las iurncd inio a
scal blacl lolc dcvouring oilcr spacc and rcscarcl programs
rcquircs a subjcciivc rciurn io local condiiions ilai arc morc in
accord wiil ilc cpisicmological lorizon o lnowlcdgc railcr
111
ilan iis oniological lcrncl. irom a local pcrspcciivc, )wS1 as
a coniingcni objcci is a projcciion o ilc worlds cconomic and
socio-culiural prioriiics wlicl ilcmsclvcs lavc bccn brougli oril
by ilc currcni cpisicmological siaius. In slori, ilcsc prioriiics
arc ilc rcsulis o low wc undcrsiand oursclvcs and ilc world
wc inlabii. unly a univcrsalisi subjcciiviiy dcicrmincd io worl
oui ilc prioriiics o a world ravagcd by myopia and violcncc by
rcncgoiiaiing local cpisicmological vicws wlicl undcrpin sucl
prioriiics is ablc io cvaluaic, dcicrminc and globally csiablisl
ilc objcciivc valcncc o ilc uiurc iclcscopc. 1lc rciurn io local
cigcncics and commiimcni io ilc cpisicmological lorizon do
noi rcprcscni a rcaciionary all upon ilc carilly ground bui ilc
synclronizaiion o ilc univcrsalisi subjcci wiil ilc iclcscopic
cnliglicnmcni: simuliancously, bringing ilc microscopic and
ilc local io a univcrsal clcvaiion and bringing inio ocus ilc
iransiiion o ilc univcrsal inio iis local cigcncics, prioriiics and
problcms. ur io bc concisc: bringing inio compossibiliiy asccni
and dcsccni, bacl and oril in ordcr io colcrcnily inicrwcavc
dicrcni dcpils or vcriiginous prccipiccs o ilc objcci.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
118
Ii was lilc a miraclc, bui bcorc our vcry cycs, and
almosi in ilc drawing o a brcail, ilc wlolc body crum-
blcd inio dusi and passcd rom our sigli.
Bram Siolcr
Bram Siolcr, Dracula [a Tale] (wcsiminsicr: A. Consiablc u Co., 891i.

119
As arcliicciurc collapscd inio micro-splcrical dcbris, ii produccd
a billowy asl cloud ilai lingcrcd or days obscuring ilc bounda-
rics bciwccn ilc icrrcsirial spaccs o ilc buili cnvironmcni and
ilc aimosplcric rcalm inio wlicl iis 1win 1owcrs lad prcviously
rcaclcd. wlcn vicwcd rcmoicly rom orbiiing saiclliics ilis
spaiial usion-conusion was conrmcd, as nciilcr a slii in
scalc, nor a picl-by-picl comparaiivc analysis could discnianglc
pulvcrizcd arcliicciurc rom airbornc maiicr, or luman rcmains
rom rubblc.
2
Mucl las bccn said aboui ilc ways in wlicl ilc
smolc and dusi clouds o 9 momcniarily obliicraicd ilc luman
dimcnsions o ilc iragcdy as iowcr Manlaiian was slroudcd in
an inccndiary og ilai dccd all icclnical aiicmpis ai pccring
2
1lc IKuiuS ligl-rcsoluiion commcrcial saiclliic capiurcd imagcs o iowcr
Manlaiian ai :43 AM LD1 on Scpicmbcr 2 2uu. 1lc IKuiuS iravcls 68u lil-
omcircs abovc ilc Larils suracc ai a spccd o 28,uuu lilomcircs pcr lour. 1lc
ircncl Siu1 saiclliic iool inrarcd imagcs idcniiying loi spois ai : AM
LS1 on Scpicmbcr 2uu (3 lours aicr ilc aiiacli. iASAs 1crra saiclliic saw
Manlaiian rom an aliiiudc o aboui ,3uu lilomcircs. Saiclliics dcploycd by ilc
uS iaiional uccanic and Aimosplcric Adminisiraiion (iuAAi io iracl siorms,
orcsi rcs, and volcanic crupiions also acquircd imagcs o ilc aicrmail o ilc
cvcnis in icw Yorl. In addiiion io ilcsc rcmoic scnsing icclnologics, 1lc Expe-
dition Three crcw on ilc Inicrnaiional Spacc Siaiion also iool ploiograpls o
ilc siic rom an aliiiudc o ncarly 4uu lilomcircs.
Impure Matter:
A Iorensics of w1C uust
Sust Sciuiiii
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
120

g. 2 ircncl Siu1 inrarcd saiclliic imagcry o iowcr Manlaiian ialcn ai : AM LS1 on Scp-
icmbcr 2uu.
g. 1lis ploio ialcn Scpicmbcr , 2uu by ilc icw Yorl Ciiy iolicc Dcparimcni slows smolc
and asl cngulng ilc arca around ilc world 1radc Ccnicr as ilc ioril 1owcr collapscs in icw
Yorl. iloio ialcn by ilc icw Yorl Ciiy iolicc Dcparimcni.
I MPuRL MA11LR: A IuRLNSI CS uI w1C uuS1
121
dirccily inio ilc sccnc o ilc crimc.
3
Insicad our collcciivc global
gazc was iranscd by imagcs o ilc iransmuiaiion o glass
and siccl inio a lind o cosmic dusi a dcmonic mciaplysics in
wlicl arcliicciural subsiancc bccamc purc naiurc oncc morc, or
so ii appcarcd. 1lc bodics o ilc morc ilan 2,18u missing wcrc
noi in cvidcncc in ilcsc rsi iclcvisual iransmissions, insicad
ilcy wcrc undcrsiood as irappcd and possibly inicrrcd wiilin
ilc arcliicciural rcmains o ilc iowcrs wlicl wcrc ilcmsclvcs
siill liddcn rom vicw by ilc lazc o alloui. Bui ilis was a alsc
rcading o ilc imagc, a miragc i you will, or wlai ilc micro-
splcrcs o dusi carricd wcrc noi simply ilc maicrial rcmains o
ilc dcsiroycd iowcrs bui all o ilc buildings conicnis including
iis luman occupanis. 1lc body was noi missing in ilc imagcs
o swirling dusi ilai wc wiincsscd rcpcaicdly ilosc rsi cw
days aicr ilc iragcdy bui was cmplaiically prcscni wiilin cacl
spccimcn o dusi ai .3 paris pcr uu.
Part I: when the uust SettIed
Dusi is an aggrcgaic o synilciic and naiural pariiclcs wlosc
micro-maicrial complciiy is so ilorouglly cnianglcd and
3
wlai is missing rom ilis imagc wriics iaura Kurgan rccrring io ilc IKuiuS
imagc[ is wlai is missing now rom ilc ciiy or ilc world, and ii is always missing
ai ilc limiis o onc-mcicr rcsoluiion, or all iis dciail. wlai is missing arc ilc
missing, ovcr ,uuu pcoplc now prcsumcd dcad. Bcncail or bcyond ilc limiis o
visibiliiy, o daia, arc ilc dcad. And yci ilcy rcmain in ilc imagc, in ilc ruin o
ilc imagc, and asl somciling o us. In iaura Kurgan, icw Yorl, Scpicmbcr ,
2uu, iour Days iaicr... in Ctrl Space: Rhetorics of Surveillance from Bentham
to Big Brother, cd. 1lomas Y. icvin, ursula irolnc and icicr wcibcl (Karlsrulc:
zKM, 2uu2i, 6.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
122
inclincd io mciamorplosis ilai ii las no pariiculariscd orm
or objccincss o iis own, bui railcr assumcs ilc coniours o all
oilcr ilings. As cmblcmaiic non-maicrial, dusi las bccn broodcd
ovcr or ccniurics by ariisis and wriicrs wlo ound in iis ormlcss
naiurc ilc mciaploric vocabulary o rcmaindcr and dccay.
4
Dusi
undcrsiood as sucl is always icmporally oricnicd iowards an
undcrsianding o ilc pasi as inanimaic. Dusi is said io invadc; ii
crccps and amasscs; ii covcrs ovcr and vcils, consigning iis objccis
and cvcnis io ilc languor o lisiory. Lvcn wlcn ii accrucs ii sccms
somcwlai dcpillcss dusi is all aboui suracc, ilc spaiialiscd
paiina o passing iimc. ucorgcs Baiaillc conccpiualiscd dusi as
maiicr-in-waiiing: a sicalil-lilc incursion rom ilc uiurc ilai
slowly disavows ilc viialism o all ilai ii iouclcs.
Arcliicciural lisiory las similarly bccn launicd by ilc
goilic spccirc o dusi as an amorplic and insinuaiing lil, only io
bccomc prcoccupicd by iis aniiilcsis in ilc planar clcanlincss o
modcrnism ccmplicd by ilc lygicnisi movcmcni.
In a maiicr
o minuics, ilc glcaming glass iowcrs o ilc world 1radc Ccnicr
(w1Ci ilai wcrc pulvcrizcd inio dusi, rcvcrscd ilis arcliicciural
cvoluiion bringing aboui a goilic rcvival o a dicrcni ordcr, in
ilai, ilc icrror augurcd by laic 8il ccniury wriiings on ilc insidi-
ous naiurc o dusi was rcvivcd as a war againsi ilc dusi-malcrs
4
Scc ilc Cabinet Issue 35 Dust or various lisiorical accounis o dusi. Sina iaja,
cd., Cabinet 3 (Broollyn: Immaicrial Incorporaicd, 2uu9i.
Mics van dcr Rolcs Scagram Building in icw Yorl (98i, wiil iis cicrnalizcd
siruciural ariiculaiion minimally clad in slccis o glass ocrs an ccmplary
camplc o ilc lind o planar corporaic modcrnism ilai wcni on io inucncc
ilc dcsign o ilc world 1radc Ccnicr as did lis ialc Slorc Drivc iowcrs projcci
on Clicagos waicrroni (9i.
123
g. 3 Spacc Imagings IKuiuS onc-mcirc rcsoluiion saiclliic imagc ialcn ai :43 AM LD1 on
Scpicmbcr 2 2uu.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
124
ilcmsclvcs. Bowcvcr as an cprcssion o ilc cicrnal condiiion
o iorpor, dusi iypically lacls ilc ncccssary viialiiy wlcrcby ilc
pasi gains iraciion and is ablc io unsciilc ilc prcscni. unlilc
diri wlicl las bccn ilcorizcd as maiicr oui o placc (Mary
Douglasi and subjccicd io vigorous rcgimcs o puricaiion, dusi
is ircaicd as a mucl morc mundanc surplus ilai can bc gcnily
swcpi asidc. Dusiy is ncvcr as bad as diriy, bui nor is ii as sym-
bolically iransgrcssivc. Diri connoics a coniaminaiion o morc
ilan ilc jusi ilc suracc o ilings, ii las an insidious claim on
inicrioriiy ilai malcs ii siubborn io purging, an aiiribuic ilai
las bccn scmaniically uscul io pocis and prcaclcrs alilc. Diri
gcis inio ilings, dcling boundarics bciwccn cniiiics, wlcrcas
dusi ii sccms[ mcrcly submiis objccis io siasis.
Diri is an objcci ound in a placc wlcrc ii docs noi
bclong; dusi rcproduccs in miniaiurc cvcryiling ilai
surrounds us. iciilcr diri nor dusi arc spccic bodics,
lowcvcr. 1lc rsi is composcd o minuic bodics wlicl
nd ilcmsclvcs in coniaci wiil an objcci, and wlicl
ilc laiicr las rciaincd in somc manncr. 1lc sccond is
composcd o minuic bodics cruslcd inio powdcr, wlicl
is dcposiicd on ilc objcci.
6
In spiic o ilc disgusi conjurcd by wriicrs sucl as Baiaillc wlcn
conicmplaiing ilc iransormaiion ilai a ccniury o accumulaicd
dusi would caci upon ilc slumbcring mound o Slccping Bcauiy,
6
ucrman clcmisi )uisus von iicbig wriiing in ilc mid 9
il
ccniury, quoicd in
Ldmond iocard, 1lc Analysis o Dusi 1raccs. iari I, The American Journal of
Police Science , no. 3 (93ui, 216-298.
12
conicmporary accounis o dusi icnd io ircai ii morc pcrunciorily
as supcruous maiicr. Lvcn ilc cosmic dusi ilai is bcing uscd by
asironomcrs io rcad ilc ossil rccord o ilc univcrsc rcgards ilis
maiicr as bcnignly ubiquiious, alilougl ilc clcmical composi-
iion o ilis lind o inicrsicllar and inicrgalaciic maicrial las no
corollary io iis carilbound counicrparis. Dusi in gcncral, appcars
morc drcary and drcamlilc ilan icrriying or rcpulsivc. 1lus
ilc cprcssion wlcn ilc dusi sciilcs suggcsis ilai dusi will
ncvcr bc aslcd io do ilc diriy worl o lisiory io ioil in murly
rcccsscs and dig ilougl mucl and rubblc in ordcr io bring ilc
pariiculaic maiicrs o pasi cvcnis inio ilc coniaci zonc o ilc
prcscni. Dusi mcrcly cncloscs or discloscs prc-cisicni rcali-
iics. (wlilc ilis claracicrisaiion o dusi is rcasonably accuraic,
iis rcal poicniial rcsidcs in iis capaciiy io rcgisicr prior cvcnis
within iis pariiculaic maiicr, mainiaining a ccriain conncciiv-
iiy wiil ilc pasi as a conscqucncc o iis oniological railcr ilan
rlciorical naiurc. 1lis iurn iowards ilc inicrnal composiiion o
dusi as larbouring muliiplc singulariiics daia paclcis i you
will opposcd io morc common dcscripiions as an disiribuicd
suracc cvcni is somciling I will comc io slorily.i uncc ilc dusi
clouds o 9 lad sciilcd ilc scalc o ilc luman iragcdy would
bc rcvcalcd a ncw lind o imagc-cvcni, clcanscd o inicrcrcncc,
would bc madc manicsi in wlicl ilc body (cvcn in iis damagcd
siaici would bc rciurncd io ilc visual cld. Bui ilis aniicipaiory
narraiivc o ull disclosurc ncvcr maicrialiscd in quiic ilcsc icrms.
Part II: An unauthorized Biography of uust
1lc 2,18u missing wcrc largcly subsumcd by ilc caiaclysmic
orcc o collapsing arcliicciurc, wlicl was iiscl iransormcd inio
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
126
nc powdcry sooi. Iniaci bodics wcrc nowlcrc io sccn rusirai-
ing rcscuc coris, wlicl uliimaicly managcd io rccovcr 9,9u6
luman ragmcnis, bui o ilcsc rcmains only 293 wcrc ully iniaci
bodics and only 2 could bc idcniicd by sigli. In ilc aicrmail
o rccovcry, rcscuc worlcrs wlo lad dug ilrougl ilc ions o laz-
ardous rubblc wiil ilcir lands and rudimcniary iools, bcgan io
dcvclop rcspiraiory problcms in ilc orm o a dry and pcrsisicni
cougl. wiilin si monils clcvaiors and air vcniilaiors in build-
ings adjaccni io ilc w1C siic, coniinuously bcgan io ail.
1
1lc
dusi lad noi simply sciilcd, bui lad cnicrcd inio ilc lungs o
rcscuc worlcrs and local inlabiianis as wcll as inio ilc mcclani-
cal sysicms o ncarby buildings.
You lavc u-siory buildings ilai lcavc morc dcbris
ilan ilcsc iwo uu-siory iowcrs. wlcrc ilc ucl is
cvcryiling? A scrious wccllong scarcl and wcvc ound
2uu in a pilc o ,uuu? wlais going on? wlcrc is cvc-
ryonc? wly arcni wc nding morc bodics? Causc iis
all vaporizcd iurncd io dusi. wcrc brcailing pcoplc
in ilai dusi.
8
Iis an imagc ilai prompis involuniarily gagging and cplains, in
pari, wly ilc mcdiaicd absiraciion o airbornc dusi clouds lovcr-
1
Scc iiclolas iciraco, 1lomas A. Kubic and iisa iabcr, The Microscopic Analy-
sis of World Trade Center Dust (icw Yorl: iaiional iorcnsic Scicncc 1cclnology
Ccnicr, Augusi 2uu1i, 3.
8
A rcman spcaling in a Broollyn bar wlo lad donc a 24-lour slii ai uround
zcro. Clrisioplcr Kciclam, A Scason in Bcll, in Salon.com, cd. Clrisioplcr
Kciclam (icw Yorl Ciiy: Salon Mcdia uroup, 2ui, 2u2.
121
ing ai a disiancc, mucl lilc ilc muslroom clouds o ilc aiomic
bomb, ocrs a lind o pcrvcrsc visual pleasure or rcspiic rom ilc
lorror occurring ai ilc immcdiacy o ground lcvcluround zcro.
As uncasy as ilc ilougli o unwiiiing acis o anilropoplagi ilai
ilc inlaling o w1C dusi by man and maclinc alilc migli provolc,
mosi common dusi spccimcns aciually coniain a ligl pcrccniagc
o coliaicd luman slin iissuc and luman lair along wiil many
oilcr naiural and synilciic brcs, pariiclcs, cmissions, and pol-
luianis. uur bodics arc consianily proccssing ilc slouglcd-o
cccss and wasic produccd by our coniaci wiil oilcr spccics or
by ilc riciions occurring bciwccn dicrcni spccimcns. And wc
in iurn dcposii minuic iracc cvidcncc o our passagc ilrougl
spacc and in iimc wlcrcvcr wc movc and wlcncvcr wc malc
coniaci wiil anoilcr suracc. As Ldmond iocard, ilc ircncl
criminologisi crcdiicd wiil laying ilc oundaiions o orcnsic
scicncc amously posiulaicd, cvcry coniaci lcavcs a iracc. 1lis
principlc o cclangc asscris ilai in any cncounicr bciwccn
bodics, objccis, maicrials, and spaccs ccriain rcsidual iraccs
arc dcposiicd and cclangcd. 1lcsc poinis o coniaci bciwccn
cniiiics can bc mappcd scicniically io linl ilc disiribuiion o
bodics and objccis wiilin spacc. Dusi wriics Sicvcn Connor is
a mcdium o iransormaiion and cclangc. Almosi wiiloui
qualiiics iiscl, dusi las ilc qualiiy o qualiiylcssncss, ilc viriual
viriuc o iransmiiiing ilc viriucs o oilcr subsianccs. Ii is boil
a icrminal and a mcdiaic maiicr, incri, bui somciimcs, or ilai
vcry rcason, omnivalcni.
9
Dusi scramblcs ilc maicrial signals o
objccis and cvcnis, iransmiiiing complc inormaiion rom onc
spacc io anoilcr. Bacling inio dusi las conscqucnily bccomc a
9
Sicvcn Connor, iulvcrulcncc, Cabinet 3 iall (2uu9i, 1.
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128
lcy aciiviiy o ilc orcnsic invcsiigaior wlo musi bccomc slillcd
ai cracling iis clcmical coding clains.
All maiicr, clcmically spcaling, can bc dividcd inio iwo
primary subcaicgorics: ilai o purc and impurc subsianccs. Dusi
is considcrcd io bc impurc maiicr bccausc ii is a miiurc con-
iaining iwo or morc clcmcnis or compounds in closc proimiiy
wlosc proporiions can vary, wlcrcas waicr is a purc subsiancc
bccausc ii always consisis o lydrogcn and oygcn in a raiio
o :8 by mass and 2: by volumc. I lavc iurncd my aiicniion
io ilc orcnsic analysis o world 1radc Ccnicr dusi spccimcns
in ordcr io arguc againsi ilc prcvailing grammars o dusi wiil
ilcir mciaploric sialcs in a dc-poliiiciscd lisiory o maicrial
rclaiions as mcrcly a clronics o ilings unlingcd rom ilc spc-
cic cvcnis oui o wlicl cacl diminuiivc clcmcni las cmcrgcd.
u

By camining ilc pariicular clcmical and plysical propcriics
o dusi wc urilcr unsciilc ilc assumcd disiinciions bciwccn
lumannon-luman conguraiions o maiicr and arc bciicr ablc
io arguc, as I lavc donc clscwlcrc, or ilc undamcnial oniologi-
cal inscparabiliiy o all maiicr.
In ilc Analysis of Dust Traces (92ui iocard discusscs ilc
naiurc and composiiion o dusi, noiing ilai wlai is lcy io an
undcrsianding o dusi is ilai ii is an accumulaiion o dcbris in
a siaic o pulvcrizaiion wlcilcr dcrivcd rom organic or inor-
u
I ialc ilis plrasc rom a siaicmcni madc by ucniin Mcillassou in an inicrvicw
wiil Robin MacKay. 1lais wlai is diculi conccpiually I can arm ii, bui
wlai is diculi is io givc ilis scnsaiion ilai you arc in a world wlcrc you can-
noi malc a plysics, bui only a clronics, o ilings. Robin Maclay, ilorian Bcclcr
and ucniin Mcillassou, Documcni u 3-, in www.urbanomic.com, cd. urba-
nomic (urbanomic, 2uui, 3.
129
g. 4 Macroscopically, cacl bull spccimcn appcarcd somcwlai lilc rcccnily crupicd volcanic
asl. 1iny aliquois o bull spccimcns wcrc siudicd wiil a polarizcd ligli microscopc (iiMi. 1lcsc
iniiial iiM siudics rcvcalcd ilai cacl bull samplc was composcd o a myriad o maicrials. Ii
appcarcd ilai all ilc maicrials composing ilc buildings and all o ilc buildings conicnis wcrc
liicrally pulvcrizcd by ilc collapsc o ilc 1win 1owcrs. iiclolas iciraco, 1lomas A. Kubic and
iisa iabcr, The Microscopic Analysis of World Trade Center Dust (icw Yorl: iaiional iorcnsic
Scicncc 1cclnology Ccnicr, Augusi 2uu1i, 3.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
130
g. 1abulaiion o w1C dusi daia.
131
ganic cniiiics. 1lc claracicrisiic o pulvcrizaiion disiinguislcs
dusi rom mud and diri. Mud is dusi micd wiil liquid, ilai
is, in a plasiic siaic. wlcn ilc mud is oily ii ialcs ilc namc o
cambouis. Diri is dusi wiil an admiiurc o aiiy and dcsiccaicd
bodics.
iulvcrizaiion is ilc dcning aiiribuic o dusi bccausc

ilc compound dcbris pariiclcs ilai comprisc dusi arc in ccci
ilc pariial-objccis o oilcr usually largcr[ cniiiics, wlicl lavc
bccn ground down. As a maiicr o aci, pulvcrizaiion dcsiroys
ilc morplologic siaic, wlicl would cnablc us ordinarily io rcc-
ognizc ilcsc objccis by our scnscs or cvcn wiil our insirumcnis.
un ilc oilcr land, ilc iransormaiion docs noi go so ar as io
rcducc ilc objcci inio iis uliimaic clcmcnis, ilai is, inio molcculcs
or aioms... wc do indccd, nd ilcm in a ccriain plysical siaic,
wlcrc ilc micro-clcmical diagnosis o iis origin is siill possiblc.
2

Conirary io ilc popular imagc o dusi as ilc cpanding maicrial
suracc upon wlicl oilcr iraccs, sucl as ilc imprini o a ooi-
sicp migli ncgaiivcly bc rcgisicrcd, dusi spccimcns ilcmsclvcs,
wlcn undcrsiood icclnically as impurc maiicr, arclivc iraccs
o muliiplc objccis in a siaic o iransormaiion. As a compound
maicrial subsiancc in wlicl radically lcicrogcncous maicrials
lavc momcniarily loclcd iogcilcr, dusi is ilc maicrial wiincss
par cccllcncc bccausc ii mainiains ilcsc disiinciions io ilc cnd
allowing ilcm io iraclcd bacl io ilc pariicular circumsianccs
oui o wlicl ilcy cmcrgcd. ior iocard dusi spccimcns wcrc ilc
muic wiincsscs, surc and aiilul, o all our movcmcnis and o
all our cncounicrs. wlilc ii would bc somcwlai allacious io
Ldmond iocard, 1lc Analysis o Dusi 1raccs. iari I, The American Journal of
Police Science , no. 3 (93ui, 216-298.
2
iocard, 1lc Analysis o Dusi 1raccs. iari I.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
132
suggcsi ilai iis various impuriiics dcicrriiorialisc and rcicr-
riiorialisc cacl oilcr slaring maiicr-cncrgy ows in a man-
ncr similar io ilc proccsscs o bccoming ilai claracicrisc ilc
nocc conirc naiurc (againsi naiurc marriagci o ilc wasp and
orclid amously discusscd by Dclcuzc and uuaiiari.
3
Bowcvcr
ilc compound subsianccs ound in dusi do concr mcaning onio
ilc rclaiions produccd bciwccn ilcm wlcn wc undcrsiand ilc
orcnsic cpcri as a iransvcrsal agcni commiiicd io probing dusi
pariiclcs in ilc samc way ilai ilc orclid and wasp arc muiually
aiicniivc io pollcn. 1lrougl ilcir probing inicrccssions, orcnsic
scicniisis arc ablc io iranslaic ilc maicrial impuriiics o dusi
inio a convincing narraiivc or origin siory: a ialc o iwo iowcrs.
Morcovcr, ilc naiural coopcraiion bciwccn wasp and orclid
ilai brings iwo unlilc organisms iogcilcr in a proccss ilai siill
managcs io susiain ilcir radical dicrcnccs, is cclocd by ilc pul-
vcrizaiion and coming iogcilcr o dicrcni linds o subsianccs
in dusi. 1lc rcsuliing asscmblagc ncvcr produccs a maicrial
siraia wlosc dicrcnccs can bc rcconcilcd io crcaic a synilciic
wlolc ilai migli, in iurn, bc namcd. 1lcrc is no nomcnclaiurc
or idcniiying a w1C dusi spccimcn ilai includcs brc-glass,
rocl wool, asbcsios, synilciic and naiural brcs, papcr, luman
rcmains, cciling iilcs, mica alcs, plasicr and concrcic, paini
smcars, mcial alcs, ragmcnis o wood, oam, and plasiic, pcrliic,
drugs, glass slards and oilcr unlnown maicrials.
Dusi, as I lavc said, may bc ormcd o ilc dcbris o all
linds o bodics. In cnumcraiing ilc clcmcnis compos-
3
uillcs Dclcuzc and icli uuaiiari, A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizo-
phrenia, irans. Brian Massumi (iondon: Coniinuum, 981i.
133
ing ii, ilcrc would bc madc a lisi o all ilc subsianccs,
organic or inorganic, cisiing on ilc caril. 1lc csscniial
poini, lowcvcr, is ilc caci siaic or condiiion o ilc
rcspcciivc subsianccs bcorc ilcy rcaclcd ilc siaius
o pulvcrizaiion.
4
Spccimcns o uround zcro dusi wlcrc obiaincd rom rsi rcspond-
crs: mcmbcrs o ilc policc dcparimcni sworn laboraiory pcrson-
ncl, crimc sccnc unii dcicciivcs and pcrsonncl rom ilc uCMLs
occ. Addiiional spccimcns o w1C dusi wcrc obiaincd rom
individuals cmploycd io clcan and rcsiorc lisiorical clurclcs
and gravcyards locaicd ncar uround zcro. iinally, spccimcns
wlcrc collccicd by ilc auilors o ilc siudy rccrcnccd in ilis
cssay[ rom scvcral buildings si monils aicr 9.
wlcn
4
iocard, 1lc Analysis o Dusi 1raccs. iari I.
1lc icsiing proiocol is ouilincd as ollows: i cacl bull spccimcn was ilorouglly
looscncd and micd gcnily using an agaic moriar and pcsilc; 2i cacl bull sam-
plc was cqually dividcd inio cigli aliquois; 3i cacl aliquoi was dividcd inio cigli
cqual poriions; 4i cacl poriion was placcd on a microscopc slidc, covcrcd wiil
a io. 2, 22mm, round covcr-glass, and dispcrscd cvcnly in Mcli Mouni R.I.
.39; and i cacl spccimcn was labclcd or idcniicaiion. ici, a quaniiiaiivc
pariiclc couni o cacl spccimcn was carricd oui wiil a polarizcd ligli microscopc
iicd was a Claullly, poini-couni rciiculc. Ai lcasi ,uuu pariiclcs wcrc counicd
or all o ilc microscopc slidc prcparaiions madc rom cacl bull spccimcn. 1lc
rcsulis wcrc rccordcd on w1C dusi daia slccis. 1lis daia was uscd io compuic
ilc pcrccni o cacl maicrial prcscni in ilc avcragc spccimcn. iiclolas iciraco,
1lomas A. Kubic and iisa iabcr, The Microscopic Analysis of World Trade Center
Dust (icw Yorl: iaiional iorcnsic Scicncc 1cclnology Ccnicr, Augusi 2uu1i,
4-6.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
134
discussing ilc analysis o w1C dusi ai a icw Yorl Microscopic
Sociciy lcciurc (May 28 2uu3i Dr. iiclolas iciraco, onc o ilc
ilrcc auilors o ilc subscqucnily publislcd siudy, cprcsscd lis
incrcduliiy ai nding drug rcsiduc wiilin ilc icsicd spccimcns.
6

