nature

JUL–07–22

Source

Donna Haraway
The Promise of Monsters
1992

Note
Beixi Zhu

Haraway argues that "nature" is not a pre-existing entity that exists outside of human construction, but is instead an ongoing "co-construction among humans and non-humans," including technology.¹ She calls this perspective "artifactualism," which emphasizes that nature is made, both as a material reality and as a concept.^{2 3}

To understand Haraway's redefinition of nature, it's helpful to examine some of the key concepts she uses:

Nature as a commonplace and a trope: Haraway sees "nature" as a commonplace, a topic that we constantly return to in our discourse to order our understanding of the world.⁴ Simultaneously, nature is a trope, a figure of speech or a conceptual tool that we use to make sense of our experiences.⁴

The apparatus of bodily production: Haraway argues that organisms, often considered the quintessential natural objects, are not simply "born" but are "made" within specific historical and technological contexts.⁵ This "making" occurs through the "apparatus of bodily production," a complex interplay of scientific practices, technologies, cultural narratives, and the agency of various actors, including non-humans.^{3 5}

"Inappropriate/d others": Haraway adopts Trinh Minh-ha's term "inappropriate/d others" to describe the complex and shifting relationships between humans, non-humans, and machines.⁶ These relationships are characterized by interconnectedness, "critical difference within," and a rejection of simplistic binaries like nature/culture or self/other.^{6 7}

Articulation vs. representation: Haraway contrasts the concepts of representation and articulation. In the traditional understanding of representation, humans act as spokespeople for a passive nature, claiming to speak for entities like the jaguar or the fetus.^{8 9} Haraway argues instead for a politics of articulation, recognizing the agency of all actors involved and emphasizing the need for building alliances and connections.^{10 11 12}

Through her analysis of various cultural artifacts, such as advertisements and science fiction, Haraway illustrates how these concepts intersect and shape our understanding of nature. For example, in her analysis of the Gulf Oil advertisement featuring Jane Goodall and a chimpanzee, Haraway highlights how the image, while seemingly promoting harmony between nature and society, actually reinforces colonialist and racist power structures.^{13 14}

Ultimately, Haraway's redefinition of nature seeks to move beyond simplistic binaries and to recognize the complex and interconnected reality of the world, where humans, non-humans, and technologies are all active participants. She advocates for a "politics of articulation" that acknowledges the agency of all actors involved and seeks to build alliances across differences.^{12 15}