Anthropology, Technology, and the Neo-Liberal Market

Authors

  • Borut Telban Inštitut za antropološke in prostorske študije ZRC SAZU, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/Traditio2009380113

Keywords:

antropologija in tržna ekonomija, tehnologija, neoliberalizem, hitrost življenja, humanistika in družbene vede // Anthropology and market economy, neo-liberalism, technology, speed of life, humanities and social sciences

Abstract

Avtor podaja podobo sveta, v katerem je kvaliteta življenja urbanega človeka pod vedno večjim pritiskom tehnologije, tržnega gospodarstva in neoliberane filozofije. Tudi tisti, ki urejajo in vodijo financiranje humanističnih in družboslovnih ved, raje sledijo ekonomskim in političnim zahtevam, namesto da bi dali prednost intelektualnim in vsebinskim razsežnostim. Ob tem mnogi socialni in kulturni antropologi spreminjajo svojo podobo, da bi zadovoljili hegemonistične imperialne sile in se pridružili tistim težnjam, ki jih vodi neoliberalno tržišče. V svojem delovanju ne uvidijo, da niso zgolj orodje v rokah novega imperializma, ki leži za konceptom globalizacije, pač pa ga dejavno soustvarjajo. Usmerjeni predvsem v sedanjost zanikajo pomen časa v medčloveških odnosih, odklanjajo klasične antropološke pristope in prilagajajo svoj akademski diskurz političnemu, tržnemu in modnemu videnju sveta.

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In the current world the quality of human life in urban environment came under rising pressure of technology, market economy, and neo-liberal philosophy. Those, who are involved in financial organization and leadership of humanities and social sciences, often simply follow economic and market oriented political demands rather than pursue intellectual ones. Many social and cultural anthropologists are modifying their vocation in order to satisfy the hegemonic imperial powers and join the trends, which are guided by the neo-liberal market. In their endeavour they do not realize that they are not just tools in the hands of new imperialism lying behind the concept of globalisation but are rather its co-creators. Focusing mainly on the present, they deny the importance of time in interpersonal relationships, reject classical anthropological approaches and adjust their academic discourse to political, market oriented and fashionable view of the world.

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Published

16.10.2009

How to Cite

Telban, B. (2009). Anthropology, Technology, and the Neo-Liberal Market. Traditiones, 38(1), 191–209. https://doi.org/10.3986/Traditio2009380113

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Section

Razprave in razgledi / Articles and Essays