I supposc prcscripiion drugs arc so ubiquiious ilai iraccs o
ilcm would bc ound aicr ilc caiasiroplic dcsiruciion o any
scgmcni o an urban ncus, bui ilis siill surpriscd mc. 1oday
ilc uS consumcs 8u o ilc worlds opioid pain mcdicaiions and
99 o ilc worlds lydrocodonc, a scmi-synilciic opioid. Bciwccn
991 and 2uu1, ilc ycars rouglly braclciing 9, ilc milligram
pcr pcrson usc o prcscripiion opioids las soarcd rom 14mg io
369mg, rcprcscniing an ovcrall incrcasc o 4u2.
1
In ordcr or
iracc clcmcnis o drugs io rcgisicr wiilin w1C dusi spccimcns
ilai includcd all o ilc maicrial dcbris ound in ilc immcdiaic
cnvirons o uround zcro, ilc pcrccniagc o pcoplc ialing ilcm
in 2uu would lavc lad io bc cvcn signicanily liglcr ilan cur-
rcni lcvcls o consumpiion. Many communiiy lcalil siudics lavc
camincd ilc impaci o 9 upon drug usc, cspccially ilc incrcasc
in drugs ialcn or ircaimcni o posi-iraumaiic sircss disordcr
and dcprcssion. Bowcvcr iciracos surprisc ai nding ilc prcs-
cncc o drugs in ilc w1C dusi samplcs rciurns ilc narraiivcs
6
1lc rcpori The Microscopic Analysis of World Trade Center Dust was auilorcd by
Dr. iiclolas iciraco, MS, D-ABC, iorcnsic Consuliani, iYiD, Adjunci Assisiani
irocssor, )oln )ay Collcgc, CuiY, Dr. 1lomas A. Kubic, )D, ilD, Associaic iro-
cssor, )oln )ay Collcgc, CuiY, and Ms. iisa iabcr, MiS, Criminalisi Iv, Supcr-
visor iYiD Bair and iibcr unii.
1
David Kloil, Amcricas iaial Addiciion io ircscripiion Drugs, The Guardian
()unc u, 2ui, liip:www.guardian.co.ulcommcniisrccciamcrica2u
junuprcscripiion-drug-abusc?Ii1CMiSRCB
13
o drug usc bacl io ilc maicrials ilcmsclvcs, wlicl arc in ilc
uncnviablc posiiion o bcing ablc io clroniclc ilc magniiudc o
widc-sprcad drug uscabusc (prcscripiion or oilcrwisci wiiloui
ilc causal acior o a caiaclysmic drug-inducing cvcni. 1lai is
io say, i wc lcarn low io rcad ilc signicancc o ilc siaiisiical
composiiion o dusi as a qucsiion o proporiionaliiy bciwccn
brcglass and narcoiics.
1lc prcscncc o drug ragmcnis also rciurns ilc luman body
io ilc spacc o cvisccraicd arcliicciurc as a dcnaiurcd body ilai
was alrcady maicrially impurc. Buman rcmains conjoincd wiil
concrcic and plasicr can pcrlaps bc acccpicd piously as a pas-
sagc rom dusi-io-dusi, wlcrcas ilc prcscncc o drugs iroublcs
ilc iclling o an cniircly moral narraiivc. Ii is ilis rcalisaiion
ilai ialcs us abacl, I bclicvc, wlcn conroniing ilc iabulaiion
o dusi daia. 1lc insigli ilai ilc body was alrcady damagcd or
ill in somcway prior io ilc violcncc inicicd by crusling arcli-
icciurc. Moraliiy would comc io play a crucial rolc in ilc u.S
Adminisiraiions rcsponsc io 9 and ilcrcorc ilc cvidcncc o
drugs in w1C dusi can bc sccn, I bclicvc, as clouding ilc moral
disiinciions bciwccn good and bad upon wlicl iis riglicous wars
wcrc wagcd. 1lc symbolic puriiy o a body subjcciivcly iainicd
by drugs rcquircs a morc nuanccd scmaniic ariiculaiion ilan a
body conccpiualiscd as objcciicd luman rcmains rciurncd io
asl. u coursc ilc narraiivc o ilc awcd body, rivcn by alcolol
or drugs or wcalcncd by iis scual procliviiics and dcsircs, runs
rampani ilrougl Amcrican sociciy, ccmplicd by ilc poliiical
gurcs o Clinion, u. w. Busl and mosi rcccnily by uui candidaic
Bcrman Cain. Bui iis a siory ilai las always bccn rcdccmcd by
a call io a liglcr purposc scrvicc io uod, Couniry, and amily. Ii
is also a siory ilai cicnds ilc myilos o scl-rcmaling ilai las
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136
bccn so powcrully opcraiivc wiilin ilc Amcrican psyclc, onc
ilai can convcri povcriy inio wcalil, dcbauclcry inio viriuc or
cvcn corpulcncc inio slimncss. 1lc iransormaiivc poicniial o
ilc Amcrican Can Do spirii is coniinually paradcd as cvidcncc
o capiialisms capaciiy io accommodaic dicrcncc and promoic
iolcrancc.
8
1lis is all io say, ilai ilc bodics involcd by ilc rlc-
iorical ramcworl o 9 wcrc noi ilcsc linds o damagcd bui
rcdccmcd bodics. In ilcir collcciivc siaius as viciims, all pcr-
sonal impuriiics wcrc symbolically purgcd and ilc sccrciarics,
busincssmcn and womcn, miliiary and cdcral worlcrs; moms
and dads, ricnds and nciglbors wlo dicd wcrc o ncccssiiy
collcciivcly rcprcscnicd as wlolly innoccni. 1lcir privaic bod-
ics iransormcd inio a naiional body wlosc wounds wcrc solcly
inicicd by cicrnal orccs.
9
Anoilcr bric camplc o a maicrial lisiory ilai onc could
ccavaic oui o ilc gcological siraia o w1C rubblc is ilai o
8
Subscqucni conirovcrsy in 2uu9 around ilc proposcd building o an Islamic cul-
iural ccnirc in ilc gcncral viciniiy o uround zcro liglliglicd ilc limiis o ilis
iolcrancc wiil rcspcci io ilc ways in wlicl ilc narraiivc cld o 9 could bc
rc-disiribuicd oilcr ilan in rcduciivc icrms.
9
ircsidcni uw Busls Address to the Nation on Scpicmbcr and 2 2uu subsian-
iiaics my linc o argumcniaiion in iis invocaiion o a naiion woundcd, wlosc
iolcrani and progrcssivc naiurc las cnsurcd ilai uod las closcn iis sidc in iis
global gli or jusiicc. In vowing io sccl rciribuiion or ilc acis o icrror, Busl
also madc a plcdgc io rciurn ilc uS io ilc cconomic prospcriiy, wlicl lc (along
wiil manyi rcgardcd as ilc symbolic iargci o ilc icrrorisi aiiacl. 1lc moral
projcci o aiicnding io ilc naiions psyclic wound was ilus conjoincd io lcaling
iis nancial lcalil, a posiiion cclocd by icw Yorl major Rudy uiuliani implor-
ing Amcricans io go and oui slop oilcrwisc ilc icrrorisis will lavc won.
131
asbcsios. During iniiial consiruciion o ilc nancial complc
(966-13i asbcsios was widcly uscd as a building maicrial duc io
iis icnsilc sircngil, low cosi, ligl mcliing poini, and rcsisiancc
io clcmical brcaldown. An csiimaicd 4uu ions o asbcsios wcrc
incorporaicd inio ilc siruciurcs o ilc w1C. Bowcvcr, aniicipaiing
a immincni ban by ilc Lnvironmcnial iroicciion Agcncy (LiAi,
buildcrs lad sioppcd including asbcsios-bascd maicrials by ilc
iimc ilcy lad consirucicd ilc 4uil oor o ilc ioril 1owcr, ilc
rsi o ilc 1win 1owcrs io bc complcicd as wcll as ilc rsi lii
in ilc aiiacls and ilc lasi io go down in amcs. Asbcsios is siill
rcgardcd as onc o ilc mosi robusi rc-rciardani maicrials and in
ilc wccls ollowing 9 somc cnginccrs and scicniisis wondcrcd
i ilc banncd subsiancc (lad ii bccn uscd ilrouglouii migli noi
lavc lclpcd io coniain ilc rc damagc in ilc iowcrs long cnougl
or pcoplc io cscapc.
2u
According io LiA rcporis, ilc implosion
rom ilc iowcrs pulvcrizcd asbcsios io ulira-nc pariiclcs and
ilc world 1radc Ccnicr Bcalil Rcgisiry csiimaics aboui 4u,uuu
pcoplc wcrc cposcd io asbcsios during ilc rcscuc, rccovcry and
clcan-up coris ilai ollowcd 9. Insicad o saving livcs ilrougl
iis rc-rciardani propcriics, cposurc io ilc asbcsios uscd in
consiruciing ilc lowcr rcgions o ilc iowcrs las coniribuicd
io scvcrc illncss and dcail. Alilougl ilc analysis o w1C dusi
conrms iracc cvidcncc o asbcsios, ilis daia samplc cani icsiiy
io wlai migli lavc bccn lad iis prolibiiion noi bccn in placc.
Bui wlai ii iclls us aboui iis low pariiclc couni in rclaiionslip
io ilai o ilc oilcr insulaiing maicrials (4.i, lowcr cvcn ilan
2u
)amcs ulanz and Andrcw C. Rcvlin, A iaiion Clallcngcd; Bauniing ucsiion:
Did ilc Ban on Asbcsios icad io ioss o iic? The New York Times, Scpicmbcr
8, 2uu, Scicncc scciion.
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138
ilai o luman rcmains (albcii noi an insulaiori is ilai wlilc ii
was incapablc o rciarding rc in iis macro-maicrial orm, iis
low ilrcslold occurrcncc wlcn inlalcd as ioic micro-pariiclcs,
was sucicni or causing clronic discasc and dcail.
1lcsc iwo camplcs bcgin io suggcsi ways in wlicl a orcn-
sics o w1C dusi migli provc produciivc or rcading ilc complc
social, cconomic, and poliiical rclaiions oui o ilc maicrial siraia
o our world. Morcovcr, ilc cilical dimcnsions o an cvcni in
wlicl ilc loss o lic in ilc uS was ollowcd by morc ilan u ycars
o rcialiaiory war is iiscl provolcd by ilis microscopic siudy o
dusi, wlcn wc also lcarn io rcad maicrial rclaiions bciwccn luman
and non-lumans aciors oui o an imagc-cld o sccmly ormlcss
dusi clouds. In doing so wc comc io undcrsiand ilai imagcs ialcn
ai a disiancc, ilai ilc acsilciic rcalm o our cmcrgcni rcmoic
scnsing icclnologics, is also ilc rcalm o radical imagining and
sccing. I wc acccpi cilics as ilc domain o aciion in and on ilc
world, ilcn ilc vcry aci o looling is also an aci o inicrvcning
inio ilc imagc-sircam o ilc cvcni as a lind o wiincss, bc ii as
a dronc opcraior scouring Aglani iargcis rom a consolc in
icvada, a icclnician rccalibraiing ilc posiiion o ilc IKuiuS
Spacc Imaging saiclliic, or a orcnsic scicniisi camining a glass
slidc o dusi spccimcns by mcans o polarizcd ligli microscopy.
w1C dusi bccomcs poliiical wlcn iis iniricaic maicrialiiy is
cposcd and uliimaicly rciurncd io ilc imagc-clds rom wlcncc
ii camc as ilc produciivc insianiiaiion o a orcnsic acsilciics
ilai rcncws our vision, allowing us io scc ilc world or wlai ii
rcally is impurc maiicr.

A landscapc bcyond icclnology wlcrc cvcryiling was ciilcr
dcrclici or, morc ambiguously, rccombincd in uncpccicd
bui morc mcaningul ways.
). u. Ballard
I rciurncd io ilc clcmcni wlicl is ilc basis o all sound
muliiariousncss: io purc vibraiion (...i Lvcry cisiing sound,
cvcry noisc, is a miiurc o sucl sinc wavcs a spccirum.
Karllcinz Siocllauscn
1lc ollowing rcporis documcni iwo momcnis o an invcsiigaiion
in progrcss aboui spaccs ilai coniain a sonic dimcnsion, acousiic
icrriiorics ilai opcraic ilrougl rcsonancc wlilc mcdiaiing and
iranslaiing spcciral powcrs.
1lc rsi rcpori dcals wiil ilc consiiiuiion o a cloir as a
rcsonancc-inducing clcmcni in ilc prcmiscs o a radio anicnna
locaicd in 1cuclsbcrg, ucrmany, and ilc sccond rcpori wiil ilc
iranslaiion and licring o rccordings madc by a radio iclcscopc
in Dwingcloo, Bolland, bascd on ilc inicrccpiions o ilc blacl
lolc locaicd in ilc Cygnus consicllaiion.
Boil ruins oncc opcraicd in iracling and iranslaiing ilc
invisiblc, bui arc now sccncrics o icclnological scdimcniaiion,
a landll o pasi proiocols: radio iransmissions, cncrypiing
dccrypiing, cosmic radiaiion, ionosplcrc, clcciromagnciic cma-
naiions and anii-maiicr, all o ilcm now clannclcd ilrougl ilcir
clilonic caviiics.
1lc rcmains o ilc prcvious opcraiional body pcrsisi, cmp-
iicd o ilcir prcvious purposc. 1lc original and clcmcniary uids
lavc dricd, lcaving ilis body suiiablc or ilc pariicipaiion in ncw
proiocols. Bcrc a sci o cploraiions and mcdiaiions comcs io ligli
or wlicl ilc surviving spacc and iis involving mcmbranc arc
visccrally rcvivcd, ciraciing ilrougl rcsonancc a viial poicniial.
Boil proccsscs coniain a pariicular inicrcsi or ilc prcscncc
o sound, and iis vibraiional, corporal, and plysical inscripiion.
vibrationaI Mediations
)ot1it Stiutit
141
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142
I. ueviIs Lcho
'(...i ccric cclocs io rcsonani rcqucncics ilai can acci ilc
brain sccm io lavc bccn an inicniionally planncd compo-
ncni o a numbcr o prclisioric siics worldwidc, rom ruincd
icmplcs io rocl ari locaiions.'
iaul Dcvcrcu
1lc acousiic cmanaiion o ilc inncr spacc o a radio anicnna was
ilc siic or a scrics o rccordings o an inormal cloir o voiccs.
iocaicd in Bcrlin, ilis anicnna was oncc upon a iimc imporiani
or ilc moniioring and inicrccpiion o radio signals during ilc
1cuclsbcrg Siaiion. (iloio: irancisco ucimadclai
vI BRA1I uNAI MLuI A1I uNS
143
cold war.
During ilis pcriod, domcs wcrc buili io proicci ilc

anicnnas againsi ilc cold, ilc wind and ilc rain, as ilcy lad bccn
manuaciurcd rom ragilc maicrials and any alicraiion io ilcir
siruciurc (rosi or rusii would rcducc ilcir capaciiy or rcccpiion.
Insidc o onc o ilcsc domcs ii was possiblc io cplorc ilc
rclaiions o sound wiil iis immcdiaic glosi - iis cclo. 1lc par-
iicular acousiic propcriics o ilis spacc arc causcd by iis splcri-
cal conguraiion, wlicl consiiiuics an inicrnal camcra ilai
ucological siraia o ilc 1cuclsbcrg:

Ariicial lill buili by ilc Allics aicr ilc Sccond world war rom aboui 2 mil-
lion cubic mcicrs o rubblc rom Bcrlin. Ii is onc o ilc iwo liglcsi lills in ilc
Bcrlin arca.
Buricd undcrncail ilc lill is a iazi miliiary-icclnical collcgc dcsigncd by
Albcri Spccr. 1lc Allics iricd using cplosivcs io dcmolisl ilc sclool, bui ii was
so solid ilai covcring ii wiil dcbris iurncd oui io bc casicr.
1lc iSA (uS iaiional Sccuriiy Agcncyi iicld Siaiion Bcrlin 1cuclsbcrg camc
aicr ilis, and was onc o ilc prcmicr lisicning posis o ilc cold war, rumorcd io
bc pari o ilc global LCBLiui iniclligcncc gailcring nciworl.
ialc 1cuclsscc is ncar ilc lill; wlcrc ii is bclicvcd oncc siood a casilc inlab-
iicd by dcmons, and ilai was subscqucnily submcrgcd by ilc lalc.
1lc largc siruciurc was consirucicd on ilc iop o ilc lill; rom all dircciions ilc
siaiion cnjoycd cccllcni and unobsirucicd rcccpiion o signals in radio bands
ilai wcrc oilcrwisc diculi io rcccivc ovcr long disianccs. And vicwcd rom all
ovcr wcsi Bcrlin, in all dircciions was Lasi. Ii coniinucd io opcraic uniil ilc
all o Lasi ucrmany and ilc Bcrlin wall. Aicr ilai ilc siaiion was closcd and
ilc cquipmcni rcmovcd.
1lc buildings and radar domcs siill rcmain in placc bui ilc siic las bccn largcly
dcsiroycd sincc ilc 9us and ilc surrounding lills arc uscd as a sli parl.
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144
poicniiaics ilc plcnomcna o rcsonancc:
2
ilc sound is rcccicd
and rc-scni by ilc lard corpus o ilc domc.
3
1lis vasi building
complc was uscd as a siaiion or communicaiions moniioring,
ampliying, dccoding and rc-cncoding o an cicnsivc radio rangc
o disiani, invisiblc signals.
1lis domc is now rcposiiioncd as an axis mundi wlicl opcr-
aics as a ncrvc ccnicr and as an cclo clambcr inicnsiying ilc
icmporal cpcricncc o spacc, ampliying oilcr paris o ilc signal
rangc, rcvcaling ioday, ilrougl iis rcsonancc, acousiic glosis
ilai cmanaic rom ilc ruins o iis long pciricd iclluric body.
All sound cmissions originaiing in ilc inicrior arc con-
iaminaicd io ilc poini o bcing ccciivcly alicrcd, lcaving a
irail in spacc lilc a sound insianily subsiiiuicd by iis doublc, by
ilc ccdbacl o iis coniaincr. 1lc ccci is cquivalcni io ilai o
lcaring your own voicc rom insidc your own slull, rccciving ilc
rccciions and rcsonancc o ilc walls sirongcr ilan ilc original
sound cmission (g. 3i. 1lis vibraiional uid unblocls ilc inncr
suracc o ilc domc, iransorming ii inio a mcmbranc, a plysi-
ologic cicnsion o cnvironmcnial pcrccpiion. 1lc sound rcvcals
2
A rcsonani rcqucncy is a naiural rcqucncy o vibraiion dcicrmincd by ilc plysi-
cal paramcicrs o ilc vibraiing objcci, in ilis casc ilc dimcnsions, slapc and
maicrial o ilis caviiy. 1lc rcsonancc in ilis spacc is also a rcvcrbcraiion; ilc
pcrsisicncc o sound in a pariicular spacc aicr ilc original sound dissipaics.
3
1lis domc is madc o lcagonal and pcniagonal modulcs o a synilciic maicrial,
pcrmcablc io radio rcqucncics (g. i. 1lc lard suracc o ilis splcrc lilc placc
rcccis sound coniinuously, ilc dircci sound rcccivcd is ollowcd by a clusicr o
many rcccicd sounds wlicl blcnd and ovcrlap, ilc sound inicnsiiy is cnlanccd
by ilc rcccicd wavcs, lcncc ilc pariicular acousiic imprini claracicrisiic o
rcvcrbcraiion (g. 2i.
14
g.
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146
ilc arcliicciural orm o iis coniaincr, imprcgnaiing iimc wiil
iis acousiic signaiurc.
In ilis cvocaiion proccss a group o voiccs was ormcd ilai
was organizing iiscl as a irajcciory ilrougl ilc spaccs inicrior,
iis iimc dcicrmincd by ilc duraiion o ilc prcdcncd disianccs,
so as io nd an inicrnal poini o rclaiion wiil ilc caviiy and iis
cclo. Ii csiablislcd a proiocol o ioncs and inicnsiiics wlcrc ilc
voiccs lad opcraicd, in a iopograplical proccss ilai rc-combincs
and rcvcals iis iraccs in spacc.
1lis group o voiccs, as a sysicm, was placcd in sucl a way
as io only iruly slow iiscl ilrougl rcsonancc.
4
1lc group sing-
ing - undcrsiood as a caialysi or a visccral siaic - was cd by ilc
arcliicciurc o ilc caviiy and by ilc siaiic sounds produccd and
unoldcd in ii - spacc ilai unravcls, wrapping ilc pariicipanis
in a mcnial dislocaiion. 1lc gcomciry o ilis sccncry inicracis
dccply wiil ilc occupanis, inlibiiing scnscs and ampliying
ilc spcciral icrriiory o ilc placc, wlicl is slowly imprcgnaicd
during ilc proccss.
1lc round domc assumcs ilc conguraiion o a slull siriv-
ing io spcal, vibraiing iis inncr caviiy and spcaling ilrougl
ilc voicc o oilcrs. 1lc cclo mcdiaics spacc and ilc pcoplc wlo
occupy ii.
4
A parallcl can bc drawn wiil Alcandcr Mclvillc Bclls Visible Speech wlicl was
uscd io lclp ilc dca lcarn io iall sincc ilcy could noi lcar ilcir own aural pro-
nunciaiion. 1lc sysicm is composcd o symbols ilai slow ilc posiiion and movc-
mcni o ilc ilroai, ionguc, and lips as ilcy producc ilc sounds o languagc, and
ii is a iypc o plonciic noiaiion.
141
g. 3
g. 2 Spcciral analysis o a brolcn boiilc sound rccordcd insidc ilc domc, ilc cclo and rcvcrb
arc visiblc in ilis imagc.
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148
II. SpectraI BIindness
'Lvcry sionc uiicrs oraclcs.'
1cicira Rcgo
A irip io ilc Dwingcloo radio iclcscopc in Bolland,
and rom
ilcrc, on io ilc blacl lolc in ilc Cygnus consicllaiion,
6
in a pro-
ccss o rcvclaiion in wlicl orms appcar and maicrializc oui o
ilc opaqucncss.
An inviiaiion by ariisi Rcgina dc Migucl.

6
1lis disiani galay appcars io us as ilc sccond briglicsi radio sourcc in ilc sly
(g. 4i. Iis supcrmassivc blacl lolc gcncraics ircmcndous cncrgy as ii consumcs
largc amounis o maicrial. icarby clccirons arc accclcraicd in ilis proccss, cmii-
iing sirong radio wavcs as ilcy spiral ouiward in magnciic clds.
Dwingcloo Radio ubscrvaiory. (iloio: Rcgina dc Migucli
149
1lis saiclliic disl, a mcclanical car o ilc iics,
1
was buili
io lisicn in io ilc wavcs iransmiiicd by radio sourccs in ilc cos-
mos, among wlicl, arc ilc sirong spois o radio wavc cmanaiion
originaiing in blacl lolcs. 1lc mass composing ilc cosmic bacl-
ground consisis o a conglomcraic o clcciromagnciic impulscs
and cmanaiions ilai appcar opaquc ai a rsi analysis. Saiuraicd
wiil inicrsicllar radiaiion, iis componcnis bccomc visiblc only
wlcn ilcsc cmissions (g. i arc analyzcd wiil ilc rigli iool.
1lc radio signal ccding ilc anicnna is iranslaicd inio a sound
signal, an amorplous wliic noisc:
8
a blindncss cngcndcrcd by
ilc impossibiliiy o inicrprciaiion.

1
1lc Dwingcloo Radio ubscrvaiory (norilcasicrn icilcrlandsi, is a singlc disl
radio iclcscopc wiil a diamcicr o 2m. Consiruciion complcicd in 96. Ai ilai
iimc ii was ilc largcsi radio iclcscopc in ilc world. As o 2uuu, ii was no lon-
gcr opcraiivc in an ocial capaciiy and sincc Augusi 2uu9 is ocially a Duicl
indusirial lcriiagc monumcni. CAMRAS, along wiil radio amaicurs and ama-
icur asironomcrs, usc ilc iclcscopc or LML, also lnown as moonbouncc. In ilis
icclniquc, radio wavc signals arc aimcd ai ilc Moon rom onc locaiion, bouncc
o ilc Moons suracc, and arc dciccicd by an anicnna ai a dicrcni locaiion on
Laril. unc LML was madc in ilc samc day o ilc blacl lolc rccordings, scnding
cloir sounds o ilc 1cuclsbcrg scssions io bc dcccicd by ilc moon, an inicr-
planciary cclo ilai would plcasc King 1ubby.
8
wliic noisc is a random signal wiil a ai spcciral dcnsiiy; ilc signal coniains
cqual powcr ai any ccnicr rcqucncy. wliic noisc draws iis namc rom wliic ligli
in wlicl ilc powcr spcciral dcnsiiy o ilc ligli is disiribuicd ovcr ilc visiblc
band in sucl a way ilai ilc cycs ilrcc color rcccpiors arc cqually siimulaicd. A
random signal is considcrcd wliic noisc i ii is obscrvcd io lavc a ai spccirum
ovcr a mcdiums widcsi possiblc bandwidil (g. 6i.
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10
g. 4
g.
11
uivcn ilc qualiiy o ilis radio magnciic siaiic noisc, and
lisicning io ilc maclinc ilai lcars ii,
9
ii is diculi io poini io
somc dcniic spoi, bui wlilc ilc grcai anicnna iurns looling
or a signal in ilc sly, a small volumc oscillaiion announccs a
visiblc cracl in ilc opaquc noisc - sirong radio cmissions lilc
ilosc originaiing rom Cygnus blacl lolc incrcasc iis volumc -
allowing or ilc inicrprciaiion o ilis oscillaiion as a coordinaic.
1lc visibiliiy ilrcslold is narrow or ilis lind o anicnna, alrcady
noi up io daic wiil ilc currcni mcilodologics and icclnologics
o asironomical obscrvaiion. 1lis maclinc dccodcs ilc radio
signal inio sound, dcicrioraiing ii ilrougl iis clcciric mcclanism
and rcducing ilc spccicr o wliic noisc rcccivcd. An cncounicr
wlcrc ilc obscrvcr mccis only ilc iranslaicd signal produccd
by ilc iools uscd in ilc obscrvaiion.
Aicr ilc scssion ai ilc anicnna and bacl ai ilc sound siudio,
oilcr mcclanisms wcrc pui inio aciion in ordcr io carry oui a
scrics o sonic iranslaiion o ilc rccordings o wliic noisc rom
ilc blacl lolc. 1o worl wiil ilis signal implics moving iowards
iis opaqucncss and io iransmuic ii inio a mcclanism in iimc.
u

9
In 93, Karl uuilc )ansly, an cnginccr wiil Bcll 1clcplonc iaboraiorics, was
assigncd ilc job o idcniiying sourccs o siaiic ilai migli inicrcrc wiil radio
iclcplonc scrvicc. )anslys anicnna was an array o dipolcs and rccciors dcsigncd
io rcccivc slori wavc radio signals. By roiaiing ilc anicnna ilc dircciion o ilc
rcccivcd inicrcring radio sourcc (siaiici could bc pinpoinicd. Aicr rccording sig-
nals rom all dircciions or scvcral monils, )ansly cvcniually caicgorizcd ilcm
inio ilrcc iypcs o siaiic: ncarby ilundcrsiorms, disiani ilundcrsiorms, and a
aini sicady liss o unlnown origin. )ansly nally dcicrmincd ilai ilc aini
liss was coming rom ilc Milly way and was sirongcsi in ilc dircciion o ilc
ccnicr o ilc galay, ilc placc or a supcr massivc blacl lolc.
u
A. uralam Bcll, invcnior o ilc iclcplonc, crcaicd ilc Spccirograpl, a dcvicc
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
12
1lc sound was progrcssivcly iransormcd and licrcd in a proccss
ilai rcsiorcd ilc orm o ilc noisc, giving ii a gcsiurc ilai was
also cui oui by ilc iransposiiion o iis rcqucncics, io coincidc
wiil larmonics o ilc carils caviiy (Slumans rcsonancci.
1lc sound was ilcrcorc licrcd

