What is the relevance of Isabelle Stengers’ philosophy to ANT?

Abstract

Exploring the relevance of Isabelle Stengers’ philosophy to ANT scholars, this chapter dramatises the relationship between these two projects as the building of a divergent alliance that does not require, nor does it presuppose, a shared approach or a general consensus. Indeed, the chapter proposes that it is this very concept, ‘divergence’ itself, and the crucial role it plays in Stengers’ speculative proposition of an ‘ecology of practices,’ that may perhaps constitute one of the elements capable of interesting ANT allies who choose to engage her philosophy. And if it is of interest, it is because it is susceptible of asking questions that ANT scholars may consider relevant, even if they are not their own questions. The divergence of an ecology of practices is liable, in other words, to enable one of ANT’s political and methodological footholds to become situated : The principle of generalised symmetry. Making perceptible that the relationship between symmetry and asymmetry is not itself a symmetrical relationship, attending to divergences in an ecology of practices, this chapter proposes and prompts us to experience a space of political relations irreducible either to modern asymmetries or to generalised symmetry – an inappropriable space where angels fear to tread.

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