Nov 14 James Cuffe
jamescuffe@ucc.ie
(chair: Jolynna Sinanan) “Still this puzzle and promise of technology.” Technology presents us with solutions to local and global problems and ever more unintended consequences moving us along a cycle of 'progressive' firefighting. We explore this puzzle and problem of technology and query whether we can move beyond the limitations imposed by our conceptualisation of and relationship to technology. What does it mean to decenter the human in anthropology and allow technology 'in' as ontological equal? Dr. James Cuffe is an anthropologist and lecturer with the Department of Sociology & Criminology at University College Cork. His research interests concern the social impacts of technology, particularly in his new ethnographic project on the 'smart city'. His most recent publication is titled ‘Diffuse-Disciplining: Consequences of Pervasive Autonomous Policing Systems’ in Automating Crime Prevention, Surveillance, and Military Operations Eds: Aleš Završnik and Vasja Badalič, Springer 2021.