2
ilrougl iwo iypcs o
objccis: mcmbrancs - ciblc siruciurcs covcring or limiiing a
body; and caviiics objccis inncr concaviiics, wiil walls com-
poscd o dicrcni dcnsiiics and wlosc inicrnal spacc can licr
ilc noisc signal as wcll as rcsound ii. A ncw acousiic body or
ilc cslcd-oui sound o ilc blacl lolc.
1lc rcsuliing sounds wcrc ilcn rc-combincd, orging a
orcnsic rcconsiiiuiion
3
o ilc blacl lolcs ncgaiivc icrriiory.
ilai iranslaicd sounds inio rcadablc paiicrns via a ploiograplic proccss, mal-
ing visiblc rccords o ilc rcqucncy, inicnsiiy, and iimc.
1lc Sclumann Rcsonanccs arc quasi sianding wavc clcciromagnciic wavcs ilai
cisi in ilc caril caviiy. iilc wavcs on a spring, ilcy arc noi prcscni all ilc iimc,
bui lavc io bc cciicd io bc obscrvcd. 1lcy arc noi causcd by anyiling inicrnal
io ilc Laril, iis crusi or iis corc. 1lcy sccm io bc rclaicd io clccirical aciiviiy in
ilc aimosplcrc.
2
A vibraiing objcci will picl oui iis rcsonani rcqucncics rom ilc complc cci-
iaiion coming rom ilc wliic noisc, and vibraic ai ilosc rcqucncics, licring
oui oilcr rcqucncics prcscni in ilc cciiaiion. (g. 1i
3
Audio orcnsics was born during wwII, wlcn acousiic scicniisis invcsiigaicd
ilc possibiliiy o idcniiying cncmy voiccs on radio broadcasis. 1lcir coris
wcrc madc possiblc by ilc ncwly invcnicd sound spccirograpl, a iool or grapl-
ing ilc rcqucncy and ampliiudc o voicc paiicrns ovcr iimc. Alcandcr ucland,
Audio iorcnsics Lpcris Rcvcal (Somci Sccrcis, Wired, iovcmbcr u, 2uu1, )an-
uary , 2u2, liip:www.wircd.comscicnccdiscovcricsncws2uu1uaudio
orcnsics?currcniiagcallr.
13
iisi o maicrials uscd as mcdiaiors and licr: clcciriciiy
synilciic mcmbranc mcial ccramics wood slin mcai
goai slull luman slull and nally ilc cncrypiing o ilc
rcsuliani sound in ilc groovcs o a vinyl rccord, wlicl condcnscs
ilc proccss, and is susccpiiblc io bc uscd as a diusion mcdium.
g. 6 Spcciral analisys o ilc wliic noisc rccordcd in ilc radio anicna.
g. 1 Spcciral analisys o ilc wiilc noisc licrcd by ilc caviiy o a luman slull.
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AN LIILC1 uI vLRuSI MI II 1uuL
1
16
11
ior iwcniy ycars or so, my ricnds and I lavc bccn siudy-
ing ilcsc sirangc siiuaiions ilai ilc inicllcciual culiurc
in wlicl wc livc docs noi lnow low io caicgorizc. ior lacl
o bciicr icrms, wc call oursclvcs sociologisis, lisiorians,
cconomisis, poliiical scicniisis, plilosoplcrs or anilropolo-
gisis. Bui io ilcsc vcncrablc disciplinary labcls wc always
add a qualicr: o scicncc and icclnology. Scicncc siud-
ics, as Anglo-Amcricans call ii, or scicncc, icclnology and
sociciy. wlaicvcr labcl wc usc, wc arc always aiicmpiing
io rciic ilc uordian lnoi by crisscrossing, as oicn as wc
lavc io, ilc dividc ilai scparaics caci lnowlcdgc and ilc
ccrcisc o powcr.
Bruno iaiour
An Lect of verosimiIitude
Ricit ui Micuii
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1lc ploiograpls prcscnicd lcrc arc ilc rcsuli o a collaboraiion
wiil ariisi and musician )onailan Saldanla, in iovcmbcr 2uu
ai ilc Dwingcloo radio iclcscopc, in ilc icilcrlands.
Ai ilc iimc o iis opcraiion (96i ilis anicnna was ilc
worlds largcsi, and is now pari o Duicl scicniic lcriiagc and
rarcly aciivaicd; only or spccic occasions (wiil pcrmission o
ilc icilcrlands Insiiiuic or Radio Asironomyi or or aciiviiics
o a moon-bouncc amaicur radio group ilai do iis mainicnancc.
un ilc 2u
il
iovcmbcr 2u wc wcni ilcrc io lm iis roiaiion
and opcraiion; maicrial io bc includcd in ilc lm Nouvelle Vague
Science Fiction. Ai ilai iimc, )onailan Saldanla madc scvcral
cpcrimcnis in wlicl ilc anicnna was poinicd ai iargcis in ilc
cosmos sucl as pulsars and blacl lolcs.
1lc maicrial or ilc soundiracl o ilc lm rcsulicd rom
ilcsc rccordings, in pariicular o Cygnus Consicllaiion and Sag-
iiiarius A a blacl lolc locaicd in ilc ccnirc o ilc Milly way.
Dwingcloo radio iclcscopc. iloio: Rcgina dc Migucl. iovcmbcr, 2uu.
19
wc laicr dccidcd io givc ilc worl an objcciivc dimcnsion by
rccording a 2-incl (3ucmi vinyl, and imagcs o ii arc slown lcrc.
1lcsc imagcs wcrc madc in collaboraiion wiil ilc Dcpari-
mcni o Llccironic Microscopy o ilc iolyicclnic univcrsiiy o
Barcclona. Aicr a prcliminary siudy o samplcs o vinyls suracc,
a scrics o ploiograpls wcrc madc o ilc ciclcd suracc rom
amplicaiions o bciwccn uuu and 2uuu iimcs ilc aciual sizc
o ilc objcci.
1lis microscopc uscs a bcam o clccirons insicad o ligli
io orm an imagc. Ii las a largc dcpil o cld, allowing largc scc-
iions o ilc objcci io bc ocuscd ai a iimc. In ilc clcciron scanning
microscopc ilc spccimcn is usually coaicd wiil a carbon laycr
or a ilin laycr o a mcial sucl as gold io givc conduciivc propcr-
iics io ilc samplc. Ii is ilcn swcpi ilrougl by ilc accclcraicd
Clandra X-ray ubscrvaiory imagc o Sgr A, blacl lolc in ilc ccnirc o ilc Milly way.
Imagc by iASA.
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160
Samplcs o vinyl coaicd wiil gold or obscrvaiion.
An Eect of Verisimilitude, 2u. Blacl and wliic ploiograpls on papcr, 3u u c u.
161
clccirons iravclling in ilc iubc. A dciccior mcasurcs ilc amouni
o clccirons scni, rcsuliing in ilc inicnsiiy o ilc samplc arca. Ii
is capablc o displaying ilrcc-dimcnsional gurcs, projccicd as
a 1v piciurc or a digiial imagc.
Invcnicd in 93 by Lrnsi Rusla, ii allows a dccpcr approacl
io invcsiigaiing ilc aiomic world. Ii allows us io obiain ligl-
rcsoluiion imagcs o sionc, mciallic and organic maicrials. 1lc
ligli is rcplaccd by an clcciron bcam, ilc lcnscs by clcciromag-
ncis and ilc samplcs arc rcndcrcd conduciivc by maling ilc
suracc mciallic.
1lc ploiograplic magnicaiion rcvcalcd an unccriain
landscapc o mouniains, dcscri, and arid arcas, similar io somc o
ilc imagcs ilai spacc ploiograply o ilc moon or oilcr plancis
lavc providcd us wiil.
Somclow ii consisis o a rcvcrsc proccss by wlicl an invis-
iblc and unrcaclablc rcgion o spacc bccomcs visiblc again in
ilc slapc o a lybrid and ciional objcci.
1lc ploiomicrograpls arc accompanicd by scvcral arclivc
imagcs ound in scicniic publicaiions dcpiciing acrial vicws o
arclacological siics in dicrcni paris o ilc world.
1lc sound wc rcccivc now rom ilc blacl lolc comcs rom
a disiani pasi. 1lc rcconsiruciion o ilis landscapc madc oui o
small dciails cmcrgcs rom a placc and iimc in wlicl wc did noi
cisi. Similarly, an arclacologisi rcconsirucis, ilrougl minor
signals, an unlnown iimc.

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162
Llcciron microscopc ai ilc iolyicclnic univcrsiiy o Barcclona.
Alci iladcmuni ploiograpls.
163
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164
Nouvelle Science Vague Fiction ocuscs on cisicni rclaiions
bciwccn ilc consiruciion and analysis o luman ccologics.
1lus ii cmcrgcs as a syniaciic spacc wlcrc conncciions arc madc
bciwccn scicniic analysis and pcrccpiion (vcrisimiliiudc scalcsi,
non-cpcricniial lcarning dcrivcd rom ilc icclnological imagi-
nary (alicnaiion and projcciioni and dcgrccs o ormaiion o
pcrcci consciousncss and criiicism (ncw orms o oricniaiioni.
1lis is an audio-visual worl dividcd inio iwo clanncls and
iwo scis o ploiograpls.
In ilc rsi clanncl wc nd a siraiigraplic rouic wlicl siaris
in Slovcnia ai ialc Ccrlnica and ilc cavc bcncail ii a naiural
plcnomcnon wlcrc ilc waicr lcvcl ncvcr siays ilc samc appcar-
ing and disappcaring ilrougloui ilc ycar (a simplc comparison
could bc madc bciwccn ilis naiural cvcni and ilc dcniiion o
an inicracc: a scrccn ilai brings somciling up, supposcdly oui
o nowlcrci io rcacl ilc anicnnas AS1Rui, ilc icilcrlands
Insiiiuic or Radio Asironomy, wlcrc ar away objccis ilai can noi
bc graspcd in ilcir ull cicni i noi by sound wavcs, arc siudicd.
1lis corrcsponds, ilougl noi synclronously, wiil a scc-
ond clanncl o arclivc imagcs, wlcrc a rcposiiory o scicniic
imagcs locaicd in various sccnc rccrcaiions o spaccslip Solaris
arc prcscnicd. 1lis is iis iurn, and as in Sianislav icms novcl,
would producc a viriual rcprcscniaiion o Scicncc iiscl, bascd
on ragmcnis and ilings ilai cmcrgc wiil no apparcni ordcr.
A voiccovcr locaicd rom a posiiion o supcr-obscrvcr,
guidcs us io dicrcni cnds o ilc world. wiil a marlcdly objcc-
iivc ionaliiy, ii will usc ilcsc apocalypiic proplccics io ironically
concludc ilai wc will ncvcr bc ablc io conicmplaic ilc rolc o ilc
obscrvcr and ilc mcaning o cvcnis and imagcs.
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Nouvelle Science Vague Fiction, 2u. BD vidco and 3D animaiion. 2u.31 min.
uriginal soundiracl by )onailan Saldanla.
16
166
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III
168
BuuI IY uNCuNSCI uuS A CuNvLRSA1I uN wI 1B MI CBALI 1AuSSI u
169
Michael Taussig is Professor of Anthropology at Columbia
University. He is the author of several books that, in a literary
fashion, combine Marxist theory, social critique, ethnographic
research, and story telling. Since 1969 he has conducted eld-
work in South-America, particularly in Colombia and Ecuador.
His wide-ranging research focuses on amongst other topics
the commercialization of peasant agriculture, slavery, hunger,
commodity fetishism, the impact of colonialism, shamanism,
secrecy, and terror. Taken together, his research into these top-
ics comprises what is now regarded as a highly original and
inuential body of work. His writing on concealment, revelation,
and notions such as epistemic murk has especially inuenced
this book because of the way that it unsettles clear subject-
object distinctions. This interview took place in Berlin, 2012.
uodofredo Pereira - Rcading your bools onc nds siorics inlab-
iicd by muliiplc objccis; siaic monumcnis, gold, cocainc, or
siaiucs o ilc Dcvil. 1lcrcorc I wanicd io siari by asling
you, wlai arc ilc propcriics o objccis and ilings ilai wc
nd so aiiraciivc? And low is ilai you bccamc so aiiracicd
io ilcm?
MichaeI 1aussig - My rsi rcaciion would bc io ilinl morc in
icrms o subsiancc ilan objcci. wlais ilc dicrcncc? ior
BodiIy unconscious:
A conversation with MichaeI 1aussig
110
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insiancc, I ilinl o gold and cocainc as subsianccs ilai
coniain cvil and a Baiaillc-iypc o cccss. u coursc ilcy
arc objccis objccis bcing anyway sucl a widc dcniiion
- ilai lavc ilcsc ascinaiing qualiiics. I supposc ilc qucs-
iion is low mucl o ii lics in objccis and low mucl o ii lics
in ilc lisiory o wlicl objccis lavc bccn pari. ior insiancc
gold: you wouldni say ilai ii is inlcrcnily good or bad, bui
ii comcs so saiuraicd by lcgcnd in many culiurcs boil prc-
lisioric and lisioric. So onc cnds up ilinling ilai somc
objccis gci piclcd oui and bccomc lisioric aciors. Cocainc
las an incrcdiblc lisiory ioo, boil prior io Spanisl con-
qucsis and in ilc lasi u io uu ycars. Again ilcrc is ilis
conncciion bciwccn somc propcriics in ilc subsiancc and
ilcsc migliy myils. Bui wlcn ii comcs io monumcnis,
or insiancc, in Defacement,
or Magic of The State,

2
ilcsc
sirilc mc as imbucd wiil aura, wlicl is noi ncccssarily
io bc ilougli as symbolic or un-symbolic bui as a sori o
mysicry ilai ccccds ilc symbolic valuc. In comparison
wiil gold and cocainc, monumcnis sirilc mc as a dicr-
cni class o objcci.
I only siaricd ilinling o objccis in ilc way yourc gciiing ai,
wiil My Cocaine Museum,
3
and ilais wlcrc I did anoilcr
iurn, bccausc aicr ycars o going ilcrc (Colombiai or slori
visiis ii was only in ilc ninciics ilai I siaricd ilinling o ilc
Miclacl 1aussig, Defacement: Public Secrecy and the Labor of the Negative
(Sianord, Cali: Sianord univcrsiiy ircss, 999i.
2
Miclacl 1aussig, The Magic of the State (icw Yorl: Rouilcdgc, 991i.
3
Miclacl 1aussig, My Cocaine Museum (Clicago: univcrsiiy o Clicago ircss,
2uu4i.
111
insanc amouni o worl ilai ilc pcoplc pcrormcd in ordcr
io gci iiny biis o gold: low clcvcr you lavc io bc, living in
naiurc, maling canocs, baiiling againsi migliy currcnis
wiil ilc sircngil o arms. And ilc canocs arc somciimcs
ull o ccmcni bags, all ilis cori io malc a clurcl oui o
ccmcni, io build a gardcn ilai worls and a lousc againsi
ilc rain and ilc mud wiil only a maclcic ai your disposal...
iis ovcrwlclming io ilinl o ilc amouni o inicraciion wiil
ilc naiural world. And ilais wlcn I siaricd io divc inio
ilc world o maicrialiiy, in a vcry dicrcni way rom lis-
ioric maicrialism, by sianding in awc o ilc labour and ilc
inicraciion o luman bcings wiil mud, waicr, sionc, rain
and lcai, and ilais wly ilai bool was wriiicn lilc ilai. So
wlcrc you scc a uniormiiy o objccis I would cmplasisc
ilc brcal.
1lrougloui your worl onc nds ilc idca ilai ilc monumcni,
apari rom iis rcprcscniaiional or symbolic claracicrisiics,
las an implicii aiiraciion or dcaccmcni or vandalism. Isni
ilis somciling ilai orccs an cngagcmcni wiil ilc monu-
mcni in a maicrial or visccral way?
My ilouglis wcrc along ilc lincs ilai monumcnis do plcad
or dcaccmcni in ordcr io malc ilcmsclvcs sirongcr, and
ilais ilc icrriblc iconoclasiic parado. Ii sccms ilai ilcsc
objccis, monumcnis, arc luman-lilc oncc wc dcacc ilcm,
ilcn and only. In ucrmany somc ariisis ialc ilc posiiion
ilai any monumcni is inlcrcnily ascisiic. Bui ilai is wlai
malcs ilc oll auilors o ilc portales in vcnczucla - wiilin
ilc culi o Maria iionza - ccccdingly inicrcsiing. 1lcsc
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arc mini-monumcnis, dcmocraiic or pcoplcs monumcnis.
Conscqucnily ilc qucsiion would bc, wlais ilc dicrcncc
bciwccn rcligion and ilc siaic? And looling ai ilcsc por-
tales, oncc you movc inio ilc splcrc o riiual and rcligion,
anoilcr orm o pcrccpiion occurs. And you lavc io asl
yourscl, wly didni wc asl ilcsc qucsiions aboui siaic
monumcnis? Arcni ilcy rcligious, and arcni ilcy mas-
sivcly involvcd in riiual? And ilai sccms io ood ilc dis-
cussion wiil ricl idcas.
I supposc cvcry siaic monumcni in ilc lisiory o arcliicc-
iurc, cngagcs csscniially wiil dcail, wiil a languagc ilai
cmcrgcs o rcligious or iransccndcni arcliicciurcs, ilai is
ilcn capiurcd by ilc siaic, io invcsi iis insiiiuiional powcr
wiil an immaicrial capaciiy. Isni ilis prcscni in The Magic
of The State? I mcan ilc circulaiion wlcrcby ilc objcci
bccomcs animaicd and ilc body bccomcs pciricd? 1lrougl
dcail and spirii, arcliicciurc is invcsicd wiil somciling
ilai givcs lic io siaic powcr.
Ycs, indccd. I am ilinling ilai wlcrc animism bccomcs
rclcvani (or my icrm ilc icrvous Sysicmi, is wlcrc cvcry
criiiquc (and ilis applics io dcaccmcni as wclli is always
going io bc counicracicd by animisiic orcc; a liicrally rcac-
iionary orcc ilai comcs oui o sociciy or oui o ilc naiurc
o lnowlcdgc. And by ilc icrvous Sysicm I undcrsiand
ilis coniinuous ilrusi and counicr-ilrusi, so all ilai worl
is pari o a scrics o clallcngcs ilai arc doomcd io bc oui-
paccd and oui-ilougli by ilai wlicl wc arc irying io cplain.
And ilis boils down oicn io ilc play o ordcr and disordcr.
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I ilougli aboui ilis in ilc days o posimodcrnism wlcrc
ragmcniaiion and disordcr wlcrc liglly valucd, and my
scnsc was ilai ilcsc wcrc mcrc opposiics io iropcs o ordcr
and narraiivc, simplc invcrsions. wlcrcas ilc icrvous
Sysicm wlicl is boil rcprcscniaiion and rcaliiy is con-
sianily moving in ilis cld o icnsion; in ilis cld o orcc
bciwccn ilcsc opposiiions. So ilc animisiic qualiiy is ilc
cndlcss capaciiy o ilai wlicl you arc cplaining io comc
bacl and saboiagc wlai you arc doing.
Is ilcrc an issuc o iimc in ilc way ilai you rclaic ilcsc
opposiiions?
wlcn I ilinl o iimc ii is io do wiil mcmory and Bcnjamins
ilcscs on ilc plilosoply o lisiory i.c. ilc dicrcni iypcs
o iimc: ilc now iimc, ilc siasis, in slocl, or insiancc,
rapid accclcraiion, a ccssaiion o movcmcni ollowcd by a
disiurbancc in ilc scnsc o iimc or ilc siaic o cmcrgcncy
wlcrc iimc sccms io siand siill bui is prcgnani wiil slai-
icring conscqucnccs
I was ilinling in icrms o cvcnis ouisidc o luman conirol,
ilc obvious camplc bcing naiural caiasiroplcs.
1imc as lisiory is imporiani in my noiion o ilc bodily
unconscious, and sccondly in my inicrcsi in cilnograplic
diarics wlcrc iimc is scaiicrcd and playcd bacl on iiscl
as aicrilouglis. In ilc diary orm, and ilc diary as a sub-
siiiuic or cplanaiion, ilc diary is a mcrc rccord wlicl
my gcncraiion icndcd io lool down upon bui ii suddcnly
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sccms io now lavc an allurc. And ilcsc acis arc in ilc ow
o iimc, bui ilcy also siand oui rom iimc wlcrcas iimc
in Mar or ircud, is always a lisiorical narraiivc o dcvcl-
opmcni o ilc world o ilc cconomy or o ilc individual.
Bcncc my inicrcsi, in ilc lasi cw ycars, in ilc diary orm;
and ilc diary orm as cvcn supcrior io cplanaiion. Ivc
oicn ilougli o ilc diary as anoilcr organ o ilc luman
bcing, lilc a livcr or brain. Ii bccomcs vcry pcrsonal and ii
liicrally bccomcs a ciisl. You can scc ilai in I Swear I Saw
This
4
, or in ilc dcscripiion Bcnjamin givcs o lis noicbools,
and cvcn morc in ilc pcoplc ilai wriic aboui ilis: ilcy ci-
islisc lis ciislisaiion. And ilis is rcally a ciisl, rcally
pari o ilc luman body wlilc somcwlai supcrior io ii, and
ilcrcorc ii las ilis sirangc rclaiionslip io iimc. 1lc diary
coniains ccriain clcmcnis o iimc in rclaiion io ilis objcci
ilai bccomcs a luman bcing.
Bui ilc sccond conncciion I wanicd io malc was ilis idca
I call ilc bodily unconscious ilai I scc is asccnding or
bcing manicsi in a ncw way wiil rclaiion io global warm-
ing and ilc clangc in ilc naiurc o ilc plysical rcaliiy. I
call ii lisiorical bui in a scnsc ilai cncompasscs morc ilan
iimc, or noi jusi iimc, bui grccnlousc gas clangc o ilc
planciary climaic.
wlicl rclaics io ilc anilropoccnc, ilc ncw gcological
momcni o ilc caril as argucd by iaul Cruizcn?
4
Miclacl 1aussig, I Swear I Saw This: Drawings in Fieldwork Notebooks, Namely
My Own (Clicago: 1lc univcrsiiy o Clicago ircss, 2ui.
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Lacily.
In your carly worl you lool ai ilc colonial uilcr, or insiancc
in Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America
wlcrc
you conroni dicrcni orms o labour and rclaiions io
naiurc. Bui slowly ilis clcar-cui disiinciion sccms io bccomc
lcss rclcvani. ior insiancc, in Magic of The State you sug-
gcsi ilc praciicc o pilgrimagc as a mcilod o noi so mucl
cplaining bui o slowly absorbing. And ilis sccms io bc
similar io our discussion o ilc noicbool.
Dciniicly, bccausc you rc-rcad and rc-rcad and somc
ilouglis cmcrgc bciwccn ilc lincs; ilings comc ai you.
Bui ycs ilcrc is somciling vcry dicrcni; ilc absorpiion
and pilgrimagc ilcory is vcry dicrcni. ior insiancc in ilc
siil clapicr o Shamanism, Colonialism and the Wild Man,
6

ilc colonial mirror o produciion, I ocus on ilc projcciion
o ilc wcsicrn savagc onio ilc Indians and ilcn aciing in
accordancc io ii. So on ilc onc land I spolc ilcrc o a modc
o mimcsis or mirroring, and laicr, on ilc oilcr land, pil-
grimagc as a complcicly dicrcni proccss. 1wo vcry dicr-
cni modcs o ialling aboui somciling, o cplaining cvcn.
I was also wondcring i ilc ciisl would bc an imporiani
cniry inio ilis discussion?
Miclacl 1aussig, The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America (Cla-
pcl Bill: univcrsiiy o ioril Carolina ircss, 98ui.
6
Miclacl 1aussig, Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man: A Study in Ter-
ror and Healing (Clicago: univcrsiiy o Clicago ircss, 986i.
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I always lavc prcscni ilc idca by william iiciz o ilc ciisl
as ilc spacc o rcvoluiion, and iis lisiory, as a lisiory o
culiural conici. As sucl ii can bc sccn as a cld o opcra-
iion, noi so mucl againsi ilc ciisl, bui rom ii.
Bui ilc imporiani conscqucncc o bringing colonial caiurcs
inio ilc discussion is ilai ciisl ilcn would bc wlai ilc
oilcr pcrson is doing, noi mc. 1lais ilc rcason wly many
pcoplc arc consianily ascinaicd by ilosc oilcrs bccausc
o ilcir ciisl pcrccpiions. Bui my aiiiiudc iowards ilc
ciisl, and I ilinl somc oilcr pcoplc slarc ilis o coursc,
is againsi wlai I ilougli was ilc classic Marisi aiiiiudc
wlicl was io dc-ciislisc ilc ciisl. wlcrcas on ilc con-
irary I ilinl onc slould add io ilc ciisl qualiiy o ilc ci-
isl - ilais ilc siraicgy - and ilais wlai I malc io bc ilc
Bcnjaminian poini. 1lis is a morc spccic siaicmcni ilan
saying ilai onc is inicrcsicd in ilc pociics o ilc ciisl or ilc
pociics o ilc commodiiy and I ound ii io bc a crcaiivc and
gcncraiivc approacl. I supposc ii is in ilc currcni iaiour
inucnccd cnilusiasm o objccis bccoming alivc and sccing
ilc lybridinal qualiiics o subjcci and objcci. Bui wlcn I
rcad iaiourians I gucss Im always disappoinicd ilai ilcy
arc noi inicrcsicd in pociics i.c. ilcy arc noi ilai inicrcsicd
in liicraiurc or bcing liicrary. And ilcy doni dccpcn ilcm-
sclvcs in somc o ilc Marisi propcriics o objccis.
In a way as i cvcryiling bccomcs dcmocraiically objcc-
iicd and prisiinc?
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In my colours bool (What Color Is the Sacred
1
i, pariicu-
larly i you lool inio ilc clapicr callcd wlcrc sioncs wall
lilc man, my noiion o ilc bodily unconscious givcs an
alicrnaiivc vicw o objccis and magic. Bcrc I am lcavily
invcsicd in anilropology o sorccry and magic in wlicl
(ilanls io wlai wc call sympailciic magici ilcrcs a conncc-
iion bciwccn words, bodics and subsianccs uscd in riiual,
io acci onc anoilcr. wlai is undcrlying lcrc is a noiion
ilai Mauss and Bubcri call mana, wlicl is a vcry gcn-
cral bui sympailciic vibraiion bciwccn subsianccs and
lumans, bciwccn bodics, ilc sun and ilc moon, ilc iidcs,
luman bodics. 1lai is ilc univcrsc I scc rcsurrccicd by
global warming, crcaiing a ncw conncciion o ilc luman
body io oilcr bodics, clanging ilc mind-body rclaiionslip.
1lc bodily unconscious is io a largc cicni an aciual cniiiy
ilai is callcd ilc auionomic ncrvous sysicm. 1lis is somc-
iling ilai is dcsignaicd as sucl by a procssor o ilysiology
ai Barvard, walicr B. Canon, in lis 92us bool callcd The
Wisdom of The Body.
8
Cannon was aslcd by ilc uS army io
siudy slocl in ilc iirsi world war by camining Amcrican
soldicrs dying rom rapid blood loss in irancc and Bclgium.
And ilis cnlargcd lis vicws o ilc body as an inicrnally rcgu-
laicd mcclanism ilai lc iool rom ilc ircncl plilosoplcr
Claudc Bcrnards noiion o ilc inicrnal milicu. Iis a sim-
plc noiion in wlicl cvcryiling is lilc a cybcrnciic sysicm.
1
Miclacl 1. 1aussig, What Color Is the Sacred? (Clicago: univcrsiiy o Clicago
ircss, 2uu9i.
8
walicr B Cannon, The Wisdom of the Body (icw Yorl: w.w. iorion u Company,
inc, 939i.
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ior Cannon slocl was duc io ovcrworling o adrcnalinc,
and lc is ilc rsi pcrson io pin down ilis ovcrwlclmingly
imporiani unciion. A gcaring o ilc body io run, gli or
igli. vcry produciivc or a slori amouni o iimc, bui ilcn
ilc body jusi clausis iiscl. iow, wlai inicrcsis mc in
lis noiion is ilai ilc body is pcrorming a scrics o opcra-
iions cvcry sccond wiiloui you lnowing ii, lcncc ilc icrm,
ilc auionomic ncrvous sysicm. And i ii wcrc conscious, ii
probably wouldni worl - Iis bciicr ilai ilis rcmains uncon-
scious, bui noi ilc ircudian unconscious. Ii is railcr ilc
bodily unconscious, closcr io iicizsclc. 1lai was slocl, so
imporiani in wwI and ilc avani-gardc acsilciics o Dada
and Surrcalism and all ilai lcroic malc siu. iaicr in 2u
il

