Posthuman Property and Law: Commodification and Control through Information, Smart Spaces and Artificial Intelligence

This book explores the phenomenon of digitally mediated property and challenges the boundary between human and nonhuman actors. It argues that property as a concept and a means of control changes fundamentally under advanced capitalism, with data being extracted from human activities and used to affectively control humans. The book proposes a posthuman property concept to critique property control through digital technologies and move beyond the notion of the self-owning, object-owning human. It appeals to researchers in Law and Technology, Legal Theory, Intellectual Property Law, Legal Philosophy, Sociology of Law, Sociology, and Media Studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 28 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate phenomenon of digitally mediated property, shedding light on its complex implications and challenging the traditional boundaries between human and nonhuman actors. It explores the evolving nature of property in the digital age, highlighting how the increasing commodification of knowledge has led to a rupture in the liberal concept of the property-owning, free, and person. Through engaging with cutting-edge theories from posthumanism and new materialism, the book demonstrates how property, as a concept and a tool of control, undergoes a fundamental transformation under advanced capitalism. It showcases how data, once extracted from human activities, is now utilized directly to influence and control individuals, exemplifying the intricate interplay between technology and human behavior.

The book examines a wide range of human engagements with digital platforms and coded architectures, as well as the circulation of affects through practices of artificial intelligence employed to shape behavior. It argues that property must be understood in the context of an ecology of human and nonhuman actors, challenging the notion of self-owning, object-owning, and human-centric perspectives. The concept of posthuman property emerges as a powerful tool for critiquing property control through digital technologies and paving the way for a more inclusive understanding of property ownership.

This book appeals to a diverse audience of researchers and scholars interested in the fields of Law and Technology, Legal Theory, Intellectual Property Law, Legal Philosophy, Sociology of Law, Sociology, and Media Studies. Its comprehensive analysis and insightful perspectives provide valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of property in the digital age, offering valuable contributions to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of law, technology, and society.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367687953