Rethinking the Technoscape and Contextualizing Cellular Telephony in Turkey

Year 2009, Volume: 14 Issue: 14, 51 - 68, 07.04.2014

Burçe Çelik

Abstract

Bu makale, cep telefonunu belli toplumsal bağlamlarda oldukça popüler olan bir kültürel ürün olarak anlama arayışı içinde bir kavram geliştirme çabasındadır ve Appadurai’nin teknolojik-alan kavramını bu bağlamda tekrar düşünmeyi önermektedir. Bu çalışma teknolojik-alanın toplumsal deneyimleri içinde birbirleriyle ilişkili olan kavramlar olarak hayalin, bağın ve duygunun ne kadar önemli boyutları olduğunu vurguluyor. Teknolojik-alanı toplumsal deneyimler için hem küresel hem de yerel bir alan olarak göz önüne alırken, onun hayali ve duygusal deneyimlerine yönelik analitik bir duyarlılığın gerekliliğini iddia ediyor. Türkiye’deki ‘teknolojiler’ üzerine gelişen önemli dinamikler ve konular üzerine giriş niteliğinde ve tarihsel nitelikteki kimi açıklamaların ardından, teknolojik-alanın neden Türkiye’de tarihsel bir oluş hayali olarak kavramsallaştırılması gerektiğini ve neden bu kavramın dışında cep telefonu pratiğinin etkili ve etkin olarak ele alınamayacağı iddiasıyla bitireceğim. Bunu yaparken de, cep telefonu kullanıcılarıyla onların bu makinayla kurdukları ilişkiler hakkında yaptığım röportajlardan kimi örnekler sunacağım

Keywords

Cep telefonu, duygulanım, teknolojikalan, habitus

Rethinking the Technoscape and Contextualizing Cellular Telephony in Turkey

Abstract

This paper seeks to develop a conceptual understanding for the search of cellular telephony as an artifact, which has become incredibly popular in particular social contexts and also proposes to rethink Appadurai’s concept of technoscape. It stresses how relational concepts such as imagination, attachment and emotion defi ne inherent dimensions of social experiences of technoscape. It argues for an analytical sensitivity when considering the technoscape –and its attendant imaginational and emotional experiences –as both a global and a local site for social practices. After providing historical and introductory accounts of key dynamics and issues with regards to ‘technologies’ in Turkey, I will conclude by demonstrating why the technoscape in Turkey should be conceptualized as an historical dream of presence, outside of which cellular telephony cannot be effectively and affectively thought. By doing this I will also use some of the statements of my informants with whom I conducted interviews about their relationships with cellular telephony in their everyday lives. 

Keywords

Cellular telephone, affectivity, technoscape, habitus

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