ccniury ilc bioclcmisiry and plysiology o ilc sicroids
wcrc discovcrcd io play a undamcnial rolc in sircss jusi
as sircss camc io displacc slocl as ilc govcrning iropc or
dcaling wiil daily lic (ilc sicroids wcrc also in ilc adrcnal
gland (in ilc coric, noi ilc mcdullai.
So ilc qucsiion or mc is, as ilc planci gcis warmcr wlicl
wc now scc in uncpccicd pcriurbaiions, vcry loi, vcry cold,
ooding, siorms, will ilis in somc way will crcaic a ncw
cybcrnciic sci-up or ilc luman body, and will ilc bodily
unconscious lavc io worl in dicrcni ways? will ilis pro-
ducc a dicrcni mind-body rclaiionslip? And ycs! I ilinl ii
will, along wiil ncw languagc o riiual and magic gcarcd io
ilc ncw dcspcraiion and ilc ncw idcas rcgarding ilc cnvi-
ronmcni, idcas ilai nccd io bc rccd rom ilc alicnaiing
languagc o wlai is ialcn as scicncc (scc ilc aicrword
io My Cocaine Museum).
119
Also, as manlind is no longcr sccn as inlabiiing an anilro-
poccniric univcrsc, wc arc orccd io ilinl now o rcaliiy in
icrms o urccl or Mcdicval ilcorics, o microcosm-macro-
cosm, in wlicl noi only is man noi an island cniirc unio
limscl bui bccomcs morc lilc Alrcd wliiclcads idca
o inicrnal rclaiions. wliiclcads idca was ilai an objcci
coniains wiilin iiscl ilc rclaiionslip io ilc oilcr and iis
ramiying conici(si. So ilc sircss on ilc univcrsc produccs
a scnsc o ilc inicrconnccicdncss o ilings undcrsiood noi
as ilings pcr sc bui as nodcs in nciworls. And ilis is impor-
iani bccausc Bumanlind is again sccn as connccicd io all
soris o oilcr ilings ilai lavc now bccomc unsiablc. Ii is
rom lcrc ilai I siari io ilinl aboui ilc pociics o sorccry
and magic (ilings ilai wc can gci rom all soris o sourccsi
o iradiiions in wlicl ilis scnsc o inicrconnccicdncss
(oicn ilrougl languagci is crucial or a wriicr lilc myscl.
You composc siorics, ablcs, wlicl arc mcani io inicrvcnc.
My clapicr on wlcrc sioncs wall lilc mcn in my color
bool is a succinci camplc.
Bui ilcrc is siill a ilird propcriy ilai is imporiani in ilis
bodily unconscious, and ilai is ilai ii cannoi bc cposcd
ioo mucl. ior iwo rcasons: I you iry and analysc ii ioo mucl,
ii can no longcr opcraic and, sccondly you run ilc risl o
giving ilc siaic and ilc corporaiions urilcr conirol. 1lis
also rclaics in ilc cnd io my praciicc o wriiing, in wlicl
ilc pociry o objccis or ilc pociry o inicrconncciions,
imagcs and siorics bccomc crucial. 1lis would bc analysis
in aciion, wlcrc ilc plilosoplcr would noi always bc Apol-
lonian, sianding bacl.
180
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
1lc pociics o sorccry ialcs you io ilc imporiancc o praciicc,
ilc icclniquc. Bui ilc bodily unconscious also brings io
mind iaiin Amcrica wlcrc ilc ground is boil naiurc, ani-
maicd, alivc, bui also a sourcc o dcvclopmcnial possibili-
iics, wiil oil and gas.
wcll ii dcpcnds on wlai iaiin Amcrica wc arc ialling aboui.
And ilis ialcs us io ilc qucsiion in Adorno and Borllcimcr,
o wlai a yiclding rclaiion io naiurc would bc. 1o yicld as
opposcd io masicry (and lcrc wc would lavc io go bacl
and iall morc aboui Bcgcls masicr and slavci. 1lais wlai
your qucsiion poinis io, bui nonc o us lavc gurcd ii oui.
wlai would bc a yiclding rclaiionslip i.c. ilc masicry o
non-masicry?
1lis is an issuc ilai las iravcrscd ilis convcrsaiion, i wc
ialc, as you suggcsicd, ilc ciisl as ilc siariing poini. And
in iiciz, ilc ciisl is, sucl as naiurc, always irrcducibly
maicrial, somciling ilai bcyond discoursc or usc, or unc-
iion, siill rcmains in cccss.
I lavc anoilcr vicw o ilis objcci ilcory discussion, wlcrcby
ii sccms io mc ilai cvcry now and again, luman culiurcs
involc ilc rcmoic pasi, or prc-lisiory, or somc original
iimc bcorc iimc. And ilis occurs pcrlaps in crisis, boil
pcrsonal and macrocconomic. In Ausiralian drcam iimc,
or insiancc, in ilc iniiiaiion o young mcn and womcn,
ilc bodics o danccrs arc painicd, ilc pcoplc mcci or an
cicndcd pcriod o days or wccls, scaricaiion o ilc body
or ilc malc gcniials may occur, and ilc iniiiaics arc cposcd
uP -
M1 -
uP -
M1 -
181
io sccrcis. My cpcricncc and rcading o Souil Amcrican
slamanism (so callcdi suggcsis a similar rcacling bacl
io a supposcd prclisiory ai iimc o misoriunc, prcgnancy
and mcnsiruaiion; scc my bool on dcaccmcni conccrning
ilc Scllnam o 1icrra dcl iucgo, or camplci; in ilc iimc
bcorc iimc animals and planis and sioncs wcrc lilc luman
bcings in a vcry dicrcni objcci univcrsc. And I wondcr i wc
lool ai ilc pcoplc in ilis concrcncc in Bcrlin on animism,
ascinaicd by ilings and objccis as alivc, wlcilcr ilcy arc
noi unconsciously cnicring inio a ncw drcamiimc causcd
by ilc scnsc o impcnding disasicr, rciurning, ilai is io a
iimc bcorc iimc wlcn sioncs iallcd io man and, so somc
would say, sociciy was classlcss.
1lc cosmopoliiical proposal is incapablc o giving a good
dcniiion o ilc proccdurcs ilai allow us io aclicvc ilc
good dcniiion o a good common world. Ii is idioiic in
so ar as ii is inicndcd or ilosc wlo ilinl in ilis climaic o
cmcrgcncy, wiiloui dcnying ii in any way bui noncilclcss
murmuring ilai ilcrc is pcrlaps somciling morc impor-
iani.
Isabcllc Sicngcrs
Any worl o inicrprciaiion includcs clcmcnis o unccriainiy

and inicllcciual scl-caccmcni.
Miclacl 1. 1aussig
2
And ilcn, ol, wlai io say? Bradlcy is no morc ilan a dciail;
Bis iormcni is losi in ilc grcai univcrsal iormcni.
vicior Bugo
3
1o wriic onc musi rciurn, rciurn lomc ai lcasi.
Marc Augc
4
182
1BL 1uwLR ANu I 1S uBuS1
234
I lavc rcccnily rciurncd rom uabaronc, ilc capiial o Boiswana,
wlcrc I livcd or our ycars. A scrics o clancc cvcnis wlicl wcrc
diculi io conirol lad brougli mc io ilc ciiy. In ilc samc way, a
scrics o accidcnial circumsianccs would diciaic my dcpariurc.
I am a visual ariisi and ilai is low I camc across ilc siory I am
aboui io icll.
SouI
Ii was lasi )anuary, I doni rcmcmbcr ilc daic, bui I do rcmcmbcr
ilc lcai and ilc pain wlcn a zimbabwcan ariisi iaiioocd ilrcc
runcs on ilc lci sidc o my nccl. 1lc day bcorc, I lad visiicd a
ricnd wlo was a ngaka ya setso:
lc uscd ilosc Scandinavian

magical sioncs, alilougl in Boiswana ilcrc arc oilcr ways o
Isabcllc Sicngcrs, 1lc Cosmopoliiical iroposal, in Making Things Public:

Atmospheres of Democracy, cd. Bruno iaiour and icicr wcibcl (Cambridgc,
MI1 ircss, 2uui, 99.
2
Miclacl 1aussig, The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America (1lc
univcrsiiy o ioril Caliornia ircss, 2uui, 3.
3
vicior Bugo, Contro la Pena di Morte, (RCS, Milano, 2uui, 228.
4
Marc Augc, Rovine e Macerie. Il Senso del Tempo, irans. A. Scrani (1orino, Bol-
laii Boringlicri, 2uu4i, u.
1radiiional docior.
1he 1ower and Its uhost
A CosmopoIiticaI Narrative from Botswana
Mticiiio Mtcci
183
184
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
inicrprciing aic. Bc lad iravcllcd widcly, and lad, or many
ycars, dcnicd lis lcrcdiiary mission. un my insisicncc, lowcvcr,
and in ligli o our grcai ricndslip, lc dccidcd io opcn ilc bag
o runcs and icll mc low ilings siood. 1lc symbols slown in ilc
sioncs lc pullcd rom ilc bag spolc o mc in mysicrious ways;
ilc mcssagc would bc indcliblc.
wlilc I was siill siiiing ilcrc, nci io a woman wiil a largc
rabbii iaiioocd on lcr midri, boil o us waiiing or proicciivc
crcam io bc applicd, I goi a plonc call; ilc lcys io ilc iowcr lad
nally bccn ound. Somconc rom ilc prison adminisiraiion
lad ilcm. I wanicd io sci up an clibii in ilc iowcr aboui a
lundrcd auiomaiic drawings, in inl on papcr, dcpiciing angclic
bcings. 1lc idca was io ialc my inspiraiion rom Klccs Angclus
iovus ilc Bcnjaminian angcl o disasicr bui drawing oui
iis mcaning, and iniroducing moiis rom a posi-nuclcar and
cybcrnciic agc in a placc sucl as Boiswana, wlicl lad wiincsscd
ilc circmc accclcraiion o progrcss wlilc mainiaining siics
ull o sccular ascinaiion, original placcs in wlicl cvcryiling
migli yci bcgin again. So, laving waiicd ilis long, I could now
opcn ilc door io ilc iowcr and scc ilc placc wlcrc I planncd io
sci up my clibiiion. I nccdcd io gci io lnow ilc inicrior o ilc
building as soon as possiblc. 1lc idca was io placc ilc gurcs
in asccnding ordcr along ilc siairway ilai lcd io ilc iop. I also
wanicd io prcparc a vidco in collaboraiion wiil Sicvc, an ariisi
rom Capc 1own, io bc projccicd on ilc iowcrs aadc; ii would
bc sloi rom ilc rooiop, capiuring a panoramic vicw o ilc iown,
as i ilrougl ilc cycs o onc o wim wcndcrs angcls. 1lc idca
or ilis siic spccic inicrvcniion lad comc io mc somc monils
bcorc, wlcn I was visiiing somc ricnds rom ilc 1apong ilc
ari ccnirc o ilc villagc (onc o ilc iowns ccniral nciglbour-
18
loodsi. I noiiccd ilc iowcr sianding rigli dirccily in roni: aboui
icn mcircs ligl, wiil a small door and our iiny windows, iwo on
cacl o ilc sidc aadcs. wlai I ound mosi inicrcsiing was iis
vcriicaliiy, an aiomaiic mciaplor wlicl cngagcd ilc wlolc
psyclc, an anilropologisi o ilc imaginary migli say:
6
a symbol
o spiriiual asccnsion, bui also o all. 1lc rsi iling I ilougli
o was Klccs angcl.
I aslcd aboui ilc buildings purposc and was iold ii was
ilc old prison iowcr, ilc placc wlcrc ilcy uscd io lang ilc con-
vicis. ici io ilc iowcr ilcrc wcrc oilcr buildings in ruins, ilcsc
wcrc ilc old prison aciliiics. 1lc iowcr lad long bccn ilc ligl-
csi building in uabaronc ccluding, o coursc, all ilc rcccni
arcliicciurc, siariing in ilc laic 91us. I was also iold ilai ilc
building was aboui io bc classicd as a monumcni. Among ilc
cw monumcnis in iown ilc Morula 1rcc iaiional Monumcni,
ilc Sir Scrcisc Klama Monumcni, ilc BDi Monumcni, and noi
mucl morc ilc iowcr siands oui, sincc ii is ilc only onc io bc
an arcliiccionic consiruciion, noi a siaiuc or a ircc. 1lcrc was
also iall o sciiing up an cicnsion o ilc 1apong in ilc prison,
or aicr iis rcsioraiion, iurning ii inio a muscum. In any casc, ilc
ormcr prison was also io bccomc a monumcni. uivcn ilc abscncc
o oilcr arcliicciural monumcnis in ilc ciiy, ilis inormaiion
puzzlcd mc. I ilc sionc iowcr was in good condiiion and appcarcd
io lavc somc arcliiccionic inicrcsi, ilc ruincd prison, on ilc
oilcr land, sccmcd io mc o no valuc ai all. 1lcrc lad bccn iall
o ilc uiurc o ilc iwo buildings or quiic somc iimc now, bui
ilc agrccmcni wiil ilc iaiional Muscum ladni yci bccn sciilcd.
1
6
uilbcri Durand, Les Structures Anthropologiques de lImaginaire (iaris: Dunod,
992i.
1
1lc local journal Mmcgi, on ilc 8il May 2u, mcniions an inicrcsiing ariiclc
186
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
1lc iaiional Muscum was wlcrc I rsi lcadcd, ccriain I
would obiain somc urilcr inormaiion aboui ilc iowcr, as wcll
as ilc ncccssary auilorisaiion io carry ilrougl my ariisiic inicr-
vcniion. 1lcrc I was iold ilc iaiional Muscum lad no jurisdic-
iion on ilc building; I lad io visii ilc iaiional Arclivcs io nd
caci daia on ilc building and iis owncrslip. So, in ilc days ilai
ollowcd, I camincd ilc arclivcs or rccords, bui, dcspiic ilc
sias lclp, I ound noiling. 1lcrc sccmcd io bc no lisiorical
rccord o ilc iowcr.
I abandoncd my rcscarcl or ilc iimc bcing and irusicd ilc
riddlc io a journalisi ricnd. Busy wiil oilcr iasls, I lad ncarly
orgoiicn my projcci wlcn, on ilai iorrid, cloudlcss, day I goi ilc
call. Dodo, ilc journalisi, was calling io say slc lad ound boil
ilc lcys and somc papcrs conccrning ilc iowcr in a dcparimcni
o ilc irison Adminisiraiion. wlcn I goi ilcrc, I was givcn ilc
ollowing insiruciions: I slould dcclarc, in an applicaiion orm,
my pcrsonal daia, as wcll as ilc objcciivcs and purposcs o my
rcqucsi. Ai ilc momcni I was siill unawarc ilai ilis wriiing
would bc ilc uliimaic rcason or my rcscarcl, so I jusi dcclarcd
my ariisiic moiivaiion. 1lc rcqucsi was dcnicd; ii was, a priori,
impossiblc ilai ii would cvcn bc considcrcd, bccausc my posiiion
would noi allow ii: I was noi rcscarcling undcr ilc auspiccs o
any univcrsiiy, nor was I a mcmbcr o any iuu. I dccidcd, wiil
no lard cclings, io posiponc ilc clibiiion indcniicly oncc
morc. Bui sincc ilai day wlcn I goi Dodos call, ilings bcgan io
lappcn io mc, a scrics o cvcnis, a subilc scqucncc o circum-
sianccs wlicl madc ilc iowcr bccomc a lind o obscssion o
minc, a savagc objcci. Ii was as i ii was asling mc insisicnily
io unold iis mcaning, io usc ii, io opcn ii up io ncw possibili-
iics. And yci, ai ilc samc iimc, as i duc io somc inicniional and
181
violcni crucliy, ilc iowcr was ablc io cscapc ilc aiiribuiion o
any plausiblc mcaning.
I lcpi mcciing wiil Dodo io collcci morc inormaiion on
ilc subjcci. Slc iold mc slc lad bccn born in ilai nciglbour-
lood, and ilai ilc villagc lad oncc bccn ilc lisioric ccnirc o
uabaronc. Slc wanicd io icll mc wlai slc lncw aboui ilc iowcr.
Ii lcld a disiurbing allurc: bcsidcs conrming ilai ilai was wlcrc
cvcryonc said ilc convicis wcrc cccuicd by langing, slc addcd
ilai ilc iowcr was inlabiicd by ilc glosi o a prisoncr. 1lc ncws
imprcsscd mc; I bccamc convinccd ilai my urgc io rcprcscni
spiriiual bcings in ilai placc was noi aboui slowing ilc lorror
o ilc world as sccn ilrougl ilc cycs o asiral iniclligcnccs in
somc drawings. Ii was lorror, io bc surc, bui ilai o a singlc soul,
and an carilly onc, siill icilcrcd io ilc world o maiicr. ioi a
lundrcd angcls, bui onc singular bcing: a glosi.
A cw days laicr, I rcccivcd a call rom ilc iaiional Muscum.
1lanls io inormaiion obiaincd rom ilc Boiswana Sociciy
8

ilcy now lncw ilc iruc rcason wly ilc iowcr lad bccn buili; ii
was a waicr iowcr. Ii lad lasi bccn opcraiing during ilc ycars
o ilc Briiisl proiccioraic. 1lis inormaiion, ilcy iold mc,
lad bccn ound in Alcc Campbcll and Milc Mains bool, Guide
to Greater Gaborone.
9
1lc bool, wlicl sccms io bc a simplc bui
mucl dciailcd iourisiic guidc, las ilc undoubicd mcrii o laving
aboui ilis issuc. Acccsscd ai: liip:www.mmcgi.bwindc.plp?sid9udir2u
Maywcdncsday8.
8
A nongovcrnmcnial insiiiuiion dcdicaicd io scicniic, lisioric and culiural
rcscarcl on ilc couniry. Availablc ai: www.boisoc.org.bw.
9
Alcc Campbcll and Milc Main, Guide to Greater Gaborone (Boiswana: iula
ircss, 2uu3i.
188
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
bccn wriiicn by iwo rcnowncd cpcris on Boiswana. Bowcvcr, ilc
pagc wlicl mcniions ilc iowcr and iis original unciion docs
noi quoic any sourccs.
u
Mcanwlilc, I was so dccply involvcd in
all oilcr soris o rcscarcl ilai I did noi aiiacl mucl imporiancc
io ilc ncws rcccivcd, dcspiic ilc rcvclaiion ii carricd.
Stars
An aimosplcrc o unccriainiy and mysicry lovcrcd around ilc
iowcr, sucl imprccision o daia as io conusc and obscurc ilc
mcaning and valuc o an objcci ilai was aboui io bc dcclarcd a
monumcni. Ii sccmcd io mc ilai ilc mosi imporiani iling in ilc
iowcr was iis glosi, cvcn i somc now said ilai nobody lad cvcr
bccn langcd in ilai placc. I could say ilai wlai inicrcsicd mc
mosi in ilc arcliiccionic consiruciion was iis Phantom Objec-
tivity, io iransposc, and ilcrcorc bciray, 1aussigs mcaning.

I ilc cprcssion is mcani io cplain wlai pcirics social lic,
or mc ilai sionc building was animaicd wiil a orcc capablc o
rcsisiing any dcniiivc objcciicaiion. In ilai iowcr, ilcrc rcally
was a glosi, and I lad no oilcr opiion bui io go bacl io uncaril ii.
Concrring wiil Dodo, wc ilougli ilai ilc mosi obvious
iling io do was io asl pcoplc wlo lad bccn born and raiscd in
ilc villagc; ilis cnablcd us io gailcr prccious inormaiion. Bui
nding ilc locals was ar rom simplc, bccausc ilc villagc lad
clangcd ovcr ilc ycars: rom ilc living ccnirc o a counirys
u
In any casc, in ilcir bool I was ablc gailcr morc accuraic lisioric daia ncccssary
io dcvclop my rcscarcl.
C. Miclacl 1aussig, Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man: a Study in Ter-
ror and Healing (Clicago, univcrsiiy o Clicago, 981i.
189
lisiory, ii bccamc, duc io rapid urban cpansion, a rcsidcniial
nciglbourlood. Bcsidcs ilc numcrous and rclaiivcly rcccni pri-
vaic rcsidcnccs, ilcrc arc small buildings io lousc ilc procssors
ai uB (univcrsiiy o Boiswanai. ioncilclcss, wc siaricd by irying
io picl oui ilosc o ilc passcrs by wlo sccmcd io lavc bclongcd
ilcrc or somc iimc now. 1lc rsi was ilc old guard o ilc Ciiy
Council, ilc adjoining consiruciion on ilc iowcrs lci sidc. Slori
and ilin, lis namc was 1awonga: 1lai was ilc iowcr wlcrc
prisoncrs wcrc langcd, lc conrmcd, claiming, vcry maiicr-o-
acily, ilai ilc spirii o a prisoncr wlo was lung long ago siill
inlabiis ilc iowcr. Bc said ilai, ai nigli, lis prcscncc is casily
dciccicd, or lc malcs indcscribablc sounds; a miiurc o picrcing
lowls and powcrul laugls. Somc niglis, 1awonga addcd wiil a
wary cprcssion (as i rcvcaling an unuiicrablc sccrcii, ilc glosi
climbs ilc ouicr siairs io ilc roo and, oncc on ilc rooiop, siis
down io gazc upon ilc ciiy rom ilai uniquc pcrspcciivc. wlcn
lc is up ilcrc, ilc nigli bccomcs cvcn darlcr and all ilc siars
disappcar. wc lool or conrmaiion rom any oilcr passcrby.
wc approacl Dabilo, a woman wlo sclls swccis and plonc cards
rom a siall on ilc sircci corncr:
1lc glosi cisis, I mci lim oncc and loolcd lim in ilc
acc, said Dabilo. I was rciurning lomc onc nigli, wall-
ing down ilc liiilc sircci by ilc iowcr and, wlcn I iurncd
ilc corncr, I saw lim: lc lad ilc acc o Miriam Malcba.
Miriam Malcba? 1lc Souil-Arican singcr, wlo dicd
noi long ago?
Ycs, lcr. Bc smilcd ai mc and disappcarcd all o a suddcn.
190
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
1lc glosis cisicncc is rccogniscd and aclnowlcdgcd by mosi o
ilc local rcsidcnis, alilougl somc did dcny ii or rcusc io iall io
mc. A man walling by siops io icll mc ilai noi only docs ilc glosi
cisi, bui lc oicn comcs inio lis propcriy io sical lis cliclcns.
Lvcry iimc ilc man nds a cliclcn missing in ilc morning, lc
gocs io ilc iowcr and nds, by ilc small door, clcarly visiblc
blood siains; ilc glosi las sacriccd ilc animal and dcvourcd
ii. I wriic ii all down in a noicbool, ilinling ilai ii is cnougl or
ilc day. Dodo and I agrcc io rciurn io ilc arca ncar ilc iowcr io
iry io rcconsiruci yci morc ascinaiing cpisodcs. wlai I didni
lnow, in aci, was ilai I would soon lavc io lcavc ilc couniry.
Rope
I siaricd doing morc rcscarcl, wiil cw bibliograplical rccr-
cnccs. 1lcrc wcrc cnougl, ilougl, io saiisy my cvcr-incrcasing
curiosiiy aboui Boiswana and iis capiial alilougl I livcd ilcrc,
I did noi lnow mucl, and wlai I did lnow was slcicly. I rcalizcd
ilai, i ilc daia wc lavc ioday gocs bacl io irclisiory (io ilc
iimcs o ilc Ausiralopiilccus, ilc Souil-Arican 1laung baby
lillcd by an caglc iwo million and a lal ycars agoi, ilc aci is
ilai wlai wcsicrn culiurc rsi lcarncd o ilis icrriiory daics
bacl io ilc Kongolloncrcnz documcnis (884-88i. Bcorc ii
was dcclarcd an arca undcr Lnglisl proiccioraic Bccluana-
land ilis icrriiory o Souilcrn Arica, almosi complcicly barrcn,
was ilc siagc or many iribal wars. 1lc main cilnic rivalrics
wcrc bciwccn ilc Kloilloi and ilc Basarwa: ilc ormcr claimcd
dominancc ovcr ilc laiicr, considcring ilcmsclvcs io bc ilc ilc
rcal pcoplc and considcring ilc oilcr San: ouisidcrs. Bui i ilc
191
Kloillois pasioral culiurc causcd ilcm io slowly migraic souil,
ilc San coniinuc io occupy ilc lands o ilc plaicau io ilis day.
Sincc ilcir DiA is wiiloui lybridizaiions, ilcy arc considcrcd
io bc onc o ilc lasi living groups dirccily dcsccndcd rom ilc
ancicni populaiion oui o wlicl manlind cvolvcd. 1lcy ormcd
nomadic groups o lunicr-gailcrcrs, pcoplc said io bc cndowcd
wiil soplisiicaicd scnsorial abiliiics.
2
Bui ilcy lad io sucr
abusc on ilc pari o scvcral oilcr cilnic Boiswanan groups,
sucl as ilc Bangwalcisc, ilc Bangwa and ilc Balwcna. 1lc
laiicr, aicr occupying ilc Ballalagari arca, in Molcpololc, wcrc
ilcmsclvcs viciims o ilc Bocrs urcai 1rcl and o oilcr groups
sucl as ilc Balololo.
1lc lisiory o ilc San pcoplc is a succcssion o injusiiccs
ilai lasi io ilis vcry day: wc lavc only io poini oui ilc ligl inci-
dcncc o AIDS and ilc lumiliaiion ilcy lavc bccn subjccicd io
2
Llias Canciii ialcs liicrally a pionccring worl by w. B. I. Blccl, iucy Cailcrinc
iloyd and ucorgcs McCall 1lcal, Specimens of Bushman Folklore (iondon: u.
Allcn u Co., 9i, 33u-339 33u-339i: A man iclls ilc lids ilai waicl ovcr ilc
arrival o lis grandailcr, iool yc around or grandailcr, or grandailcr
sccms io bc coming: ilis is wly I ccl ilc placc o lis bodys old wound. 1lc
clildrcn lool around: ilc clildrcn pcrccivc ilc man coming. 1lcy say io ilcir
ailcr: A man is coming yondcr. 1lcir ailcr says io ilcm: urandailcr comcs
yondcr, lc would comc io mc: lc was ilc onc wlosc coming I cli ai ilc placc o
lis old. ...[ An osiricl walls basling in ilc sun. Is biiicn by a bacl inscci ...[
ilc osiricl scraiclcs lis nccl wiil a paw. 1lc Buslmcn ccl anyiling ai ilc
boiiom o lis own nccl, in ilc prccisc placc wlcrc ilc osiricl scraiclcs. Iis
lilc ilc ccling o blows ilai sirilc. 1lis ccling iclls ilc buslman ilai ilcrc
is an osiricl around. C. Llias Canciii, Masse et Puissance (iaris, uallimard,
966i, 31-38.
192
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by ilc govcrnmcnial auiloriiics, wlo, or scvcral ycars now, lavc
bccn irying io rcmovc ilcm rom ilc Kalalari uamc Rcscrvc, duc
io ilcir agrccmcnis wiil ilc diamond companics.
As ar as ilc capiial, uabaronc, in ilc days o ilc proicc-
ioraic, ilc villagc uscd io bc iis adminisiraiivc ccnirc. Bcsidcs
ilc iowcr and ilc prison, ilc arca includcd a orircss, ilc rsi
posi occ in ilc couniry, ilc Magisiraics Bousc and a ccmcicry.
1oday ilc 1apong ari ccnirc is locaicd in ilc siic ilai was oncc
ilc Magisiraics Bousc. 1lus, ilc spaiio-icmporal scnsc o ilc
iowcr is closcly linlcd io ilc adjoining siruciurcs. Alilougl in
ilc pasi iis unciion was noi ilai o a prison, ii noncilclcss givcs
o ilc colonial powcrs orcc o disciplinc and punislmcni. Bow-
cvcr, ilc ropc ilai connccis ii io ilc pasi, in a sirangc scmioiic
mciamorplosis, is ilc samc ilai binds ii io ilc prcscni: wc musi
sircss ilc aci ilai Boiswana siill considcrs ilc dcail pcnaliy
io bc lcgiiimaic.
3
And i ilc iowcr las wiilsiood ilc passagc o
iimc, in conirasi io ilc prison ruins, sucl rcsisiancc brings ii
closcr and connccis ii io a prcscni in wlicl, on ilc ormcr siic
o ilc Magisiraics Bousc, an ari ccnirc was buili. 1lc namc o
ilc ccnirc, 1apong, is icllingly allusivc: in Sciswana, ilc local
languagc, ii mcans ropc.
1lc iowcr is a lisiorical sign,
4
bui onc in pcrmancni clangc:
ii always rccrs bacl io a sign oilcr ilan iiscl. Ii carrics oui a
sirangc gcsiurc o dc-icrriiorialisaiion, ai oncc sianding in ilc
samc placc and rcmaining wiilin iiscl and (magicallyi rcsisiing
3
Scc lcrc: www.diislwanclo.org.bwdcailpcnaliy.liml.
4
un ilc conccpi o ilc lisioric sign, c. Saniino Cavaciuii, Il scgno siorico c il
problcma dclla sua conscrvazionc, in AAvv, Semantica delle Rovine (Romc:
Manicsiolibri, 2uu6i, 21-214.
193
194
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ilc scibacls o iimc (urban iransormaiions, ilc crosion o ilc
ycarsi. As a sign, as a iracc or marl, iis mcaning is purcly arclco-
logical: iis origin and iis colcrcni rcason can bc dcduccd and
ialc on mcaning i wc dccidc io scc ii rom ilai consiiiuiivc vcr-
iical suggcsicd by iis immcdiaic prcscncc. ici us now considcr
ilc spaiio-icmporal aciors. I, in iis spaiial dimcnsion, ilc iowcr
bclongs io iis placc sincc ilc iimc ii was buili, in ilc icmporal
dimcnsion, on ilc oilcr land, ilc pasi, prcscni and uiurc o
ilis worl o arcliicciurc arc iransormcd in mcaning and valuc:
rsi, ilc iimcs o ilc proiccioraic, wlcn ilc iowcr cprcsscd
iis unciionaliiy in ilc samc rigid icrms in wlicl ii was ramcd
bciwccn ilc prison, ilc Ciiy Council and ilc Magisiraics Bousc.
1lc sciiing is lcss logical in ilc prcscni, lowcvcr, iis mcaning
bcing coniinuously qucsiioncd by iwo insiiiuiional domains:
ilc prison and ilc muscum (domains wlicl, by ilc way, would
bc boil considcrcd lcicroiopic by Miclcl ioucaulii.
Bcrc,
spacc is no longcr rigid and ilc siruciurc is noi ramcd raiion-
ally: ilc prison is in ruins, ilc Ciiy Council dcals wiil dicrcni
rcgulaiions and ilc Magisiraics Bousc las givcn way io an ari
ccnirc. In ilc uiurc (a uiurc wlosc possibiliiics bclong io ilc
prcscnii ilc iowcr slall acquirc a ncw sciiing; a monumcnial
ramc wlicl will conncci ii io ilc aic o ilc prison and, in a
ccriain way also, io ilc aic o 1apong. I ilc prcscni dccidcs ilc
uiurc o ilc iwo consiruciions, by monumcnializing ilcm, ilus
ior ioucauli, lcicroiopic spaccs arc spaccs wlicl: (i disiinguisl ilcmsclvcs

or bcing connccicd io all oilcr spaccs, in a way ilai suspcnds, ncuiraliscs or
rcvcrscs ilc sci o rclaiions ilcy ilcmsclvcs draw, rccci or mirror (i spaccs
wlicl, in somc way, arc in coniaci wiil all oilcrs, and yci, coniradici all oilcr
spaccs. Miclcl ioucauli, Eterotopia. Luoghi e non-luoghi metropolitani (Milano:
Mimcsis, 2uui, 9.
19
larling bacl io ilc rigid scnsc o a colonial pasi, ii will do so by
dcniiivcly sciiing ilcm in a globaliscd splcrologic spacc
6
in
wlicl cvcryiling musi bc includcd i ii is noi io losc iis mcaning,
iis consisicncy. In ilis lypcr-inclusivc siagc, ilc small windows
on ilc sidcs o iowcr, wlicl now rcscmblc blind cycs, will again
bccomc csscniial dcviccs o a acc: ilc sionc acc o a Bironial
)anus. 1lis imagc o ilc sacrcd diviniiy wiil iwo accs, symbol o
passagcs, ilrcslolds, and ncw bcginnings varro dcncd )anus
as ilc crcaior par cccllcncc
1
movcd mc io cplorc a raniic,
almosi absurd, circlc o idcas.
iow I am lcrc, bacl in my own couniry. I am siill wriiing,
rcscarcling, coniinuously looling or mcaning. Bui, ai ilis
rcmovc, cvcryiling bccomcs vaporous: mcaning is cicndcd,
sccming io includc ilc placc wlcrc I nd myscl as wcll. I rcmcm-
bcr laving omiiicd an csscniial aspcci in my rcscarcl, onc wlicl
would lavc alicrcd iis coursc lad ii bccn considcrcd rigli away:
ilc aci ilai animism is ilc mosi diuscd rcligion in Boiswa-
na.
8
iow my bibliograplical rcsourccs arc cvcn scarccr and I
am rcduccd almosi cclusivcly io ilc inicrnci. I rcmcmbcr Boi-
swana and iis nosialgic mysicry and, ilrougl ilc viriual scrccn
o my compuicr I siill lool or ilai linl, ilai subilc ropc ilai
connccis mc io ilosc placcs. I lccp nding inormaiion, mosily
6
ior ilc conccpi o splcrc and splcrology, scc icicr Sloicrdijl. C., or camplc,
LUltima Sfera. Breve Storia Filosoca della Globalizzazione (Romc: Carocci, 2uu2i.
1
Marco 1crcnzio varronc Marcus 1crcniius varro[, Della Lingua Latina, vII, p. 26-21.
8
un ilc idca o animism as a mirror ilrougl wlicl modcrniiy sccs iiscl and
iis imagc o oilcrncss, c. Ansclm iranlc, 'Mucl iroublc in ilc iransporiaiion
o souls, or: ilc suddcn disorganizaiion o boundarics!', in Animism, vol. I. cd.
Ansclm iranlc (Bcrlin and icw Yorl: Sicrnbcrg ircss, 2uui, -3.
196
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cilnograplic, aboui ilc San. I comc across imporiani daia ilai
invariably lcad mc bacl io ilc glosi in ilc iowcr: ilc siar, in ilc
!Kung myilological iradiiion, is ilc lcari o a dying slaman.
9

