Technical Lands

Technical lands are spaces with unique characteristics such as remote locations, limited boundaries, restricted access, and diligent management. Designating land as technical is a political act that divides, marginalizes, and makes parts of the Earth inaccessible and invisible. These areas are used in highly aestheticized geographies to resist debates about production and governance and include disaster exclusion zones, demilitarized zones, prison yards, industrial extraction sites, airports, and spaceports. The identification and instrumentalization of technical lands have increased since the rise of neoliberalization, but their theoretical contours remain unclear.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2023
Publisher: JOVIS Verlag

Technical lands are unique spaces characterized by their remote locations, limited boundaries, restricted accessibility, and rigorous management. The designation of land as technical is a political act that involves dividing, marginalizing, and obscuring specific parts of the Earth. This process creates an anti-visuality of technical lands, enabling forms of hypervisibility and surveillance through the rhetorical veil of technology.

Including both political and physical boundaries, technical lands are employed in highly aestheticized geographies to resist debates surrounding production and governance. These critical sites and spaces span a wide range, from disaster exclusion zones and demilitarized areas to prison yards, industrial extraction sites, airports, and spaceports. The identification and instrumentalization of technical lands have grown in scale and complexity since the rise of neoliberalization. However, the precise theoretical contours that define these geographies remain somewhat unclear.

Technical Lands: A Critical Primer seeks to address this gap by bringing together a diverse group of authors who offer insightful perspectives and innovative theories on the nature and implications of technical lands. Through a series of essays, the book explores the political, economic, and environmental dimensions of these spaces, highlighting their role in shaping contemporary societies and the challenges they pose to our understanding of the world.

One of the key themes explored in the book is the relationship between technical lands and power. Authors argue that technical lands are often used to reinforce existing power structures and to exclude marginalized communities. For example, disaster exclusion zones are often created to keep vulnerable populations away from areas that are deemed unsafe, while industrial extraction sites are often located in remote regions where local communities have little say in the decision-making process.

Another theme explored in the book is the role of technology in shaping the nature and dynamics of technical lands. Authors argue that technology has the potential to transform the way we think about and interact with these spaces, but it can also be used to perpetuate existing inequalities and to marginalize certain groups. For example, the use of surveillance technology in technical lands can be used to monitor and control marginalized communities, while the development of autonomous drones and other forms of automation can lead to the displacement of workers and the erosion of local economies.

The book also explores the ethical and philosophical dimensions of technical lands. Authors argue that these spaces raise important questions about the nature of justice, the role of the state, and the responsibility of individuals in shaping the future of the planet. For example, the use of military technology in technical lands raises questions about the limits of human autonomy and the potential for unintended consequences.

In conclusion, Technical Lands: A Critical Primer is a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and activists who are interested in understanding the increasing significance of technical lands in contemporary society. The book offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of these spaces, highlighting their political, economic, and environmental dimensions and the challenges they pose to our understanding of the world. By bringing together a diverse group of authors, the book provides a rich and nuanced perspective on the nature and implications of technical lands, and it offers valuable insights into the ways in which we can address these complex and pressing issues.

Weight: 725g
Dimension: 240 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783868597042