And spcaling o siars (ilosc siars ilai ilc glosi managcd io
malc disappcar in ilc darli, ilcrc is a discasc ilai ilc San callcd
Siar Siclncss.
2u
1lc slamans uscd cliclcns io lcal ii. wliic and
blacl cliclcns wcrc uscd in ilc lcaling riiuals, io cpcl ilc cvil
spiriis. 1lc samc cliclcns ilc glosi uscd io sical. 1losc cliclcns,
I lavc jusi ound oui, arc ilc mosi imporiani ood sourcc in ilc
poor and rural arcas: ilcir abscncc indicaics ilc mosi circmc
povcriy. And ilcn, I rcad somciling clsc in ilc ncws aboui Miriam
Malcba, wlo las vcry lilcly visiicd Boiswana,
2
and lcr ncvcr
cnding gli or luman riglis.
1lc glosi, wlo livcd in a iowcr wlosc original unciion was
diculi io idcniiy, inlabiicd a death space
22
on wlicl ilc naiivcs
o ilc villagc projccicd, ilrougl ilcir aniasics, ilcir idcniiiy, so
ilai ilcy would noi losc ii, so ilai ilcy could prcscrvc ii.
9
C. Annc Solomon, 1lc myil o riiual origins? Lilnograply, myilology and inicr-
prciaiion o San rocl ari, South African Archaeological Bulletin 2 (991i: 3-3.
2u
Llizabcil Marslall 1lomas, The Old Way: A Story of the First People (icw Yorl:
iicador, 2uu6i, 212.
2
Miriam Malcba was marricd io ilc amous irumpci playcr Bug Masclcla, wlo
livcd in ilc couniry or a slori pcriod, during ilc iimcs o ilc aparilcid.
22
un ilc conccpi o dcail spacc, scc Miclacl 1aussig, Shamanism, Colonialism,
and the Wild Man: a Study in Terror and Healing (Clicago, univcrsiiy o Clicago,
981i, u.
wc siari wiil iwo imagcs: rom ilc air, o iarps and cops; on ilc
ground, a pair o lands ouisirciclcd.
ur wc siari wiil an imagc rcmcmbcrcd o a orcsi iccming
wiil vincs and snalcs and lcai and dangcr. io placc io bc civil.
1he )ungIe
un ilc 22
nd
o Scpicmbcr 2uu9 ai 8am si lundrcd CRS occrs
cnicrcd ilc woodcd arca ouisidc Calais wlcrc migranis rom
Aglanisian, Iran, Iraq, Lriirca, Somalia and Sudan lad bccn
campcd oui ovcr ilc coursc o scvcral ycars cn rouic io irying io
gci inio ilc uK. Alilougl ovcr uu pcoplc livcd in ilcsc camps,
ilc publiciiy o ilc upcoming raid lcd scvcral o ilcm io lcavc
bcorcland, lcaving aboui 218 migranis ilcrc, ai lcasi lal o
ilcm clildrcn. Ii iool ilc CRS minuics io pass ilc luman
slicld crcaicd by aciivisis and io clcar ilc camp, scnding ilc
migranis io dcicniion ccnircs across ilc couniry and minors io
ilc Mciz-uculcu dcicniion ccnirc. 1lcn ilc bulldozcrs camc
in and razcd ilc siic.
My poini o cniry inio ilis cvcni is ilc violcncc cmbcddcd
in calling wlcrc ilc migranis wcrc living la jungle. 1lc prcss
cplains ilai ii comcs rom a iusliun word or ilc orcsi, bui
ilai docs noi ully cplain iis signicancc, or wly ii bccamc a
caicl-all icrm or ilc living condiiions or ilc migranis ouisidc
1he Petrication of the Image
Avisit Btriiu
199
200
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o Calais. wlcn migranis cscaping ilc raid movcd io ilc uard
dc iord in iaris, ilc prcss dubbcd ilc iarl villcmin ncarby as
ilc iarisian junglc.
1lc icrm la jungle bccamc a modular icrm ilai linlcd
migranis io ilc ouidoor spaccs wlcrc ilcy campcd. Bui ilcrc
arc oilcr livcs ilai arisc in ilc circulaiion o ilc imagc o la
jungle ilai is scparaic rom wlai ii mcani wlcn ii was coincd by
ilc migranis ilcmsclvcs. Bui pari o wlai malcs ilis imagc so
casy io circulaic is ilai congcals wiilin ii scvcral ways o ram-
ing and conirolling migraiion.
Ii is wlai Biio Sicycrl would call a poor imagc rom an impcr-
cci cincma, an imagc wlosc valuc incrcascs wiil iis casy circula-
iion. 1lc dissoluiion o bodics inio ilc landscapc gcis congcalcd
inio an imagc ilai ialcs on iis own lic, cnicrs inio ilc world o
cclangc valuc. And wlai o ilc usc valuc, ilc cvcni iiscl? Sicycrl
calls ilc rcsiducs o ilc poor imagcs ilc wrciclcd o ilc scrccn.
In ilc lciglicncd aiicniion io spacc and ilc lic o ilings
and bodics, wlai is rcvcalcd arc inncr proccsscs and logics o ilc
cvcni or morc prcciscly iis immancni acsilciics. In oilcr words,
railcr ilan maling a lm or ialing ploiograpls, ilc cvcni iiscl
produccs iis own imagcry ilai coniains an acsilciic qualiiy ilai
is gcrmanc io iis lisiorical and poliiical cisicncc.
I.
1lis is an aiicmpi io ialc siocl o ilc razing o la jungle migrani
camp. 1o scc wlai aicrimagcs ilis cvcni produccs boil maicrial
and immaicrial and ilc lic ilai sucl imagcs lavc. I wani io lool
ai ilc circulaiion o ilrcc linds o siorics ilai bury and supplani
ilc cvcni iiscl in ilc zombic-lilc circulaiion o imagcs in ilc
aicrmail o a violcni cvcni.
I am inicrcsicd in ilc lic ilai is cmbcddcd in ilc circulaiion
o ilc imagc produccd by a namc lilc la jungle. 1lc dcsiruciion o
ilc spacc, ilc violcncc o ilc razing ilai pilcs cmblcmaiically ovcr
ilc violcncc o incarccraiion and ilc qucsi or asylum in a scnsc
iransmuics ilc imagc o ilc junglc inio somciling proanaicd,
bui also animaicd in a monsirous condcnsaiion o pcrson and
land ilai as an imagc is an acior.
1lc idcological worl in linling ilcsc migranis io a spacc
callcd la jungle cspccially in an urban sciiing lilc iaris is quiic
clcar, conguring ilcm as inlabiiing a siaic o naiurc, clarging
ilcm as oilcr and as somclow primiiivc. I would lilc io pusl
ilis urilcr and arguc ilai ilc junglc dcscribcs a congcalcd
landscapc, or wlai Adorno, in ilc idca o naiural lisiory would
call oniologizcd alisiorical naiurc, ilai is cvolcd in ilc scrvicc
o coniaining migranis, ilai plays a slcigli o land in involing
a spccic spaiial locaiion bui ilcn concrring on ii a primordial,
alisiorical qualiiy.
g. waicrcolour o Mowgli wiil Kaa and Baglccra.
1BL PL1RI II CA1I uN uI 1BL I MAuL
202
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La jungle is a siic ilai consianily produccs imagcs. wlai is
siagcd is ilc irrupiion o lisiory and ablc in ilc invocaiion o
ilc icrm. In Bindi junglc is ilc word or orcsi, bui in iis iransi-
iion io ilc wcsi ii gains anoilcr mcaning. 1lc junglc connoics
a wildncss, a zonc o dangcr, ilc viciory o ilc viral and uncivi-
lizcd. Ii is cral lilc Mowgli ilc clild o ilc commons wlo icicr
iincbaugl dcscribcs as sianding ai ilc ilrcslold bciwccn ilc
losi lic o ilc wildcrncss and ilc civilizing gcsiurc o cnclosurc.
wlai is ilc razing o ilc junglc ilcn bui a rooiing oui o ilc virus
o oilcrncss coniaminaiing ilc insidc, o ilc alicrnaiivc o com-
mons io ilc siriaiion o bordcr conirol. 1lc junglc is o anoilcr
placc and iimc and can and musi bc purgcd. And Mowgli and ilc
junglc as rcposiiory o ablc and myil arc iransmuicd ilrougl
violcncc inio objccis boil magical and proanc.
1lc purging o ilc junglc and ilc mining o iis abular pasi is
mcasurcd by anoilcr aniasy: ilc spanning o ilc Lnglisl Clanncl.
irom ilc bcginning o ilc ninciccnil ccniury ircncl scicniisis
lilc Albcri Mailicu and 1lomc dc uamond proposcd plans io
build iunncls undcr ilc clanncl wiil lorsc drawn carriagcs, lii
wiil lamps; ilcn as an undcrground railroad. 1lcsc uiopian plans
saw a uiurc wiiloui Mowglis, ncai lincs oaiing across spacc
uncncumbcrcd by any iracc o ilc unwanicd. A myilical uiurc.
1o Adorno, lisiory and naiurc wlcn camincd scparaicly,
ialc on an oniological, myilical qualiiy. Myilical lisiory is ilai
wlicl is scparaicd rom ilc spcciciiy and ilc locaicdncss o
naiurc wlilc myilical naiurc, divorccd rom lisiory or a scnsc
o progrcssion, is congurcd as a pcrpciual cyclc. 1lis scnsc o
pcrpciuiiy and alisiorical naiurc, is wlai I mcniioncd carlicr is
cvolcd in ilc icrm la jungle. irom ilis poini o vicw, ilc problcm
o lousing migranis is sccn as an uncnding cyclc o coniainmcni
203
and inliraiion in consiani alicrnaiion, wlcrc ilc problcm o
migranis is displaccd onio naiurc and buili spacc.
Bowcvcr, ilc inicrscciion o lisiory and naiurc in ilc orm
o naiural lisiory rcvcals ilc coniingcncy, ilc iransiiory naiurc,
ilc iaciical qualiiy o boil, and wc can scc wlai ilcsc rcicd con-
ccpis lool lilc oncc ilcy discnclani onc anoilcr. 1lcsc rcmnanis
o rcicd naiurc, arc ilc only way wc can movc rom ilc world
o appcaranccs and ioialiiy io ilings. In icrms o ilis discus-
sion, ilc primordialiiy, ilc alisioricaliiy o ilc icrm la jungle is
dcmyilicd by rcvcaling iis compliciiy wiil ilc cnorccmcni o
ilc uK and ilc Lu bordcr rcgimcs, and wiil rcvcaling low ilc
rcicaiion o migrani living condiiions is uscd in ilc mobiliza-
iion o uncasiblc spaiial soluiions.
g. 2 ilan or ilc Clanncl iunncl by 1lomc dc uamond.
204
Agcncy comcs in ilc appropriaiion and discnclanimcni o
ilcsc rcicd objccis, in unmasling o ilc primordialiiy o ilc
junglc, ilc pcrsisicncc o migranis wlo inspiic o ilc variciics
o icrriblc living condiiions, in aci lavc rcmaincd a consiani
prcscncc in Calais, cvcn ai ilc cpcnsc o ilcir own slin, ilcir
bodily bordcrs and lcalil. 1lcsc living condiiions nccd io bc
clangcd bui ilc agcncy o migranis in ilc acc o ilcsc draco-
nian mcasurcs cannoi bc dcnicd. 1lc bordcr ilcn inccis and
collapscs noi only ilc rcgisicrs o ilc body, icrriiory and siaic,
bui also slows low ilc bordcr is drawn in ilc coopiaiion o ilc
rcicd and abjcci body rom abovc; and low rcsisiancc lics in
ilc dcmyilicaiion o ilai proccss rom bclow.
II.
g. 3 Acrial vicw o a camp in ilc woods ncar Calais, lnown locally as la jungle.
iloio by iascal Rossignol.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
1lcn wc lavc ilc mcdia cvcni ilis is ilcairc. 1lis is an imagc
o ilc aicrmail o ilc liglly publicizcd razing o ilc junglc. 1lc
junglc is ilc siagc, ilc mcdia iis clorus and ilc inicrior minis-
icr Lric Bcssons visii, ilai o ilc conqucring lcro. 1lis mcdia
cvcni inlabiis ilis siic ilai is boil cvacuaicd o iis migranis
and mcaning, and in ilai cvacuaiion malcs or an imagc ilai
circulaics wiil all ilc grcaicr casc.
1lis iurn io landscapc as a mcans o conirol is an ongoing
siraicgy o coniaining migranis in ilis siic ilai did noi bcgin wiil
ilc junglc. 1o ilis cnd I would lilc io dcscribc ilc buili spacc o
ilc Sangaiic rcugcc camp ilai prcccdcd ilc csiablislmcni and
ilc dcsiruciion o ilc junglc ouisidc o Calais.
1lc Sangaiic Rcugcc Ccnirc was originally a sioragc acil-
iiy uscd in ilc consiruciion o ilc Clanncl 1unncl. 1lc Sangaiic
Rcugcc ccnirc was opcncd in Augusi 999 io providc ood and
slclicr io migranis in Calais loping io gci io ilc uK io claim
asylum siaius, and io prcvcni ilcm rom camping in a parl in
20
g. 4 Lric Bcsson prcss concrcncc ai la jungle. iloio by )ason iarlinson.
206
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ilc lcari o Calais. 1lc building, a 2 uuu squarc mcirc old sior-
agc lousc lad no lcai, and cw slowcrs and iis iargci capaciiy
o 1uu inlabiianis was quiclly ccccdcd, rcacling 8uu in ilc
rsi ycar alonc.
1lc iiglicning o ilc bordcr io ilc uK iurncd Sangaiic
inio a ciiy. As Didicr iassin noics wiil iis circulaiion o pcoplc
among a ciiy o largc icnis, iis lugc caniccn wlcrc long qucucs
waiicd or mcals, iis prcab buildings lousing adminisiraiivc
and mcdical scrviccs, and iis opcn spacc or Muslim worslip,
ilis small iown bcgan io acquirc disiinciivcly urban caiurcs.
Bui ii was a ciiy wiil aws, wlcrc ovcrcrowding and ovcrowing
ioilcis and blcal prospccis or crossing madc ii a diculi placc
io livc. As onc migrani siaics in ilc 2uu2 documcniary Le Pige
de Sangatte: 1lcrc arc iwo linds o jails you can say, onc is ilc
lind you arc irappcd and closcd in. 1lc oilcr onc is wlcrc ilcy
doni lci you go anywlcrc. ioi acccpiing and noi lciiing anywlcrc.
In my poini o vicw wcrc in ilc sccond lind o jail.
1lc scnsc o bcing irappcd lad iis lcgal implicaiions. uicn
migranis sougli io go io ilc uK as ilcy spolc ilc languagc, and
lad rclaiivcs ilcrc. 1lcy also lopcd or bciicr living condiiions
ilan wlai ilcy ound in irancc. Also, as Marl 1lomson siaics,
policc ouisidc ilc ccnirc oicn prcvcnicd migranis rom rccciving
muliilingual pampllcis wiil proccdural inormaiion on applying
or asylum in irancc.
As onc o lis rsi acis as inicrior minisicr iiclolas Sarlozy
closcd down ilc ccnirc in 2uu3. 1lc ccnirc was dcscribcd by uK
lomc sccrciary, David Blunlcii as a csicring sorc in rclaiions
bciwccn ilc uK and irancc. As a magnci or migranis and cvil
smugglcrs, ii bccamc ilc scapcgoai or ilc problcm o migra-
iion. In oilcr words, Sangaiic as a rcicd siic bccamc ilc causc
201
o migraiion ow, railcr ilan a spaiial siopgap in a crisis in ilcir
living condiiions. Aicr iis closurc, as migranis again livcd prc-
cariously on ilc sircci, undcr bridgcs and in parls in Calais and
iaris, ilc mcdia and ilc govcrnmcni bcgan spcaling warningly
o ilc spccirc o a Sangaiic 2. Sangaiic 2 was a spcciral placc
ilai cvolcd ilc principlc o ilc magnci as spacc and launicd ilc
discoursc around immigraiion in Calais, and prcvcnicd ilc csiab-
lislmcni o alicrnaic living quaricrs, and conncd lumaniiarian
organizaiions io providing ood railcr ilan slclicr.
unc anonymous mcmbcr o ilc no bordcr camp ilai summcr
dcscribcd ilc wall io ilc camp: a si lanc liglway, liiicrcd wiil
signs o luman labiiaiion: abandoncd blanlcis and slocs, and
narrow iracls along ilc roadsidc. wc mci groups o mcn going
in boil dircciions, and ilcy loolcd ai us wiil unmaslcd surprisc,
wondcring wlo wcrc ilcsc sirangc wliic-oll, wlo wcrc noi ilc
policc, bui wcrc oui walling ilcir sunsci irails. urim dcsiiiuiion:
poclcis o cardboard ciiics, luddlcd up againsi old indusirial
warclouscs, and lundrcds o pcoplc qucuing or ood. 1lc camps
and pcrsonal propcriy wcrc dcsiroycd on a rcgular basis by ilc
policc, wcll bcorc ilc Scpicmbcr raid. 1lcrc wcrc no slowcrs
and ilc waicr ai ilc bcacl was lcavily polluicd. 1lcrc was an
ouibrcal o scabics, and many migranis lad lcg injurics and cuis
as a rcsuli o alling rom irucls and o cnccs.
El-do--: 1lc dcsirc or asylum in ilc uK, was dcscribcd in
ilc uuardian and clscwlcrc as a qucsi or Lldorado - a spcciral
placc, lilc ilai o Sangaiic 2 ilai bclics ilc siringcncy o wlai
ilc migranis arc conicnding wiil. Rcporis lilc ilai by ilc ia
Coordinaiion ranaisc pour lc droit dasile dcscribc barricrs
io migranis applying or asylum io irancc, including: ilc lacl
o aciliiics or ilc many unaccompanicd minors; ilc ncgaiivc
cpcricncc o ilcir rcccpiion; ilc lacl o proccdural inormaiion
on sccling asylum; ilc disiancc o Arras, ilc ncarcsi ccnirc rom
Calais; ilc lacl o accommodaiion cic. 1lis is on iop o ilc con-
iinuous larassmcnis, ncs or camping, rcqucni incarccraiion
ilai ilc migrani in Calais accs on a daily basis.
III.
1lis is a publiciiy siill ialcn rom ilc lm Quils reposent en revolt.
Ii is an imagc o ilc lands o a migrani wlo las aiicmpicd io
burn lis ngcrprinis o so ilai lc can avoid idcniicaiion. Bis
lands ilcn carrics ilc imprini o ilc law and o lis own journcy.
Bui morc ilan ilis wc cannoi lool and wc cannoi lool away. 1lc
imagc, a publiciiy siill or a lm sloi in blacl and wliic, wlosc
grainy iciurc is as mucl an imagc as ilc lands and scars ilcm-
sclvcs. wc cannoi lool away and yci wc lool.
g. Siill rom ilc lm 'ils rcposcni on rcvoli. Imagc by Sylvain ucorgc.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
209
unc o ilc biggcsi dcicrrcnis is ilc sac rsi couniry agrcc-
mcni, oilcrwisc lnown as Dublin 2. 1lis law rcquircs ilc migrani
io sccl asylum in ilc rsi Lu couniry ilai ilcy lavc cnicrcd and
bccn ngcrprinicd in wlicl in many o ilcsc cascs is urcccc or
Iialy wlcrc aciliiics arc ilc lcasi prcdiciablc, ilc raic o succcss
o bcing granicd asylum is vcry low, and ilc ircaimcni o asylum
scclcrs is vcry larsl. 1lc looming prcscncc o ilis ilird couniry,
and ilc ilrcai o bcing dcporicd bacl ilcrc, is so unacccpiablc
io many migranis ilai ii bccamc a common praciicc in ilc jun-
glc or ilcm io iry io crasc ilcir own ngcrprinis by drinling
clcmicals and by burning o ilc slin on ilcir ngcriips.
1lc aci o scl-injury rcsonaics wiil ilc icrriblcncss o living
condiiions o ilc camps. Ii also orms a limii conccpi maling
ilc migrani body, ilc siaic and inicrnaiional law inciricablc, and
collapsing scvcral rcgisicrs o bordcr conirol. 1lc implicaiion o
ilc body wiilin ilc iopology o ilc bordcr slows iis rclaiion io
)ulia Krisicvas noiion o ilc abjcci. According io Krisicva ilc
dissoluiion o boundarics givcs risc io ilc abjcci. wlai dividcs
ilc subjcci rom ilc world dissolvcs or ilc abjcci. 1o Krisicva,
ilc boundary bciwccn ilc body and ouisidc bccomcs diculi
io dicrcniiaic rom ilc body iiscl maling wlai is ouisidc, ilc
ccrcmcnial, ilc groicsquc and ilc unwanicd, a pari o ilc scl.
Ii dissolvcs ilc ordcrcdncss o idcniiiy and ilc world, and usl-
crs in a siaic o indcicrminacy, in-bciwccn-ncss and ambiguiiy.
1lc implicaiion o ilc abjcci body collapscs ilc rcgisicrs o
ilc siaic, icrriiory and body onio ilc bordcr. Ii also calls aiicniion
io ilc dicrcni siraicgics o coniainmcni ilai bordcrs opcraic
on and ilc cars ilai arc concomiiani wiil ilcir dissoluiion. 1lc
rclocaiion o migranis rom ilc parls o Calais io ilc Sangaiic
Rcugcc Ccnirc io ilc inlabiiaiion o ilc junglc ouisidc Calais,
210
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
in ilis ligli can bc sccn as spaiial, cnvironmcnial siraicgics
o coniainmcni in rcsponsc io ilc inliraiion and visibiliiy o
migranis in ciiy ccnircs.
In ilis conici ilcn ilc bordcr sliis around as wcll wlcrc
ilrougl ilc 1ouquci ircaiy, ilc uK bordcr conirols movc inio
Calais, and inio irain siaiions and inio jurisdiciion o privaic
companics lilc Lurosiar, wlcrc inicrnaiional law is csiablislcd
bciwccn Lu siaics io circumvcni inicrnal laws in dcaling wiil
migranis, wlcrc bciwccn municipaliiy and ccnirc, bciwccn
naiions a gamc o pass-ilc-parccl is playcd around accouni-
abiliiy in dcaling airly and sysicmaiically wiil asylum scclcrs
1lc imagc o ilc rcicd abjcci body parallcls ilc congcal-
ing o ilc landscapc o ilc junglc in ilc promulgaiion o bor-
dcr conirols. irom ilis pcrspcciivc Sangaiics dcscripiion as a
csicring sorc draws iis appcarancc o vcraciiy rom ilc rcal
lcalil problcms o iis inlabiianis, and collapscs ilc scmaniic
disiancc bciwccn ilc iwo. Coniinuing ilis logic, Sangaiic con-
iains ilc discasc o migrancy wlilc ilc inliraiion o migranis
inio ilc parls o Calais and iaris incci ilcsc ciiics. iinally ilc
junglc is a primordial and unconncd spacc o discasc, wlcrc ilc
lumaniiarian conccrn wiil living condiiions collapscs inio iis
ircaimcni ai ilc lands o ilc siaic ilai purgcs or vaccinaics ii.
1lc aci o dcsiroying ilcsc ngcrprinis and ilc imagc ii
produccs and wlicl circulaics rccapiiulaics ilc momcni o iis
inccpiion. In 88 william Bcrsclcl ilc Clic Magisiraic o
ilc Booglly disirici in )ungipoor was nalizing a coniraci wiil
Rajyadlar Konai io purclasc somc glooiing, a binding maicrial
io build ligli roads. wlcn Konai was aboui io sign ilc coniraci,
Bcrsclcl was inspircd io asl Konai io malc a siamp o lis land
on ilc coniraci. Bcrsclcl lad no ilougli o ilc aciual imprini
211
and iis vcraciiy. Railcr ii was ilc gcsiurc o implicaiing Konais
land and by cicnsion lis body inio ilc coniraci. I was only
wisling io riglicn Konai oui o all ilougli o rcpudiaiing lis
signaiurc lcrcaicr. Bc wanicd io riglicn Konai inio lonouring
ilc coniraci by marling lim and using ilai marl as a coniraci.
1lis gcsiurc o pulling a land io a documcni in ilc build-
ing o a couniry road in colonial India boolcnds ilc momcni
o rcusal and violcni abjcci agcncy in ilc rcusal o Dublin
2. In boil momcnis ilc land is cncodcd inio ilc land and ilc
momcni o riglicning Konai ilc naiivc non insurgcni inio
lonouring lis commiimcni io supply maicrials io build ilc road
is ncgaicd by ilc icrriiorial iracls scorcd painully on ilc land
o ilc migranis iravclling noi in ilc margins bui iowards ilc
mciropoliian ccnirc and rcusing ilc papcr, lcgal and icrriiorial
irails lcading ilcm ilcrc.
g. 6 Bcrsclcl ngcrprini.
212
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
ConcIusion
Bciwccn ilc poor imagc and ilc wrciclcd o ilc scrccn lics ilc
ambivalcni poicniial o ilc imagc ilai rcsidcs bciwccn rcvcla-
iion and proanaiion. 1lc wrciclcd o ilc scrccn, ilc cvcni iiscl
is ilc objcci always in cccss o ilc poor imagc ilai circulaics.
Congcalcd in ilc imagcs is ilc icnsion bciwccn wlai is insidc
and ouisidc iis ramc. 1lus ilc imagc o la junglc coniains ai iis
margins ilc bodics o ilc migranis wlo livc ilcrc; ilc lands and
burncd ngcrprinis o ilcsc migranis cncapsulaics ilc journcy
rom Iialy or urcccc io irancc; ilc prclisiorical o la junglc always
coniains ilc aniasy o iis own cpulsion.
1lcsc imagcs arc dc-congcalcd and iorn apari by a method
- wlai Dcrcl urcgory calls a moniagc, ilai swoops rom ilc air
io ilc ground and is punciuaicd by irrupiions o lisiory and
mcmory. 1lis is, ollowing Scbald, a naiural lisiory o dcsiruciion
wlcrc ilc agcncy o ilc body is only rccupcrablc in ilis collagc o
muliiplc anglcs o spacc ilai is punciurcd by iimc and ravagcd
in a lollowcd oui mcdia cvcni.
In The Wretched of the Earth ianon says: 1lc appcarancc
o ilc sciilcr las mcani in icrms o syncrciism ilc dcail o ilc
aboriginal sociciy, culiural lcilargy, and ilc pciricaiion o
individuals. ior ilc naiivc, lic can only spring up again oui o
ilc roiiing corpsc o ilc sciilcr. 1lis ilcn is ilc corrcspondcncc,
icrm by icrm, bciwccn ilc iwo irains o rcasoning.
iciricaiion mcans io ccl car in ilc acc o ilc powcr o
ilc sciilcr. Bui morc imporianily, pciricaiion mcans io iurn
io sionc, and ilis iurning inio sionc is only mcasurcd wlcn ilc
sciilcr iurns inio a dccaying mass, inio ilc caril as wcll, inio a
roiiing corpsc. And in ilis rccloning is wlcrc anoilcr lic can
213
arisc again. 1lc naiivc lcrc could bc ilc migrani or ilc rcugcc
and ilc sciilcr could bc ilc colonizcr and ilc arm o ilc siaic,
and in ilcir maicrial rclaiions is cmbcddcd ilc iurning inio
sionc, dccaying inio caril. A liminal bui spaced spacc inlabiicd
by wlai Mbcmbc calls ilc dicrcncc bciwccn ilc living dcad
and ilc plain dcad.
Bui ilis isni cnougl. Is ilcrc an analogous way or lumans
io bccomc naiurc ilrougl ilc ravagcs o capiial jusi as naiurc
bccomcs animaicd undcr iis guisc? In a lcciurc in ililadclplia
Silvia ircdcrici dcscribcs low ilc labourcr bccomcs ilc objcci
o lis labour. 1lrougl ilousands o gcncraiions o labour ilc
arm worlcr bccomcs a cow, ilc iillcr bccomcs ilc ruii o ilc
soil, ilc sailor bccomcs ilc rlyilm o ilc wavcs by lying on oor
o lis slip and nding lis way lomc. Bcrc ilc pivoi is ilc aci
o labour ilai is ilc siic o iransmuiaiion. 1lis is ilc posiiivc
rcgisicr o bccoming naiurc. wlai is iis ncgaiivc? Ii is ilc iurn-
ing inio sionc, ilc produciion o dcail ai ilc bordcr, ilc iurning
o ilc siaic inio a corpsc and ilc naiivc inio sionc and an imagc
ingraincd. Bui ilis isni cnougl.
214
21
uIobaIization
ulobal lisiory cnicrs naiurc; global naiurc cnicrs lisiory: ilis
is somciling uiicrly ncw in plilosoply, Miclcl Scrrcs wroic in
The Natural Contract, 99u.
Ccriainly ilis was noi ilc rsi iimc

lumans rcalizcd ilai naiurc was a crucial acior in ilcir uiurc-
lisiory. Yci ilc siaicmcni carrics novcliy, or ilc iurn rom ilc
8us io ilc 9us was pcrlaps ilc momcni wlcn ii bccamc possiblc
and indccd ncccssary io ilinl ilc cnianglcmcnis bciwccn cnvi-
ronmcnis and lumans, naiurc and lisiory, ai an unprcccdcnicd
scalc: global. wlilc ilc globc as a gurc o ilougli lad bccn
prcscni ilrougloui ilc lisiory o wcsicrn plilosoply,
2
Scrrcs
Miclcl Scrrcs, The Natural Contract (univcrsiiy o Micligan ircss, 99ui, 4.

2
1lc idca o ilc globc, as icicr Sloicrdjils spherology slows, daics bacl io ilc
mciaplysics o classical aniiquiiy. Combining gcomciry wiil oniology, ancicni
plilosoplycosmology adopicd ilc splcrc as ilc rcprcscniaiion o ilc ioialiiy
o ilc world and conccpiualizcd lumans as crcaiurcs ilai inlabiicd a global
consiruciion. Imagcs o ilc globc would bc rccurrcnily aciualizcd ilrougloui
Luropcan lisiory as ilc clcmcniary spacc rom wlicl ilc posiiion o luman-
iiy in rclaiion io naiurc was progrcssivcly dcncd. Sloicrdjil ilcn procccdcd io
idcniiy ilc muliiplc manicsiaiions o ilc splcrcglobc as a privilcgcd modc o
dcpiciing ilc world, rom ilc visions o ilc splcrc-as-cosmos o classic aniiquiiy
up io carly modcrniiycolonialism, wlcn mciaplysical globalizaiion iurns inio
icrrcsirial globalizaiion, ilai is io say, wlcn ilc globc siaris io bc ilougli and
un the Larth-ubject
ituio 1tvtiis
216
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
usc o ilc icrm global is sliglily and signicanily disiinci:
lc rccrs lcss io a subjcciivc projcciion or mailcmaiical, cario-
graplic consiruciion, and morc io an objcciivc, maicrial rcaliiy
wlicl arguably lad no prcvious parallcl in naiural lisiory,
somciling alin io ilc plcnomcna dcscribcd by ircdcric )amc-
son in ilc Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, 984: a prodigious
cpansion o capiial inio liilcrio uncommodicd arcas... a ncw
and lisiorically original pcnciraiion and colonizaiion o iaiurc.
3

1lc global-rcacl o ilc marlci and ilc gcograplic diusion o
modcrn icclnologics draincd oui ilc rcsourcc o radical alicriiy
providcd by iaiurc (wiil a capiial lciicri, )amcson argucs, dislo-
caiing a undamcnial rccrcniial poini againsi wlicl manlind
was conccivcd in wcsicrn modcrniiy. 1lc iransormaiion was
iwoold: an cniirc ncw orm o spacc was bcing produccd wlilc
simuliancously orcing sociciy io assumc a complcic dicrcni
posiiion in rclaiion io ii. ior Scrrcs ilc uniqucncss o ilc siiua-
iion was mosi pcrccpiiblc prcciscly bccausc o iis (lacl oi scalc:
suddcnly a local objcci, naiurc, on wlicl a mcrcly pariial subjcci
could aci, bccomcs a global objcciivc, ilanci Laril, on wlicl a ncw,
ioial subjcci, lumaniiy, is ioiling away.
4
1lc coursc o lisiory
las always bccn inucnccd, ciilcr consiraincd or poicniiaicd,
produccd in iis carilly dimcnsions via Luropcan colonial cpansion. 1lrougl-
oui ilai lisiory, a consiani moiivc: ilc cnunciaiion o powcr, masicry and rulc
las bccn siruciurally aiiaclcd io imagcs o conirol and posscssion o ilc globc.
icicr Sloicrdiil, Esferas II (Madrid: Sirucla, 2uu3i.
3
ircdcric )amcson,1lc Culiural iogic o iaic Capiialism in Media and Cultural
Studies, cd. M. u. Durlam u D. M. Kcllcr (uord: Blaclwcll iublisling, 2uui, u6.
4
Miclcl Scrrcs, The Natural Contract (Ann Arbor: univcrsiiy o Micligan ircss,
jjji, .
211
uN 1BL LAR1B uB) LC1
by cnvironmcnial condiiionings, bui now ilc luman labiiai
assumcd dicrcni qualiiaiivc dimcnsions. 1lc limiis imposcd
by naiurc wcrc no longcr givcn on a local i.c. culiural sciiing,
bui lad assumcd global i.c. univcrsal proporiions. And lcncc
global naiurcs subjcciivc complcmcni: lumaniiy.
Miclcl Scrrcs siaris by dcscribing Fight with Cudgels, a
painiing by iranccsco uoya produccd bciwccn 82u and 823. In
ilc imagc iwo mcn arc dcpicicd in ilc middlc o an opcn land-
scapc, cngaging in a duelo a garrotazos. 1lcy appcar aiiacling
cacl oilcr, wlilc lncc dccp and sinling dccpcr inio a swamp o
mud. Scrrcs uscs uoyas imagc as an allcgory io claboraic lis
criiiquc o ilc rclaiionslip bciwccn lumans and ilcir cnviron-
mcni: ilc gli symbolizcs war, and by cicnsion ilc social
coniraci, and wlilc warpoliiics is ougli ilrougl, ilcy sccm io
bc somcwlai oblivious o ilcir surroundings cnvironmcni. And
yci ilcy arc cniircly subjcci io ilc cnvironmcni, and ilc mud will
swallow ilcm up, unio ilc vcrgc o collcciivc dcail, rcgardlcss
ilc vicior and ilc dccaicd. 1lc prcacc io Scrrcs bool could
vcry wcll lavc bccn a plcilora o paradigmaiic cnvironmcnial
disasicrs ilai ilc world las cpcricnccd in ilc lasi iwo dccadcs
o ilc iwcniicil ccniury. Mosi signicanily, on ilc communisi
sidc, ilc accidcni ai ilc Clcrnobyl iuclcar iowcr ilani in 986,
wlicl, as Millail uorbaclcv limscl pui ii, was pcrlaps ilc
rcal causc o ilc collapsc o ilc Sovici union vc ycars laicr.

un ilc capiialisi sidc o ilc map, ilc Lon valdcz uil Spill in
989, ilc largcsi oil-rclaicd accidcni in ilc lisiory o ilc uniics
Siaics bcorc ilc Bi oil spill in ilc uul o Mcico in 2uu, wlosc
Millail uorbaclcv, 1urning poini ai Clcrnobyl, Project Syndicate, April 4

il

2uu6, liip:www.projcci-syndicaic.orgcommcniarygorbaclcv3Lnglisl.
218
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
caiasiroplic cccis on ilc prisiinc slorcs o Alasla iurncd inio
a mass-mcdia cvcni ilai was undamcnial in ilc crysiallizaiion
o a public scnsibiliiy in rclaiion io ilc cmcrgcncc o an cnvi-
ronmcnial crisis. I globalizaiion las incrcasingly bccamc an
objcciivc rcaliiy and lumaniiy a subjcciivc consciousncss, ii is
noi only bccausc our ncrvous sysicms lavc bccn clccironically
cicndcd io ilc poini o global cmbracc, as Marslal Mciulan
wroic in 964
6
, bui also, and pcrlaps morc imporianily, bccausc o
ilc poicniial conscqucnccs o wlai ccologisi wolgang Sacls las
callcd a massivc accidcnial inicrnaiionalizaiion.
1
1lc cmcrging
global naiurc and iis subjcciivc complcmcni, lumaniiy, wcrc
ilc iwo cnianglcd ouicomcs o a dysiopian uiurc: ilc poicniial
o ioial disasicr and subscqucni impossibiliiy or luman lic on
ilc planci orccully uniics us subjcciivcly and objcciivcly: mor-
ally as a irans-naiional communiiy wlo bcars ilc rcsponsibiliiy
o prcscrving ilc lic o ilc planci; plysically as a singlc spccics
inlabiiing a common land upon wlicl our cisicncc is dcpcndani.
Modcrnizaiion, according io Scrrcs, was oundcd on unrc-
siraincd, unrcgulaicd violcncc, boil civilian and miliiary, dirccicd
onio ilc naiural world. uivcn ilc widcsprcad ccological dcplc-
iion gcncraicd by ilc miliiary-indusirial complc o Cold war
cconomics, ilis ncw globc-objcci nccdcd io bc proiccicd by ilc
iniroduciion o a ncw orm o lcgal coniraci bciwccn luman-
iiy and naiurc: ilc natural contract (as opposcd io ilc social
6
Marslal Mciulan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (icw Yorl and
iondon: Rouilcdgc, 2uui, 3 (rsi publislcd in 964i.
1
wolgang Sacls, Lnvironmcni, in The Development Dictionary: a guide to knowl-
edge as power, cd. wolgang Sacls (icw Yorl and iondon: zcd Bools, 2uui, 2.
(rsi publislcd in 992i.
219
coniracii. Railcr ilan ilc naiural ouicomc o ilc progrcss and
maicrial accumulaiion iniiiaicd wiil modcrniiycolonialism,
Scrrcs globalizaiion dcnoics an cniirc ncw spaiial congura-
iion ilai, laving cmcrgcd oui o ilc ormcr, posiiions a criiical
pcrspcciivc upon ii. Insoar as manlind could dcsign and opcr-
aic icclnologics wlosc icmporal, spaiial and cncrgciic dimcn-
sions wcrc ai ilc samc scalc as worldwidc plcnomcna, lumaniiy,
obscrvcd collcciivcly, iurncd inio ilc cquivalcni o a naiural
orcc: rom now on ilcrc will bc lalcs o lumaniiy, plysical
aciors in ilc plysical sysicms o ilc Laril.
8
ulobal naiurc is
ilcrcorc and abovc all a spacc dcncd by a ncw socio-gcological
ordcr in wlicl ilc divisions ilai scparaicd lumaniiy and ilc
cnvironmcni, culiurc and naiurc, ilc anilropological and ilc
gcological lavc bccn blurrcd. In oilcr words, spaiial sliis wcrc
8
jjji, 8.
g. . irancisco dc uoya. iigli wiil Cudgcls. 82u-823. uil, originally on plasicring, iranscrrcd
io canvas.23 266 cm. Musco dcl irado, Madrid, Spain.
220
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
noi only icclnological bui rclaiional, and ilcrcorc dcmandcd
a ncw gco-poliiics wlicl, uliimaicly, callcd or ilc csiablisl-
mcni o a icw Consiiiuiion a ncw social coniraci, as Scrrcs
pui ii in wlicl naiurc was posiiioncd on a common ground in
rclaiion io lumans and assumcd ilc siaius o a rigli-bcaring
subjcci: ilc living globc.
unIy une Larth
Arguably, onc o ilc main orccs or ilc consolidaiion o globaliza-
iion was ilc consiruciion o ilc cnvironmcni as a symbolic siic
or iransnaiional collcciivc idcniicaiion as wcll as a ncw spacc
o inicrvcniion. Scrrcs ici owcd mucl io ilis largcr ramcworl
ilai was ormcd during ilc 1us and 8us. Natural Contract can
bc rcad alongsidc discourscs ilai cmcrgcd oui o ilc circlcs o
ccological scicncc and cnvironmcnial aciivism ilai lad alrcady
gaincd rclaiivc conscnsus in ilc orums o ilc inicrnaiional com-
muniiy by ilc iimc ii was publislcd. In 981, or camplc, wiil
ilc publicaiion o Our Common Future, ilc ui-commissioncd
rcpori on ilc global cnvironmcni prcparcd or ilc Laril Summii
lcld in Rio dc )anciro in 992, ilc noiion o susiainabiliiy was
ocially iniroduccd as a ccniral mandaic in ilc splcrcs o glo-
bal govcrnancc.
9
Advocacy on bclal o naiurc was noi a novcliy
iiscl, bui carly modcrn cnvironmcnialism lad conccniraicd
coris io prcscrvc cndangcrcd spccics and wild labiiais, or io
promoic morc ccicni modcs o ciraciing naiural rcsourccs
via siraicgics o conscrvaiion in localizcd arcas. 1lc ccological
9
world Commission on Lnvironmcni and Dcvclopmcni, Our common future (uord:
uord univcrsiiy ircss, 981i. 1lis rcpori was publislcd or ilc un Laril Sum-
mii Rio-92.
221
ilinling ilai cmcrgcd oui o ilc ioic-nciworls gcncraicd by
ilc Cold wars indusirial maclinc lcd io a complcic slii in ilc
undcrsianding o ilc globc as a poliiical spacc.
Morc ilan ccology, ii was ilc conccpi o ccosysicm ilai
playcd a dccisivc rolc in ilai proccss. Lcological scicncc was
dcvclopcd insidc ilc limiis o biology, wlcrcas ccosysicm ilcorics
cpandcd ccology oui o iis iradiiional ramcs io cncompass a
morc complc and inicrdisciplinary cld ilai includcd cconom-
ics, dcmograplics, gcograplics and oilcr arcas dcaling wiil
anilropogcnic variablcs. In slori, ii allowcd ialling aboui lybrids
o naiurc-culiurc as complc scl-rcgulaiing ccological uniis. In
ilc posi-war pcriod ilc closc aliaiions bciwccn cybcrnciics
and ccology lclpcd io cpand lolisiic noiions o global naiurc
io ilc liglly icclnologic cnvironmcni o ilc wcsicrn-world and
ccosysicm soon iurncd inio a ccniral icrm in ilc lcicon o cnvi-
ronmcnial discoursc. wlilc prcscrving ilc idca o wlolcncss
and viialisi connoiaiions, ccosysicm addcd a morc mcclanisiic
and managcrial approacl io ccological ilougli. Conccpis o
scl-rcgulaiion, lomcosiaiic balancc, communicaiivc ccdbacl
loops and opiimal pcrormancc wcrc ccniral in slaping ilc ncw
cnvironmcnial cilos ilai cmcrgcd in ilc 1us. uliimaicly, ilcy
wcrc rcsponsiblc io givc concrcic spaiial orm io an cniirc ncw
pcrccpiion o ilc caril-spacc, wlicl was gradually iransormcd
inio a poliiical cld wlcn cnvironmcnial discoursc cmbraccd
ccologys lolism and assumcd ilc dccncc o ilc ilanci as iis
mandaic. unly unc Laril ilc slogan o ilc rsi ui Summii
on ilc Lnvironmcni lcld in Siocllolm in 912 was projccicd
as common spacc inlabiicd by a luman communiiy iicd by cco-
logical bounds ilai ignorcd naiional dicrcnccs, a subjcciivc
consiruciion ilai ilc Apollo imagcs would lclp io rcinorcc in
222
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
collcciivc imaginaiion. 1lc planci and manlind, global naiurc
and lumaniiy wcrc rclaicd as iwo cnianglcd paris o a ragilc
sysicm wlosc cquilibrium rclics on a dclicaic balancc bciwccn
iis componcnis and, ilcrcorc, ilc prospcci o cnvironmcnial
dcclinc was sympiomaiic o a ccriain icndcncy iowards cniropy
ilai nccdcd io bc rcmcdiaicd. Abovc ilc communism vs. capi-
ialism dividc, ilc cnvironmcnial crisis was claracicrizcd as a
proound discquilibrium bciwccn our spccics and naiurc ilai
poscd a undamcnial cilical qucsiion or lumaniiy as sucl.
wlilc ilc Laril cmcrgcd as a common, only onc globc,
ilc poliiics or ilc proicciion o ilc planci lcd io ilc comprc-
lcnsion ilai ilc cnvironmcni would dcmand ccriain sysicms o
carc and policing opcraiing ai inicrnaiional scalc. Railcr ilan a
barricr cnclosing naiurc againsi anilropogcnic-orccs, posi-war
ccological cilos manicsicd a dccpcr and morc complc inicgra-
iion o ilc naiural inio ilc nciworls and icclniqucs o law,
scicncc, cconomy and govcrnancc. Bcsidcs ilc inpui o ccology
and counicr-culiural criiiquc, cnvironmcnial consciousncss
was also slapcd by Malilusian cars o dcmograplic cplosion,
rcsourcc scarciiy and world-disordcr. Bcncc ii was ncccssary io
incorporaic a ccriain planning raiional ilai would bc cnacicd
according io ilosc cmcrging ccological-poliiical cquaiions ilai
wcrc bcing drawn ai a global scalc. Insidc ilc burcaus o ilc ui,
aid-agcncics and acadcmic circlcs, )amcs iovclocls uaia losi iis
myilical powcrs and was rcduccd io siaiisiical analysis, cconomic
programmcs, and scicniic cpcriisc. In parallcl, cnvironmcnial
aniciics would bc gradually combincd wiil sccuriiy issucs. I
ilc calculaicd conclusion o a global cnvironmcnial crisis was
ilc prognosiic o dcail ai ilc lcvcl o ilc spccics, ilis ncw orm
o bio-poliiical consiruciion callcd or govcrnmcnial raiionaliiics
223
opcraiing ai an inicrnaiional lcvcl, sincc, so io say, ilc rigli ovcr
lic and dcail lad cscapcd ilc jurisdiciion o naiional sovcrcigniy.
During ilc 1us and 8us ilc dccncc o ilc cnvironmcni
was mosily ariiculaicd by scicniic-discoursc or poliiical aciiv-
ism on ilc ground, rcmaining considcrably aniagonisiic in rcla-
iion io ilc impcraiivcs o cconomic growil and icclnological
progrcss ilai claracicrizcd ilc dcvclopmcnial dccadcs. In ilc
iwcniy ycars ilai scparaic ilc Siocllolm Convcniion and Rio-92,
ilai siiuaiion was complcicly iransormcd. uil-spills, clcmical
lcals, dcorcsiaiion and anii-nuclcar powcr proicsis insisicnily
occupicd ilc lcadlincs o inicrnaiional mcdia; govcrnmcnial and
non-govcrnmcnial cnvironmcnial organizaiions prolicraicd; and
ilc cld o cnvironmcnial scicnccs a orm o applicd cco-gco-
logy ilai spccically dcals wiil ilc siudy and rcmcdiaiion o
man-naiural asscmblagcs iurncd inio a wcll-dcvclopcd acadcmic
disciplinc and cconomic busincss. wlilc Siocllolm cprcsscs ilc
arrival o ilc cnvironmcnial qucsiion inio ilc ocial orums o
inicrnaiional poliiics, Rio-92 marls iis consolidaiion. In bciwccn
ilosc iwo momcnis, ilc icrms o ilc cquaiion wcrc complcicly
invcricd: wlcrcas cnvironmcnial discoursc was pcrccivcd as
opposcd io ilc dcvclopmcnial inicnis o curbing world povcriy
o ilc 1us, in ilc 9us ii was povcriy ilai bccamc onc o cnviron-
mcnis mosi carcd cncmics. urowing populaiion aggrcgaicd
io lacl o mcans rcinorccd ilc burdcn on naiural rcsourccs,
gcncraiing a vicious cyclc o laclscarciiy, ccological dcplciion
and global insccuriiy. Dcvclopmcni, ilc main planning conccpi
o ilc prcvious dccadcs, could noi bc complcicly dismisscd, bui
slould bc bciicr qualicd, bccausc i unrcsiricicd, unlimiicd
and unmoniiorcd, ii would cngcndcr largcr risls ilan ilc oncs
ii aimcd ai prcvailing.
224
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
Susiainabiliiy siands or ilai momcni wlcn ilc planci
iurncd inio a ioial global cnvironmcni, or in ordcr io savc ilc
planci, ii was rsi ncccssary io cnviron ilc caril, cnvcloping
iis ungovcrnablc rlyilms inio discourscs and praciiccs ilai
would bc dcploycd in ordcr io bciicr calibraic ilc global bal-
ancc bciwccn anilropogcnic aciion and biological rlyilms. up
uniil ilc 1us, global conccrns cvolvcd in a onc-way dircciion,
iowards ilc diusion o modcrnizaiion, bui by ilc laic 8us, our
conccrns lad slii considcrably, or ii bccamc ncccssary noi only
io diusc modcrnizaiion bui also simuliancously dcal wiil iis
immancni and consiiiuiivc risls. Modcrniiy, in ulricl Bccls
amous analogy, bccamc scl-rccivc, noi only conccrncd wiil
ilc impcraiivcs o uprooiing pcoplc rom ilc pasi and osicring
progrcss, bui wiil problcms ilai rcsulicd rom ilc vcry naiurc
o progrcss railcr ilcn rom ilc lacl ilcrco
u
. Bcing conscious
o iis inlcrcni accidcnial dimcnsions, susiainablc dcvclopmcni
or or ilai maiicr, susiainablc modcrniiy iransormcd ilc
accidcni-in-poicniial inio an cconomy, calculaiing iis probabiliiics
in ordcr io balancc ilc risls and saciy-cosis o inicrvcniions.
1lc dcvclopmcnial-logic coniinucs, bui ii now aclnowlcdgcs
ilai ilc lazards wlai is callcd cicrnaliiics in ilc cconomic
jargon ilai arc sysicmaiically produccd by modcrnizaiion would
nccd io bc minimizcd, modulaicd, clanncllcd and disiribuicd.
wc arc ilcrcorc moving oui o ilai globc organizcd according
io ilc dcvclopmcnial gap iowards a globc dividcd according io
ilc risl dicrcniial populaiions and icrriiorics dividcd by
ilcir susccpiibiliiy and capaciiy io rcspond io ilc coming ioial
cnvironmcnial caiasiroplc. ioi only ilc (uncvcni disiribuiion
u
ulricl Bccl, Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity (iondon: Sagc iublicaiions,
992i.
22
o wcalil, bui also ilc lincs ilai dividc ilc class o ilc insurcd
rom ilc class o ilc uninsurcd according io ilc sclcciivc poliiical-
cconomy o risl disiribuiion opcraiing around ilc globc.
1he Larth-PoIiticaI
1lc undamcnial cvcni o modcrniiy, Mariin Bcidcggcr rcmarlcd,
is ilc conqucsi o ilc world as piciurc.

Bui noi only as piciurc,
onc slould add, or ilc imaging o ilc globc is simuliancously
ilc mcans by wlicl an objcci o appropriaiioninicrvcniion
is cncompasscd. 1lis lisiory was icmpcrcd by cilical inicnis
aimcd ai modcraiing ilc violcncc ilai is siruciural io ilc log-
ics o masicry and posscssion ilai dcncs ilc rclaiion bciwccn
modcrn rcasoning and ilc non-luman world. 1lrougloui ilai
proccss, ilc caril was maicrially and symbolic consirucicd as
ilc bcarcr o a ccriain univcrsalism ilc lousclold o all lic
and ilc uliimaic jurisdiciion o ilc communiiy o lumans.
irom iis carly manicsiaiions in ninciccnil ccniury io iis laic
modcrn cybcrnciic connoiaiions, ilc basic idca ilai ilc planci
opcraics as a organism io wlicl lumans slould adapi in ordcr
io rccupcraic and prolong an oniological larmony bciwccn man
and naiurc las rcmaincd ccniral io cnvironmcnial discoursc.
And lcncc ilc siruciural parado o ccological univcrsal cilos:
or wlilc ii plcas or a irans-naiionalism on bclal o a common
globc, ii also crascs mucl o ilc poliiical coniingcncics implicd in
ilc lisiorical proccss by wlicl unly unc Laril camc inio bcing.
Mariin Bcidcggcr, 1lc Agc o ilc world iiciurc in O the beaten track., ed.
and trans. )ulian Young and Kcnncil Bayncs (Cambridgc: Cambridgc univcrsiiy
ircss: 2uu2i, 1. (rsi publislcd in 938i
226
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
g. 2 Laril-objcci. iaulo 1avarcs, 2u2.
221
1lc problcm o ilis projcci is noi so mucl ilai ii crascs
culiural divcrsiiy in ilc namc o a wcsicrn-ccnircd lomogcnc-
ous univcrsal lumaniiy. 1lc morc crucial poini is ilai ii vcils
ilc modcs by wlicl oilcr naiurcs arc ccludcd on bclal o
ilc lcgcmonic consiruciion o a singlc caril. 1o bc surc, colo-
nialmodcrniiy was a orcc ilai aiicmpicd io dcsiroy and modcl
oilcr culiurcs in rclaiion io iis own imagc. Bui ii is also iruc ilai
alicriiy is siruciural io modcrniiy, cvcn i only in ilc orm o a
domcsiicaicd (or rcprcsscdi imaginary rcsourcc or as a subjccicd
posiiion ilai unciions io lcgiiimizc powcr licrarclics. Railcr
ilan culiural dicrcncc, wlai modcrniiy cannoi iolcraic is a
dicrcni naiurc, i.c. a ccriain poliiical-ccology ilai siands in
disscni wiil ilc lcgcmonic naiurc upon wlicl ilc mulii-culiural
univcrsalism o modcrniiy was crccicd. 1lc rclcvani poliiical
qucsiion ilcrcorc is noi so mucl low culiurally iolcrani ilc
cnliglicncd, wcsicrn-bascd caicgory o univcrsal lumaniiy can
bc, bui prcciscly ilc opposiic, low could modcrniiy accommodaic
dicrcni naiurcs bcsidcs and bcyond ilc monoliilic vcrsion
upon wlicl ii was consiiiuicd.
1lc lisiory o cnvironmcnialism is in many rcspccis ilc
cvolving o a criiical rcsponsc io ilc modcs by wlicl modcrn
cpisicmc rcsiricis ilc non-luman world io siricily uiiliiarian
and cconomic mcans. Yci modcrn ccological cilos lad or ilc
mosi pari opcraicd as a way o modcraiing mans violcncc iowards
naiurc railcr ilan brcaling up wiil ilc oundaiional sclcmc ilai
lcgiiimaics ii. wlilc cnvironmcnial discourscaciivism spcals
on bclal o all i.c. lumaniiy , ii rcmains commiiicd io proicci
and caring or an univcrsal naiurc ilai ii ialcs as naiurally
givcn. 1lc ccological-poliiical problcm, ilcrcorc, rcmains opcn,
and rccrs io wlcilcr poliiics slould conccniraic iis discourscs
228
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
on bclal o ilai naiural wlicl ii assumcs as univcrsal or railcr
slould ocus on ilc aiicmpi io unsciilc ilc vcry lcgcmony o ilc
modcrncolonial consiruciion o naiurc and ilc global conscn-
sus around wlai ilc caril siands or. 1o a largc cicni, ilis is
prcciscly wlai Miclcl Scrrcs was irying io convcy:
ubjccis ilcmsclvcs arc lcgal subjccis and no longcr mcrc
maicrial or appropriaiion, cvcn collcciivc appropriaiion.
iaw irics io limii abusivc parasiiism among mcn bui docs
noi spcal o ilis samc aciion on ilings. I objccis ilcm-
sclvcs bccomc lcgal subjccis, ilcn all scalcs icnd ioward
cquilibrium
2

1lc ccniral argumcni ilus ollows: as lisiory las madc lumans
cquivalcni io naiural orccs, rcvcrscly, naiurc slould bc cndowcd
wiil similar undamcnial riglis io ilc oncs conqucrcd by lumans
along lisiory. Lmcrging in parallcl io ilc cnvironmcnial dis-
coursccilos, conicmporary cnvironmcnial lcgislaiion also
opcraics as a way o modcraiing ilai is io say, lcgislaiing
luman violcncc iowards ilc world. Susiainabiliiy is noiling bui
ilc inscripiion o a ccriain lcgal clccl inio a rcgimc o so ar
unrcsiricicd plysical dcsiruciion. So ilus is Scrrcss proposal
or a Natural Contract. Yci ilc logics arc complcicly disiinci, or
wlilc ilc ormcr aiicmpis io rcgulaic anilropoccniric aciion,
ilc laicr csiablislcs undamcnial riglis io oilcr ilan lumans.
Iis a mcaningul dicrcncc: susiainabiliiy is an cilics o polic-
ing i.c. modulaiing luman-naiurc rclaiionsboundarics alrcady
2
jjji, 31.
229
csiablislcd; ilc naiural coniraci is an cilics o ilc poliiical i.c.
ii conronis a luman-naiurc world wiil an-oilcr luman-naiurc
world and claims or a ncw cqualiiy. Scrrcss globalizaiion is ilc
lisiory o ilc coming inio bcing o a disiinci globc wlicl, wlilc
bcing born oui o modcrniiycolonialiiy, rccivcly clallcngcs
ilc vcry sysicm o pariiiions bciwccn naiurc and culiurc ilai
susiain iis rcgimc. ior naiurc was ilai pari o ilc common globc
ilai lad no pari in modcrn poliiics, law or lisiory, insoar as iis
spcccl was rcgardcd as purc naiural, mcrcly noisc or raw daia,
and ilcrcorc ccludcd rom ilc bounds o languagcpoliiics. Yci
wiil incrcasing rcqucncy and rclcvancc naiurcs spcccl appcars
as a collcciivc moral warrani, ciilcr iranslaicd by scicncc, mcdi-
aicd in lcgal couris, or as ilc maicrial icsiimony o modcrniiys
violcncc ilai rcmains rcgisicrcd in ilc social-ccosysicms o
disasicr zoncs sucl as Boplal, Clcrnobyl, ilc iigcr Dclia or ilc
iapo Basin in ilc Lcuadorian Amazon.
1lc lisiory o modcrniiy could bc narraicd as a longue-dure
proccss o cnvironing ilc caril. wlai wc call globalizaiion ilai
momcni in lisiory wlcn nancial marlcis, communicaiion nci-
worls, cncrgciic icclnologics, and ccological accidcnis iurncd
inio world-objccis
3
- is ilc lasi snapsloi o ilai movcmcni by
wlicl ilc planci was surroundcd, up io a poini in wlicl ilai proc-
css las praciically rcaclcd ilc ioialiiy o lic, ai lcasi in rclaiion io
wlai conccrns ilc lic o ilc luman spccics and io ilai on wlicl
3
By world-objccis I mcan iools wiil a dimcnsion ilai is commcnsurablc wiil onc
o ilc dimcnsions o ilc world. A saiclliic or spccd, an aiomic bomb or cncrgy,
ilc Inicrnci or spacc, and nuclcar wasic or iimcilcsc arc our camplcs o
world-objccis. Miclcl Scrrcs, Rcvisiiing ilc iaiural Coniraci, CTheory, iovcm-
bcr jil, :oo6, availablc ai: liip:www.cilcory.nciariiclcs.asp?id.
230
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
ii dcpcnds: global naiurc. Aicr ilc icrrcsirial globc iniiiaicd
wiil carly modcrniiycolonialism, ilc bio-splcrical globc ilai
cmcrgcs wiil laic ninciccnil ccniury wiil bio-gcograply, and
ilc cco-sysicmic iurn o ilc 6us and 1us, wc maybc cpcricncing
ilc ormaiion o ncw scnsibiliiy iowards ilc planci, morc gco-
logical ilan icrriiorial or biological, and ilcrcorc, a ncw rcaliiy
in wlicl ilc poliiical icrrain is no longcr only ilc gco- or ilc bio-,
bui somciling I would icniaiivcly call ilc caril-poliiical. In ilc
1us, wlcn ilc ccological discoursc was suracing, gco-poliiical
powcr was dispuicd as a maiicr o rcacling ilc ouicr spacc
cscaping ilc Laril. 1odays crucial problcm is ilai powcr will
cngagc mucl morc iniimaicly and orccully wiil ilc maicrialiiy
o ilc planci, drilling dccpcr inio ilc caril, scanning iis liddcn
suraccs, irying io uncovcr sourccs o maicrial wcalil undcr
mcliing glacicrs and ncw discovcrcd icrrains ciraciing, scc-
iioning, dividing and rc-ariiculaiing local and global ccologics.
I ccology can bc ilougli as poliiical, iis mosi urgcni problcm
is noi so mucl sacguarding naiurc, bui clallcnging ilc vcry
noiion o naiurc iiscl and qucsiioning ilc orms and mcans by
wlicl ilc caril is iranslaicd inio ilc poliiical globc.
'1o malc scnsc o Clavczs vcnczucla, wc musi ilus sccl io
undcrsiand ilc cclangc bciwccn ilc pcoplc wlo inlabii
vcnczuclan soil and ilc oil ilai lics in iis subsoil.'
icrnando Coronil
'Mclrdad Irvanian, ilc Iranian arcliicci oncc suggcsicd:

In ordcr io siudy arcliicciurc, onc musi rsi invcsiigaic
nccrocracy. Bui wc slould go urilcr: wc slould praciicc
ilc ari o clumaiion ioo.'
Rcza icgarcsiani
2

icrnando Coronil, Iis ilc uil, Siupid!!! ReVista: Harvard review of Latin Amer-
ica. Venezuela. The Chvez Eect, iall 2uu8, 2u.
2
Rcza icgarcsiani, Cyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials (Mcl-
bournc: Rc.prcss, 2uu8i, .
ueoIogic ehumation
According io a rcpori by ilc u.S. ucological Survcy (uSuSi pro-
duccd in 2uu9 cniiilcd An Lsiimaic o Rccovcrablc Bcavy uil
Rcsourccs o ilc urinoco uil Bcli, vcnczucla, ilc urinoco oil
bcli consisiing o oil-saiuraicd sandsionc could producc an
csiimaic o 3 billion oil barrcls, morc ilan prcviously calculaicd
and abovc aciual csiimaics or ciilcr Iran or Iraq.
3
1lis rcccni
rcdiscovcry o vcnczuclas undcrground poicniial is pari o ilc
ambiiious Plan Siembra Petrolera
4
, wlicl aims io rcormulaic
and opiimizc ilc produciion o oil in vcnczucla io dirccily bcn-
ci iis populaiion. Sincc iis crcaiion ii las promoicd a bciicr
quaniicaiion o oil-in-placc, wlicl iogcilcr wiil icclnologi-
cal advanccmcnis in survcy mcilods las alrcady allowcd or a
progrcssivc upgradc o availablc rcscrvcs. In ilc uSuS rcpori
siaics ilai a comprclcnsivc siudy by icirolcos dc vcnczucla S.A.
(iDvSAi csiablislcd ilc magniiudc o ilc original oil-in-placc
3
u.S. Dcparimcni o ilc Inicrior, u.S. ucological Survcy, World Petroleum Resources
Project: An estimate of recoverable heavy oil resources of the Orinoco Oil Belt, Ven-
ezuela, uciobcr 2uu9, availablc lcrc: liip:purl.dlp.govuiugpo663.
4
icirolcos dc vcnczucla S.A., Plan Siembra Petrolera 2005-2030, availablc lcrc:
liip:www.pdvsa.comindc.plp?iplinicracc.spdcsignrcadmcnuprinc.ipl.
limluncwsidicmas32
underground
venezueIas territoriaI fetishism
uouoiiiuo iiiiiit
233
234
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
(uuIii ai ,8u billion barrcls o oil (BBui and ilai iDvSA las
rcccnily rcviscd ilis valuc io morc ilan ,3uu BBu,
an incrcasc
o morc ilan uu billion barrcls o oil-in-placc comparcd wiil
prcvious csiimaics. Iniiiaicd in 2uu and cpccicd io run uniil
2u3u, Plan Siembra Petrolera mosily rclics on Magna Reserva,
ilc namc givcn io urinoco uil Bcli, a pcirol basin o somc ,34
lm2, dividcd inio 21 scciions according io gcological claracicr-
isiics and ouipui poicniial. Ii is now rccognizcd as ilc worlds
largcsi rcscrvc o lcavy oil.
1lrougloui ilc cigliics and ninciics, icirolcos dc vcn-
czucla S.A. (ivDSAi, ilc company ilai managcs all oil cploraiion
siics and aciliiics, iradcd ilc naiions oil according io a logic
subscrvicni io inicrnaiional marlci policics, pariicularly during
ilc pcriod lnow as ilc opcning (Aberturai bciwccn 994 and
996.
6
iari o a projcci o cconomic libcralizaiion commonly
implcmcnicd ilrougloui all iaiin Amcrica ilc waslingion
Conscnsus ilai in vcnczucla lad iis major conicsiaiion in ilc
dcmonsiraiions lnown as Caracazo,
1
ilis was a proccss ilai
disconnccicd ilc oil indusiry rom ilc populaiions cconomic
and social nccds.
Againsi ilis, ilc govcrnmcnis progrcssivc rc-siruciuring
o ilc company sincc 999 sougli io acquirc a morc indcpcndcni
u.S. Dcparimcni o ilc Inicrior, u.S. ucological Survcy, World Petroleum Resources
Project.
6
C. Minisicr Raacl Ramircz , A iaiional, iopular, and Rcvoluiionary uil iolicy
or vcnczucla, Venezuela Analysis, )unc 9il 2uu, liip:vcnczuclanalysis.com
analysis82 (acccsscd u )an. 2u2i.
1
Scrics o riois againsi rcc marlci rcorms ilai iool placc ilc sirccis o Caracas,
21
il
icbruary 989, cnding wiil ilc massacrc o lundrcds by policc and miliiary
orccs.
23
uNuLRuRuuNu. vLNLzuLIA S 1LRRI 1uRI AI IL1I SBI SM
posiiion. Imporianily, ilis availabiliiy o oil las cnablcd vcn-
czuclas ncw muliipolar gcopoliiical siraicgy, nancing rcgional
allianccs and allianccs ai ilc scalc o ilc global Souil. wiilin
ilis ncw ramc vcnczucla las progrcssivcly ialcn a dccisivc rolc,
pariicipaiing in ilc crcaiion o uiASuR,
8
and crcaiing AiBA,
9

an organizaiion ilai promoics cconomic inicgraiion bascd on
social wclarc in rcsponsc io ilc libcral policics o i1AA;
u
ilc lai-
8
union o Souil Amcrican iaiions (uiASuRi.
9
Bolivarian Alliancc or ilc Amcricas (AiBAi.
u
1lc ircc 1radc Arca o ilc Amcricas, was an cpansion o ilc ioril Amcrican
ircc 1radc Agrccmcni (iAi1Ai pcrccivcd as a orcign policy iool o ilc u.S. gov-
crnmcni.
g. Map slowing ilc urinoco uil Bcli asscssmcni unii. uS ucological Survcy, 2uu9.
236
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
icr pcrccivcd io bc ilc implcmcniaiion mcclanism o u.S. policy.
Morcovcr, ouisidc Souil Amcrica and uiLC, counirics sucl as
Russia and Clina lavc also bccomc imporiani irading parincrs.
1lc aiicmpi io producc a Souil-Souil alliancc docs noi
imply ilc dircci dismissal o, or cvcn a clcar iransormaiion
o, iradc rclaiions wiil ilc uS, bui morc an aiicmpi io bc lcss
dcpcndcni upon ilcm: vcnczucla would ncvcr siop sclling oil
io ilc u.S. bccausc ilcsc purclascs add up io approimaicly
6u o vcnczuclas ioial oil cporis. vcnczucla is onc o ilc iop
our pcirolcum supplicrs io ilc u.S.. iurilcrmorc, ilc u.S. is ioo
rcliani on orcign oil and ilc vcnczuclan cconomy would ialc
a scrious lii i ilc counirics sioppcd irading wiil cacl oilcr.

wlai ilis sccms io indicaic is ilai, dcspiic iis anii-impcrialisi
rlcioric, vcnczuclas commcrcial inicrcsis and cconomic prin-
ciplcs will coniinuc io siruciurc ilc undcrlying poliiics o ilc
couniry as mucl as ilcy lavc sincc ilc 6us oil boom. Accord-
ing io anilropologisi icrnando Coronil, givcn ilc locaiion o
iaiin Amcrica in ilc iwin inicrnaiional division o labour and o
naiurc, ai ilc prcscni iimc ilc pursuii o orcign cclangc las
mcani ilai, in praciicc, all iaiin Amcrican siaics wlcilcr on
ilc rigli or ilc lci promoic comparaiivc advaniagcs wiilin a
ncolibcral ramcworl.
2
C. Clrisiina Dcico - Council on Bcmisplcric Aairs (CuBAi, AiBA: Bow Mucl

o a 1urn io ilc ici in iaiin Amcrican uovcrnancc and Lconomic iolicy?, Ven-
ezuela Analysis, )uly 9il 2uu, liip:vcnczuclanalysis.comanalysisuu
(acccsscd )an. 2u2i.
2
icrnando Coronil, 1lc iuiurc in ucsiion: Bisiory and uiopia in iaiin Amcrica
(989-2uui, in Business As Usual: The Roots of the Global Financial Meltdown,
cd. Calloun, Craig )., and ucorgi M. Dcrluguian (icw Yorl: icw Yorl univcrsiiy
ircss, 2ui, 21.
231
Bui ilc conscqucncc o a rcinorccd oil poliiics las clcarly
bccn cli ilrougloui ilc wlolc couniry, wlcrc orgoiicn com-
muniiics living in vcnczuclas sprawling barrios and indigcnous
populaiions living in rural and Amazonian arcas lavc bccomc
ilc objcci o ilc siaics aiicniion, pariicularly conccrning ilc
implcmcniaiion o scvcral social programs, missiones, aimcd ai
disiribuiing oil rcvcnucs in ilc orm o communiiy bascd scrv-
iccs. As Anilony w. icrsaud cplains, social spcnding las sly-
roclcicd sincc Clavcz rcigncd in on ilc iDvSA, and ilc bcncis
o oil arc rcacling ilc masscs o vcnczucla and bcyond.In 2uu4
vcnczucla invcsicd 3.1 o iis 6. billion nci oil prois in social
missions, and ilc plan rom 2uu-2u2 las ouilincd spcnding
o u billion pcr ycar. In 2uu1, iDvSA alonc spcni 4.4 billion
on social programs. All o ilis social spcnding in vcnczucla las
mcani drasiic rcduciions in ilc lcvcls o povcriy and incqualiiy,
improvcd acccss io lcalilcarc, lugc improvcmcnis in cducaiion
and ilc baiilc againsi illiicracy, and subsidizcd ood programs
or ilc mosi vulncrablc.
3
unc o ilc mosi publiciscd camplcs o oil wcalil rcdis-
iribuiion is Ciudad Caribia, dcclarcd ilc
si
socialisi ciiy o ilc
2
si
ccniury. Ii is a ciiy or uu,uuu pcoplc buili rom scraicl in
a mouniainous on ilc pcriplcry o Caracas ilai includcs lous-
ing, public scrviccs, rciail, rcligious ccnircs, culiural and sporis
aciliiics, and also an AiBA promoiional siorc and dircci saiclliic
conncciion io siaic 1v. 1lc purposc o Misin Vivienda, o wlicl
Ciudad Caribia is pari, is io providc iwo million ncw lomcs by
3
Anilony w. icrsaud, uil in vcnczucla: 1lc icsscr o 1wo Lvils, Venezuela Analy-
sis, )uly 3il 2uu, liip:vcnczuclanalysis.comanalysis49 (acccsscd on )an.
2u2i.
238
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
2u1. Considcring ilai vcnczucla las bccn an oil-ricl couniry
or many ycars, ii is noiablc ilai iis wcalil is only now bringing
palpablc bcncis io ilc livcs o iis poorcr pcoplc.
1ransmutation
Bowcvcr, wlai is noi oicn mcniioncd is ilai Clavcz simply
prcscnis ilis rcdisiribuiion o wcalil as a dircci conscqucncc o
vcnczuclas rcccni iurn io socialisi policics and noi as ilc rcsuli
o uciuaiions in oil priccs or parincrslips wiil muliinaiional
companics. In many ways, ilis brings io mind ilc noiion dcvcl-
opcd by icrnando Coronil o ilc magical siaic. 1lrougloui
g. 2 Arcal vicw o a Barrio de Petrocasas - lousing uniis madc o ivC and produccd by ilc oil
indusiry, or Misin Vivienda. Ll 1uy. iloio uscar 1cnrciro, uciobcr, 2uu.
239
ilc 2uil ccniury, vcnczuclan prcsidcnis rom icrcz )imcncz io
Andrcs icrcz or )aimc iusincli, lavc all iranslaicd siaic invcsi-
mcni o unds dcrivcd rom oil irading inio populisi or naiionalisi
narraiivcs ilai prcscni public projccis as ilc conscqucncc o ilc
naiions modcrnizing progrcss: 1lis pcrsonicaiion o social and
naiural powcrs malcs ilcsc lcadcrs appcar as supcrior bcings
capablc o ciraordinary dccds as clarismaiic lcadcrs or, as
playwrigli )osc Ignacio Cabrujas suggcsicd or vcnczucla, as
magicians.
4
Bui uliimaicly ilis rcprcscniaiion only disguiscs an
undcr-dcvclopcd oil-dcpcndcni couniry, rcvcaling, as Aiilio Boron
argucs, a disjunciion bciwccn ilc consolidaiion o ncolibcral-
ism in ilc criiical icrrain o ilc cconomy and policy maling and
iis visiblc wcalcning in ilc domains o culiurc, public awarc-
ncss and poliiics.
wlilc bclow ground, vcnczuclas cconomy

is dcpcndcni on irading parincrslips across ilc globc; abovc
ground, iis poliiics is mosily conccrncd wiil ilc pcrormaiivc
iranslaiion o iis cccis. 1lis disjunciion ilcn, bccomcs ccniral
io ramc cvcry poliiical iransormaiion in vcnczucla. Bui low
is ii ilai ilc passagc rom onc domain io ilc oilcr ialcs placc?
In The Cult of Bolvar in Latin American Literature, C. Con-
way dcscribcs low, sincc ilc indcpcndcncc wars, Simon Bolivar
las bccomc a ccniral gurc in vcnczuclas poliiical iransorma-
iions. Bolivar was ilc miliiary commandcr wlo libcraicd mosi
o Souil Amcrica rom Spanisl rulc iwo lundrcd ycars ago, and
csiablislcd a souilcrn union o pcoplc callcd Gran Colombia.
Lncompassing ilc icrriiorics o wlai arc currcnily Lcuador,
4
icrnando Coronil, Iis ilc uil, Siupid!!!, 3u.
Aiilio Boron quoicd in icrnando Coronil, 1lc iuiurc in ucsiion: Bisiory and
uiopia in iaiin Amcrica (989-2uui, 26.
240
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
Colombia, vcnczucla and ianama, ilis drcam lasicd or only
iwcniy-iwo ycars, collapsing duc io inicrnal conicis bciwccn
supporicrs o cdcralisi rcorms and supporicrs o ccniraliscd
govcrnmcni; uliimaicly lcading io iis ragmcniaiion inio di-
crcni naiions. 1cnsions in ilc arca rcmain visiblc ioday, wlcrc
Colombia is a siraicgic parincr o ilc uS; and ilc lasi dccadc las
wiincsscd consiani animosiiy bciwccn ilc iwo naiions. Morcovcr,
sincc lc was clccicd in 999, Bugo Clavcz las rcigniicd Bolivari-
anism: aicr ilc clcciions ilc couniry was rcnamcd Rcpublica
Bolvariana dc vcnczucla, wiil poliiical iransormaiions said
io bc coniinuing ilc iradiiion o anii-impcrialism. Brougli io
bcar on pasi and prcscni lisiory, Bolivars lic now rcprcscnis
ilc naiions qucsi or auionomy.
1lis ovcr-coding o vcnczuclas icrriiory wiil ilc lic and
idcas o Bolivar rccalls Borgcs slori siory On the Exactitude of
Science, wlcrc ilc map rcplaccs ilc icrriiory iiscl. 1ogcilcr wiil
ilc monumcni, ilc muscum and ilc arclivc, ilc map is ccniral
io ilc bringing iogcilcr o gcograplical and lisiorical domains,
dcicrriiorializing local subjcciiviiics only io immcdiaicly rc-
icrriiorializc ilcm again in ilis casc by ilc lic o Bolivar - ilc
map ilus unciions as a signiying grid ilai is applicd io ilc
icrriiory. I wc bcar in mind ilai vcnczuclas iallcsi mouniain is
callcd iico Bolivar and ilai Bolivars consiiiuiional wriiings
lavc inspircd scvcral currcni policics, wc can siari io grasp ilai
ilis naiions maicrial and spiriiual bordcrs arc bcing mappcd
by lis lic, and ilai naiional uniiy is ilus produccd in a proc-
css by wlicl boil lisiory and gcograply arc ciislizcd.
6
1lc
6
C. icrnando Coronil, Bcyond occidcnialism: ioward nonimpcrial gcolisiorical
caicgorics, Cultural Anthropology : Journal of the Society for Cultural Anthro-
pology (996i, 16.
241
g. 3 Bugo Clavcz and icsior Kirclncr plan ilc u,uuu-lilomcicr uran uasoducio dcl Sur
(urcai Souilcrn iipclinci. iovcmbcr 2uu.
242
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
prolicraiion o monumcnis is pariicularly rclcvani io ilc long
iradiiion o naiionalisi projccis, and as carly as 991 anilropolo-
gisi Miclacl 1aussig lad alrcady noiiccd ilai undcr ilc ag o
Bolivar ilc couniry lad bccn progrcssivcly convcricd inio a
mausolcum wiil siaiucs o ilc iibcraior nailing down ilc siaic o
ilc wlolc good and iigli.
1
1oday, lowcvcr, ilis proccss o invcsi-
ing objccis wiil anima is urilcr cmplasizcd by govcrnmcni
siaiccrai. wiil ilc mcssianic rciurn o Bolivarianism ialing
placc, ii is no surprisc ilai ilc people now cncompass luman,
animal, arcliicciural, gcological or any oilcr cniiiics ilai migli
bc imbucd wiil ilc spirii o Ll iibcriador, magically concrring
lic io ilc maicrial ground iiscl upon wlicl vcnczucla siands
as naiion. And ilc culminaiing cvcni o ilis proccss was clcarly
lis rcccni clumaiion.
1lc cvcni iool placc on ilc il o )uly, 2uu, by dircci ordcr
o ilc prcsidcni o ilc Bolivarian Rcpublic o vcnczucla, Bugo
Clavcz, wiil ilc siaicd purposc o conrming i ilc boncs in
Bolivars gravc wcrc in aci lis rcmains, and morc imporianily,
i Bolivar lad dicd rom arscnic poisoning insicad o iubcrculo-
sis. Clavcz, a long-iimc supporicr o ilc ilcory ilai Colombian
oligarcls murdcrcd Bolivar, las rcccnily rclindlcd ilc coniro-
vcrsy surrounding lis dcail. I ilcsc ilcorics wcrc provcn iruc,
ii would providc yci anoilcr parallcl bciwccn ilc iwo lcadcrs,
Clavcz limscl also laving a long lisiory o iroublcd rclaiions
wiil lis nciglbours and survivor o an aiicmpicd coup detat in
2uu2. 1lc analysis o ilc insidc o ilc boncs can ilus bc undcr-
siood as a voyagc io ilc origin o icrriiorial signicaiion rom
wlicl cvcryiling cmanaics: ilc closcsi allics, ilc govcrnmcni,
1
Miclacl 1aussig, The magic of the state (icw Yorl, iondon: Rouilcdgc, 991i, u.
243
ilc pcoplc and so oril, io ilc ouicrmosi limiis o lis prcscncc,
coinciding ai onc lcvcl wiil ilc bordcrs o ilc couniry, bui ai
anoilcr wiil ilc bordcrs o global anii-impcrialisi sirugglcs.
Agrccing wiil anilropologisi Miclacl 1aussigs dcscripiion
o ilc rciurn rom cilc o Bolivars rcmains io Caracas or a siaic
uncral in 842, as a oundaiional aci o spirii posscssion,
8

ilcn ilis rcccni clumaiion noi only pcrpciuaics a circuii o
clumaiion-inlumaiion; o rcvcaling and liding wlosc purposc
is ilc incorporaiion o all pcoplc and ilings inio lis body, wlilc
incorporaiing lim inio ilc body o ilc pcoplc bui also lcnds
iiscl io a rlyilm o Bolivar-appcaranccs produccd by poliiical
ncccssiiy, providing anoilcr opporiuniiy or ilc corrcciion and
rcormulaiion o ilc naiions lisiory now in rclaiion io a rcdis-
covcrcd subsoil. uliimaicly no clcar conclusion as io wlcilcr
Bolivar was naiurally or unnaiurally poisoncd cmcrgcd, and ilis
nciilcr discrcdiicd Clavcz nor rcduccd ilc ccci o ilc pcrorm-
ancc, conrming ilai, in iiscl, ilc cvcni could unciion wiiloui
ilc discovcry o a dcniic iruil aicr all, ilis is ilc csscncc o
ciislisiic magic, in wlicl ilc pcrormancc o rcvclaiion las
prcccdcncc ovcr ilai wlicl is rcvcalcd. 1lus, in ilc sirangc sym-
mciry bciwccn ilc gcological clumaiions o ilc caril and ilc
orcnsic rcinvcsimcni o boncs magical dimcnsion ilcrcin lics
ilc movcmcni wlcrc, as Mar would say, magic is pcrormcd:
ilc soul o oil iransmuicd inio Bolivars spirii.
MateriaI resistance
Rcgarding gcoplilosoply, Dclcuzc and uuaiiari insisi ilai ilinl-
ing ialcs placc in ilc rclaiion bciwccn ilc icrriiory and ilc
8
Ibid.,u.
244
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
Laril,
9
wlcrc ilc Laril (noi io bc conuscd wiil ilc caril-soil, or
wiil ilc caril-plancii ccasclcssly orccs ilc consiani rcormula-
iion o ilc icrriiory. wc can scc somciling similar lappcning in
vcnczucla, wlcrc ilc rcinvcniion o a naiion ilrougl ilc icrriio-
rializaiion o undcrground cncrgy inio spirii rcquircs consiani
ncgoiiaiion o unsiablc and rcsisiani maicrials.
According io govcrnmcni oicials rcqucni public dcc-
laraiions ilc coniinuous dcvclopmcni and applicaiion o ncw
icclnologics will malc vcnczucla an undispuicd lcadcr in ilc
dcvclopmcni o cira-lcavy oil. icw icclnologics play an csscn-
iial pari in ilis rc-invcniion o ilc couniry, as ii is lnown ilai
unconvcniional lydrocarbons posc signicani dcvclopmcni and
produciion diculiics. urinoco basins lcavy oil is, on ilc onc
land lardcr io ciraci and rcnc and mucl morc ioic ilan oilcr
orms o oil, and ilis is rcccicd in iis pricc; bui on ilc oilcr
land, in ilc uiurc, ii is cpccicd io bccomc onc o ilc worlds
main cncrgy sourccs as rcscrvcs o normal oil dccrcasc. wiil ilc
currcni iurn io lcss convcniional orms o oil ciraciion ilc array
o icclnologics ilai can iap ilc soils undcrground dimcnsion
is rapidly incrcasing; or camplc: dccp rcading icclnologics,
sonic and acousiic scanncrs, scismic and gcoplysical analysis,
pciroplysical and gcomcclanic rcscrvoir modclling.
Bui ncw orms o rcprcscniaiion also raisc inconvcnicni
problcms: as ilc numcrous imagcs o Clavcz poiniing ai maps on
1v indicaic, ilc icrriiory o vcnczucla las a siraicgic gcopoliiical
dimcnsion, bui onc ilai ilc map is no longcr sucicni io grasp.
1lc conicmporary 3D gcological modcls o ilc urinoco oil basin
9
uillcs Dclcuzc and icli uuaiiari, What Is Philosophy?, irans. Bugl 1omlinson
and uralam Burclcll (icw Yorl: Columbia univcrsiiy ircss, 994i.
24
arc csscniial io modclling iis complciiics, and arc bccoming
ilc csscniial iool ncccssary or iransorming ilc as yci unsccn
subsoil inio an arcliicciural spacc ilai can bc inicrprcicd and
navigaicd rom dicrcni anglcs, providing a concrcic imagc or
an invisiblc prcscncc. Bowcvcr, ilc rcmoic scnsing icclnologics
do noi only rccr io a domain o sliiing iccionics and mincral
ows ilai cvadc ilc conncs o icrriiorial bordcr divisions, bui
also io a complc subsoil ilai is analyscd spccically or ilc pos-
siblc larncssing o oil; and lcrc, cuiiing-cdgc scicniic rcscarcl
and poliiical opporiuniiy nd ilcmsclvcs dcpcndcni upon a
growing indusiry wiiloui wlicl ii would bc impossiblc io iamc
ilcsc undcrground orccs.
Curiously, cvcn in Bolivar limscl, a similar maicrial
rcsisiancc is also prcscni. wlcn Dr. iaul Auwacricr o ilc Divi-
sion o Incciious Discascs in ilc Dcparimcni o Mcdicinc ai ilc
)olns Boplins univcrsiiy Sclool o Mcdicinc rsi proposcd ilai
Bolivars dcail was causcd by poisoning wlicl laicr lcd io ilc
clumaiion lc wasni suggcsiing ilai ilis implicd murdcr, bui
morc lilcly ilai ilc waicr in ilc arca coniaincd unusually ligl
lcvcls o arscnic, a subsiancc ilai was also oicn uscd ai ilc iimc
or mcdicinal purposcs, and is prcscni in ilc waicrs o scvcral
Souil Amcrican counirics.
2u
As siaicd in lis rcpori, Bolivar[
lilcly rcccivcd addiiional arscnic in ilc ood and waicr ilai lc
consumcd wlilc campaigning in ilc Andcs, wlcrc ligl lcvcls o
ilc clcmcni lavc bccn dciccicd in soil and in ilc iissuc samplcs
rom prc-Colombian mummics. Bolivars complcion, as noicd
abovc, clangcd rom wliic as a youil io darl and rougl 3 ycars
2u
iaul u. Auwacricr, )oln Dovc and ililip A. Maclowial, Simon Bolivars Mcdi-
cal iabyrinil: An Incciious Discascs Conundrum, Cinical Infectious Diseases
2, no. (2ui, 18-8.
246
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
bcorc lc dicd. 1lc iransormaiion migli simply lavc bccn ilc
rcsuli o ycars o cposurc io ilc larsl clcmcnis during lis
campaigns. Bowcvcr, ii is also possiblc ilai ii was an addiiional
manicsiaiion o arscnicosis, bccausc diusc mclanosis, papulcs,
and lcraioscs arc among ilc carlicsi signs o sucl inioicaiion.
In any casc, alilougl lcraioscs and mclanosis arc signs o inioi-
caiion by arscnic, ilcy arc siill vaguc indicaiors, diagnoscd rom
dcscripiions madc almosi iwo lundrcd ycars ago. And cvcn now,
wiil currcni mass spcciromciric icclniqucs, orcnsic ioicology
analyscs arcni always ablc io producc saiisaciory rcsulis.
Clcarly ilcsc maicrial insiabiliiics, boil in oil and bonc,
opcn ncw spaccs o poliiical conroniaiion. Immcdiaicly wc scc
conicmporary gcopoliiical allianccs as wcll as inicrnal policics
bcing discusscd according io orcnsic proccdurcs and rcmoic
scnsing dcviccs; siaic poliiics is suddcnly capiurcd by minuic
discussions on discasc sympioms and ioicological analysis,
ilc idca o ilc body o ilc siaic now rcliani upon arscnic and
cnvironmcni rclaiions, and gcopoliiics sccn ilrougl ilc lcns o
slin coloraiion. Bui ilc mosi imporiani conscqucncc o ilcsc
camplcs o maicrial rcsisiancc lics noi in ilc cndangcring o
Bolivarianism or ilc rcvcaling o ilc undcrlying vcnczuclan
libcral pciropoliiics cvcn i ilis migli bc a possiblc rcsuli bui
in orcing ilc dramaiic rcconguraiion o ilc naiions poliiical
agcnis: noi so mucl oil in ilc scrvicc o ilc rcvoluiion, bui ilc
rcvoluiion as a modc o cngagcmcni wiil giganiic oil rcscrvcs.
ueo-architecture
uivcn consiani u.S. poliiical prcssurc, inicrnal divisions and
global cconomic insiabiliiics, ilc Bolivarian projcci rcmains
241
prccarious, rcmaining lcavily dcpcndcni on ilc subsoil or boil
cconomic and poliiical susiainabiliiy. In )anuary 2u2, and aicr
announcing ilai ilc naiion lad oil rcscrvcs ilai would lasi or
4uu ycars,
2
Clavcz indicaicd ilai wiil ncw rcscarcl in vcn-
czuclas uol and in ilc Ailaniic, vcnczuclas ranling in icrms
o naiural gas rcscrvcs could also improvc io lcvcls similar io
ilosc o Russia; and again io coniinuc ilc mirroring o subsoil
clumaiions wiil miliiary oncs, anoilcr anii-impcrialisi prcer,
ucncral irancisco dc Miranda, is io bc clumcd by ilc samc
2
Yocrsis Morgado, Presidente Chvez: Venezuela tiene la reserva petrolera
y de gas ms grande del mundo, liip:www.asamblcanacional.gob.vcindc.
plp?opiioncomconicniuvicwariiclcuid3136u3Aprcsidcnic-clavcz-armo-
quc-cl-pais-cucnia-con-pcirolco-para-mas-dc-4uu-anosucaiid3883Amcnsajc-
anual-prcsidcnic-clavcz-2uuIicmiduulangcs (acccsscd on 21u22u2i.
g. 3. uas slalc rcsourcc placc: Co-visualizaiion o slalc suracc, larsis, wcll plan, and micro-
scismic daia. Imagc couricsy o iaradigm iid.
248
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
icam ilai clumcd Bolivar. Bui ai ilc samc iimc ilai ilc siaics
magical icrriiorialisaiion ialcs placc, Bolivarianism is iiscl
consianily rcwriiicn, ii las bccn iransormcd sincc 2uu inio
a socialisi movcmcni,
22
an adapiaiion csscniial io undcrsiand-
ing ilc rcal naiurc o ilc proccss: ilai Bolivar isni a siaiic idca
bui a dynamic scl-adapiing principlc againsi wlicl all currcni
policics nccd io bc mcasurcd.
1lc rclaiion bciwccn ilc pcoplc ilai inlabii ilc soil and
ilc oil ilai lics in ilc subsoil, ilai anilropologisi icrnando
Coronil claims is ccniral io undcrsianding vcnczuclan poliiics,
ilus cmcrgcs as ilc geo-arcliicciural managcmcni o ilc slii-
ing rclaiion bciwccn caril and icrriiory. I ilc complc naiurc
o lcavy-oils ciraciion brings io visibiliiy a so ar unlnown
domain, ilc subsuracc bccoming objcci o a rcncwcd inicrcsi
on ilc pari o scicniic rcscarclcrs and digiial visualizaiion
companics, ai ilc samc iimc poliiical organizaiions, ccological
aciivisis, and indigcnous populaiions also claim ilis undcr-
ground; aicr all ii is ilc sourcc o lic or many communiiics.
Clcarly ii is ilc undcrground wiil iis powcr o aiiraciion and iis
ambiguous naiurc ilai is ilc conicmporary origin o policics and
conicis, a mysicrious domain ilai las so ar bccn iranslaicd inio
rcvoluiionary spirii. Bui as lcavy oils and mincral ioins slowly
bccomc ccniral io ilc discussion o ilc lic o Bolivar ilc Laril
rcsisiing ilc icrriiory ilc qucsiion rcmains: low mucl longcr
will ilis proccss o magical iransmuiaiion bc ablc io ccciivcly
conirol vcnczuclas incrcasingly complc ccology?
22
Clcio A. Sojo, vcnczuclas Clavcz Closcs world Social iorum wiil Call io 1ran-
sccnd Capiialism, Venezuela Analysis, Scpicmbcr 3si 2uu, liip:vcnczucla-
nalysis.comncws9u1 (acccsscd on 21 icb. 2u2i.
)oXo Mu: uusmXo + Pinuo P:v
g.
Llibiiion vicw Alien Theory, )oao Maria uusmao and icdro iaiva.
ucial ioriugucsc Rcprcscniaiion o 3rd vcnicc Bicnnalc,
DuAR1LS, Minisiry o Culiurc, ioriugal. 1lanls io: )ardim zoologico dc iisboa.
iloio by: Mariin Argyroglo.
g. 2
iroduccd by Inloiim Insiiiuic, Minas ucrais, Brazil.
g. 4
ucial ioriugucsc Rcprcscniaiion o 3rd vcnicc Bicnnalc,
DuAR1LS, Minisiry o Culiurc, ioriugal.
g.
Sics + Bolc uallcry, Dusscldor, ucrmany.
g. 1
iroduccd by irac Ilc-dc-iranccic ilaicau, iaris
in collaboraiion wiil iamu ialm uil iaciory, Kcnya.
g. 8
1lanls io: )ardim zoologico dc iisboa.
SusN Scnuvvi:
g.
Ai iloioiYiD, Dci. urcg Scmcndingcr.
g. 2
C ucoLyc Inc. All riglis rcscrvcd;
Imagc couricsy o Saiclliic Imaging Corporaiion.
g. 3
C ucoLyc Inc. All riglis rcscrvcd;
Imagc couricsy o Saiclliic Imaging Corporaiion.
g. 4
C i. iciraco, 1. A. Kubic, i. iabcr. All riglis rcscrvcd;
Imagc couricsy o iiclolas iciraco.
g. 3
C i. iciraco, 1. A. Kubic, i. iabcr. All riglis rcscrvcd;
Imagc couricsy o iiclolas iciraco.
I MAuL CRLuI 1S
21
)oN1nN ui:ii SinNn
g.
iloio: Caiarina Miranda.
g. 3
icgaiivc o Cygnus A ialcn ai dicrcni wavclcngils
(w. Baadc u R. Minlowsli, 1lc Asiroplysical )ournali.
Ric:N ui M:cuii
g. 2
Clandra X-ray ubscrvaiory imagc o Sgr A.
Imagc by iASA.
Avisn Bmiin
g. 3
C RLu1LRSiascal Rossignol.
g. 4
C )ason i. iarlinsonrcporidigiial.co.ul
g. 3
C Sylvain ucorgcs ioir iroduciions.
Imagcm coricsia dc Indcpcndcncia Socicic.
uonoiuino Piui:u
g. 2.
C iloio: uscar 1cnrciro. liip:oscaricnrciro.com
g. 3.
C ircsidcncia dc Argcniina.
g. 4.
C iaradigm iid. Imagc couricsy o iaradigm iid.
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
22
2
BI uuRAPBI LS
Ayesha Bameed
Aycsla Bamccds vidco and curaiorial worl ocuscs on bordcrs in ilc conici o sans-
papicrs organizing and migrani subjcciiviiy. Bcr worl las bccn prcscnicd ai ilc Ban
Ccnirc or ilc Aris, ia Ccniralc ualcric iowcrlousc,uBuRu, Monircal Aris Inicrculiurcls
(MAIi,ISLA and clscwlcrc. A ormcr board mcmbcr oFuse Magazine,lcr wriiing las
bccn publislcd inPublic: Art/Culture/IdeasandTopia: Canadian Journal of Cultural
Studiesas wcll as a cw collcciions o cssays lilcPLACE: Location and Belonging in New
Media ContextsandImagining Resistance:Visual Culture and Activism in Canada.Bamccd
is currcnily a iosidocioral icllow ai ilc Ccnirc or Rcscarcl Arcliicciurc ai uoldsmiils
univcrsiiy, iondon.
Bjrnar uIsen
Bjrnar ulscn is procssor o arclacology ai ilc Dcparimcni o Arclacology and Social
Anilropology, univcrsiiy o 1roms, iorway. Bc las wriiicn a numbcr o papcrs and bools
on norilcrn prclisiory and lisiory, muscology, maicrial culiurc, and arclacological
ilcory. Bis laicsi bools arc Archaeology: The Discipline of Things (2u2i (wiil M. Slanls,
1. wcbmoor and C. wiimorci, Hybrid Spaces: Medieval Finnmark and the Archaeology
of Multi-Room Houses (2ui (cdiicd wiil i. urbanzcyl and C. Amundscni, In Defense
of Things. Archaeology and the Ontology of Objects (2uui, and Persistent Memories:
Pyramiden a Soviet Mining Town in the High Arctic (2uui (wiil L. Andrcasscn and B.
Bjcrcli. bjornar.olscnouii.no
LyaI weizman
Lyal wcizman is an arcliicci and a procssor o visual culiurcs ai uoldsmiils, univcr-
siiy o iondon, wlcrc lc also dirccis ilc Ccnirc or Rcscarcl Arcliicciurc. A ounding
mcmbcr o ilc arcliicciural collcciivc DAAR in Bcii Salour, ialcsiinc, wcizman also
dirccis ilc Luropcan Rcscarcl Council-undcd projcci iorcnsic Arcliicciurc: un ilc
ilacc o Arcliicciurc in Inicrnaiional Bumaniiarian iaw. Bis bools includc The Least
of All Possible Evils (ioiicicmpo, 2uu9; vcrso, 2ui, Hollow Land (vcrso, 2uu1i, and A
Civilian Occupation (vcrso, 2uu3i.
uodofredo Pereira
uodorcdo icrcira is an arcliicci, wriicr and cdiior. Bc las a MArcl rom ilc Barilcii
Sclool o Arcliicciurc wlcrc lc currcnily icaclcs in ilc MA programmc and is a ilD
candidaic ai ilc Ccnirc or Rcscarcl Arcliicciurc ai uoldsmiils, univcrsiiy o iondon.
Bc is also co-cdiior o Dciriios, an cpcrimcnial journal o ari and criiical ilcory. Bis
rcscarcl ocuscs on ilc rclaiions bciwccn arcliicciurc and powcr.
26
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
uraham Barman
uralam Barman is irocssor o ililosoply and Associaic irovosi or Rcscarcl Admin-
isiraiion ai ilc Amcrican univcrsiiy in Cairo. Among lis bcsi-lnown bools arcTool-
Being(2uu2i,Guerrilla Metaphysics(2uui,Prince of Networks(2uu9i,The Quadruple
Object(2ui andQuentin Meillassoux: Philosophy in the Making(2ui.
)oo Maria uusmo + Pedro Paiva
)oao Maria uusmao (iisbon, 919i and icdro iaiva (iisbon, 911i joinily aiicndcd ilc
coursc o painiing ai ilc iaculiy o iinc Aris, univcrsiiy o iisbon and bcgan io clibii
ilcir worl iogcilcr in 2uu. Sincc ilcn, ilcir ariisiic produciion is linlcd noi only io
cpcrimcnial lm, ploiograply and insiallaiion, bui also io wriiing, a praciicc ilai las
bccn pari o ilc worl o boil auilors. 1lcy pariicipaicd in scvcral inicrnaiional bicnnials,
in 2uu6, ilc 21il Bicnal dc Sao iaulo (Brazili, in 2uu1, ilc 1ricnnial o iuanda (Angolai,
ai ilc 6il Bicnnial o Mcrcosul, iorio Alcgrc (Brazili, in 2uu8, Lprcsscs 1 (Iialyi, in 2uu9
ilcy rcprcscnicd ioriugal ai ilc 3rd vcnicc Bicnnalc and in 2uu ai ilc 8il Bicnnial o
uwangju (Souil Korcai. u scvcral solo clibiiions siand oui ilosc madc rcccnily in 2u,
ai irac Ilc-dc-irancc, ic ilaicau (iarisi, ai Musco Marino Marini (ilorcncci, ai Kunsilallc
in Dusscldor; in 2uu, ai Ilon uallcry (Birminglami; in 2uu8, ai iloiocspanla (Madridi;
and nally, ilc clibiiion Abissologia: para uma cincia transitria do indiscernvel, in
Cordoaria iacional, a parincrslip wiil ilc zDB uallcry in iisbon.
)onathan uIieI SaIdanha
A rcscarclcr and composcr, )onailan Saldanlas worl is conccrncd wiil ilc rclaiions o
sound wiil iis glosis, animism, magnciic radio, ilc junglc, ncgaiivc icrriiorics, subsonic
rcqucncics and inira cranial dub. Bc is a ounding mcmbcr o ilc musical and ariisiic
plaiorm SuuiA, a visual and sound laboraiory as wcll as culiural produccr bascd in
iorio, ioriugal. Saldanla opcraics sonically in ilc projccis BBY u 1lc Macumbas, u.S.S.,
iujalo, and Mccanosplcrc, among oilcrs. Bc dcvclops ilcairc sound projccis undcr ilc
namc Bcasi Bo laving conccivcd ilc slow iyarlailoicp in Ballcicairo, iorio and
Maquina da Sclva in Scrralvcs ioundaiion. Bc is also a mcmbcr o ilc ariisiic collcciivc
Lmbanlmcni. www.soopa.org; www.cmbanlmcniaci.blogspoi.com
MarceIIo Maggi
ililosoplcr, ariisi and musician. Complciccd a ilD rom ilc univcrsidadc iova dc
iisboa, undcr ilc guidancc o plilosoplcr )osc uil, wiil ilc ilcsis: Art Brut Art and the
Catastrophe in Art (2uui. Bc is a mcmbcr o ilc cdiiorial board o ari and cssay journal
DL1RI1uS sincc 2uu9. Bc las dirccicd ari ilcrapy worlslops (painiing, sculpiurc and
21
BI uuRAPBI LS
insiallaiioni wiil paiicnis wiil mcnial and psycliairic disordcrs in ilc Muscum o
uncouncious Imagcs, in Rio dc )anciro, Brazil (2uu8i and ai ilc Ccnicr or Social and
Lducaiion Inicrvcniion Siudics in Bari, Iialy (2uu3-2uu6i.
Martin BoIbraad
Mariin Bolbraad icaclcs social anilropology ai univcrsiiy Collcgc iondon. Bascd on
cilnograplic cldworl in Cuba sincc ilc laic 99us, lis rcscarcl ocuscs on ilc rclaiion-
slip bciwccn myil and aciion, ilc consccraiion o objccis, and, morc broadly, ilc logic
o cosmological ilougli in ilc cld o rcligion as wcll as in poliiics. 1lcsc cilnograplic
inicrcsis inorm lis ilcorciical conccrns wiil sucl iopics as ilc anilropology o iruil and
ilc imaginaiion, absiraciion and diviniiy, and ilc rclaiionslip bciwccn anilropological
and plilosoplical analysis. Bc is auilor o Truth in Motion: The Recursive Anthropology
of Cuban Divination (Clicago, 2u2i and co-cdiior o Thinking Through Things: Theorizing
Artefacts Ethnographically (Rouilcdgc, 2uu1i, Technologies of the Imagination (Spccial
issuc o Lilnos, 2uu9i and Times of Security: Ethnographies of Fear, Protest and the
Future (Rouilcdgc, in prcssi.
MichaeI 1aussig
Miclacl 1aussig was iraincd as a mcdical docior and now icaclcs in ilc Aniropology
Dcparimcni o Columbia univcrsiiy in icw Yorl and ai ilc Luropcan uraduaic Sclool
(LuSi in Swiizcrland. Bc is ilc auilor o scvcral bools including: What Color is the
Sacred? (2uu9i. Walter Benjamins Grave (2uu6i. My Cocaine Museum (2uu4i. Law in
a Lawless Land: Diary of a Limpieza in a Colombian Town (2uu3i. Defacement (999i.
Magic of the State (991i. Mimesis and Alterity: A Particular History of the Senses (993i.
The Nervous System (992i. Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man: A Study in
Terror and Healing (981i. The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America (98ui.
PauIo 1avares
iaulo 1avarcs is a Brazilian arcliicci bascd in bciwccn iondon and Sao iaulo. Bc las
iaugli ai ilc iondon Mciropoliian univcrsiiy, ai ilc visual Culiurcs iabMA in Con-
icmporary Ari 1lcory - uoldsmiils, and sincc 2uu8 icaclcs in ilc MA programmc ai
ilc Ccnirc or Rcscarcl Arcliicciurc - uoldsmiils.
Regina de MigueI
Ariisi and culiural produccr. Bcr worl dcvclops conncciions bciwccn siiuaiions o
scicniic analysis and pcrccpiion as objcciivc lnowlcdgc (scalcs o vcrisimiliiudci,
non-cpcricniial lcarning as dcrivcd rom ilc icclnological imaginaiion (alicnaiion and
28
SAvAuL uB) LC1S
projcciioni, and lcvcls o dcvclopmcni o ilc idcal and criiical consciousncss (ncw orms
o oricniaiioni. iari o lcr produciion las dcali primarily wiil ilc siraicgics o ilc orma-
iion o dcsirc and criscs in subjcciivc mcaning and iis visualizaiion o ilc psyclological
landscapc in ilc orm o cariograplics. In ilc samc vcin, slc also analyzcs ilc spcculaiivc
iranscr in scicniic and culiural lcarning iools. Collaboraics wiil ilc worling groupA
Users Guide, (liip:auscrsguidc.iumblr.comi, a projcci wiiliorcnzo Sandoval andMaria
piql,dcdicaicd io ilc baclsiagc o ari and culiural produciion. Slc also ialcs pari onCor-
respondences from Eyjafjallajokull,(liip:cyjajalla.orgi a projcci aboui ilc idca o
Luropc.Bcr worl las bccn clibiicd ai insiiiuiions sucl as Ariium, ia iancra, Musac, ia
Casa Lnccndida and can bc sccn in ilc collcciions o ilc Basquc Muscum o Conicmporary
Ari, (Ariiumi, iundacion Arco, Ii)uvL, ABC, CuAC, and ilc Rcina Soa iaiional uallcry.
Slc is rcprcscnicd by ilc gallcry Maisicrravalbucna and is now worling on ilc audio-
visual cssay Nouvelle Science Vague Fiction.(liip:nouvcllcscicnccvagucciion.iumblr.
comi. +ino: rcginadcmigucl.nci
Reza Negarestani
Rcza icgarcsiani is an Iranian plilosoplcr and wriicr. Bis worls lavc appcarcd in
journals and anilologics sucl as Collapse, Angelaki, Identity and The Speculative Turn.
Bc is ilc auilor o Cyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials (Mclbournc:
rc.prcss 2uu8i. icgarcsianis wriiings lavc bccn ilc subjcci o various ilcorciical and
liicrary courscs and scminars, mosi rcccnily a symposium ccnicrcd on icgarcsianis
Cyclonopedia lcld by 1lc icw Sclool, icw Yorl.
Susan SchuppIi
Susan Scluppli is a mcdia ariisi and culiural ilcorisi wlo is a Scnior Rcscarcl icllow
in iorcnsic Arcliicciurc, uoldsmiils univcrsiiy o iondon wlcrc slc also rcccivcd
lcr docioraic in 2uu9. ircviously slc pariicipaicd in ilc wliincy Indcpcndcni Siudy
irogram and complcicd lcr MiA ai ilc univcrsiiy o Caliornia San Dicgo. Bcr crcaiivc
projccis lavc bccn clibiicd ai 1lc Kiiclcn in icw Yorl, ilc Brusscls Bicnnal, Bclgium,
Arispacc, Ausiralia, and mosi rcccnily ai Muscum iondon in Canada (2u2i. Slc is on
ilc cdiiorial board o ilc journals SI1L (Siocllolmi and Sccond iaiurc (Mclbournci,
and is a mcmbcr o ilc iloio-icic Rcscarcl uroup bascd in 1cl Aviv. Rcccni projccis
and cssays lavc appcarcd in Cabinci, iloioworls, Arcliicciural Dcsign, Bordcrlands,
Cosmos and Bisiory, Mcmory Siudics, and Acadcmia ircss.
29
BI uuRAPBI LS
1lis bool bcgun io ialc slapc in carly 2uu aicr ilc scminar scrics and pcr-
ormancc cyclc on Urban Totemism organizcd by ilc collcciivc SuuiA in iorio,
and las bccn pariicularly inormcd by ilc ongoing discussions ilai bcgan
ai ilc collcciivc rcsidcncy The Terror of the Object in April 2u dcvclopcd by
ui1ii1os in Aiclicr Rcal, iisbon. irom ilcsc cncounicrs and collaboraiions
ilc idca o bringing iogcilcr somc o ilc cciiing conicmporary rcscarcl inio
objccis and ilings bcgun io cmcrgc, and uliimaicly bccamc ilc projcci Objec-
tology, wiilin uuimaracs Luropcan Capiial o Culiurc 2u2. Savage Objects
is a pari o ilis largcr projcci.
1lc iasl o cdiiing and coordinaiing a bool lilc ilis would lavc bccn
ovcrwlclming and impossiblc wiiloui ilc group o pcoplc ilai, in dicrcni ways,
pariicipaicd in ilc projcci and adviscd mc ai dicrcni iimcs o iis dcvclopmcni.
iirsily, I would lilc io ilanl all ilc auilors or ilcir coniribuiions io ilis projcci,
and I would lilc io cprcss my sinccrc admiraiion or ilcir worl. I also ilanl
Incs Morcira, wlo lclpcd graniing ilc condiiions or ilc projccis dcvclopmcni
in iis iniiial plasc and in pariicular, uabricla vaz-iinlciro, ilc irogrammcr
o Ari and Arcliicciurc o uuimaracs 2u2 Luropcan Capiial o Culiurc 2u2.
I would also lilc io ilanl iilipc Silva and )onailan Saldanla o SuuiA
wlo wcrc involvcd in ilc conccpiion o ilc projcci rom ilc bcginning, and all
ariisis, auilors, rcscarclcrs, and organizcrs wlo wcrc involvcd in ilc aorc-
mcniioncd cvcnis. I am also graicul io Lyal wcizman, Susan Scluppli and
all ilc mcmbcrs o ilc Ccnirc or Rcscarcl Arcliicciurc, wlo discusscd iis
ccniral aspccis wiil mc and wiil wlom Ivc dcvclopcd pari o ilis rcscarcl. In
pariicular, produccr 1crcsa Aguiar and dcsigncr Dayana iucas, dcscrvc a vcry
spccial ilanls or dcvcloping ilc wlolc projcci and giving ii a ccriain rigour and
rcaliiy. 1o all ilc iranslaiors, consulianis and rcvicwcrs also a spccial ilanls:
will ioiicr, Susana Scrras icrcira, Ricardo 1inoco, Aycsla Bamccd, iawrcncc
Abu Bamdan and Migucl Scrras icrcira. And nally, my main graiiiudc gocs
io Susana Calo, wlo ilougli ilc conicnis o ilc bool wiil mc and criiically
accompanicd iis cvcry siagc.
uodorcdo icrcira
ACKNuwILuuMLN1S
261
iirsi publislcd in 2u2 by uuimaracs 2u2 Luropcan Capiial o Culiurc
in parincrslip wiil Imprcnsa iacionalCasa da Mocda
C 2u2 uuimaracs 2u2
All imagcs, icis and clapicrs: ilc coniribuiors.
edited by uodorcdo icrcira
contributors
Aycsla Bamccd, Bjornar ulscn, Lyal wcizman, uodorcdo icrcira,
uralam Barman, )oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, )onailan Saldanla,
Marccllo Maggi, Mariin Bolbraad, Miclacl 1aussig, iaulo 1avarcs,
Rcgina dc Migucl, Rcza icgarasiani, Susan Scluppli.
transIation
Ricardo 1inoco, Susana Scrras icrcira, Migucl Scrras icrcira.
proof-reading
will ioiicr, Aycsla Almccd, iawrcncc Abu Bamdam,
Imprcnsa iacionalCasa da Mocda.
design
Dayana iucas
front cover image
iandsai 1 Saiclliic imagc o 1assil n'Ajjcr iaiional iarl. iASA.
eecutive production
1crcsa Aguiar and Dcscrio dc Crisial Associaao Culiural
printed and bound
Imprcnsa iacional Casa da Mocda. ioriugal.
All riglis rcscrvcd. io pari o ilis bool may bc rcproduccd or uiilizcd in
any orm, clccironic, mcclanical or oilcr, wiiloui pcrmission in wriiing
rom iundaao Cidadc dc uuimaracs.
1lis bool is pari o ilc projcci ubjcciology curaicd by uodorcdo icrcira
and iilipc Silva or uuimaracs 2u2, Luropcan Capiial o Culiurc.
number of pages
268
keywords
. ubjccis. 2. 1crriiorics. 3. Arcliicciurc. 4. iraciiccs.
. 1cclnology. 6. 1lings. 1. Lcologics
isbn
918912212u11
IegaI depot n.
342182
edition n.
u8138
print run
uuu
uuIMARALS 202 CAPI1AI LuRuPLIA uA CuI1uRA,
ARLA uL AR1L L ARuI1L1uRA
programme director
uabricla vaz-iinlciro
programming assistance
uiscla Diaz, uiscla ical
eecutive production
)oao Coviia, icdro Sadio, icdro Silva
1lc ircsidcni o iundaao Cidadc dc uuimaracs wislcs io ilanl all or ilcir coniri-
buiion io ilis publicaiion and ilc projcci ubjcciology 1lis publicaiion is pari o ilc
cyclc un Audicnccs, wiilin ilc Ari and Arcliicciurc programmc, uuimaracs 2u2,
Luropcan Capiial o Culiurc


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savage-objects.

indd 1 4/17/12 4:37 PM

1lc aim o ilis

L.g. Marilyn Sirailcrn, 'Aricacis o lisiory: cvcnis and ilc inicrprciaiion o

Bcrc wc may draw aiicniion

Claudc icvi-Sirauss, Introduction to the Work of Marcel Mauss, irans. i. Barlcr

or wlai lavc you.

Indccd, ilis is jusi wlai ilc iling

1lcy arc cui o rom

)oao Maria uusmao c icdro iaiva, Camera inside camera, 2uu.

Coming rom a disciplinc wlcrc ilc siudy

iranl 1rcnimann, Maicrialiiy in ilc iuiurc o Bisiory: 1lings, iraciiccs, and

and lunar and planciary rclics o spacc cploraiion?

, ilings may bc conspicuously prcscni in currcni

Bjrnar ulscn, Kccping 1lings ai Arms icngil: A ucncalogy o Asymmciry,

and wlai malcs

walicr Bcnjamin, Selected Writings, volume 1: 19131926 (Cambridgc, Mass.:

Rony Brauman is a docior and ormcr prcsidcni o Mcdccins Sans ironiicrcs,

An eIectromagnetic fabIe for the LnIightenment: irom a global

ouisidc o ilc Larils own orbii ialcs ilc

Bram Siolcr, Dracula [a Tale] (wcsiminsicr: A. Consiablc u Co., 891i.

iulvcrizaiion is ilc dcning aiiribuic o dusi bccausc

During ilis pcriod, domcs wcrc buili io proicci ilc

ucological siraia o ilc 1cuclsbcrg:

An inviiaiion by ariisi Rcgina dc Migucl.

1lc sound was ilcrcorc licrcd

or Magic of The State,

Any worl o inicrprciaiion includcs clcmcnis o unccriainiy

lc uscd ilosc Scandinavian

Isabcllc Sicngcrs, 1lc Cosmopoliiical iroposal, in Making Things Public:

ior ioucauli, lcicroiopic spaccs arc spaccs wlicl: (i disiinguisl ilcmsclvcs

Ccriainly ilis was noi ilc rsi iimc

Miclcl Scrrcs, The Natural Contract (univcrsiiy o Micligan ircss, 99ui, 4.

Millail uorbaclcv, 1urning poini ai Clcrnobyl, Project Syndicate, April 4

'Mclrdad Irvanian, ilc Iranian arcliicci oncc suggcsicd:

C. Clrisiina Dcico - Council on Bcmisplcric Aairs (CuBAi, AiBA: Bow Mucl

wlilc bclow ground, vcnczuclas cconomy

savage-objects.indd 265 4/17/12 4:37 PM

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