Abstract
The paper suggests the term of "mediator" (Hennion, 1997). "Mediation" is an activity rather than an actor; a co-constructive relation that creates what it mediates - the producer and the consumer. Hennion argues "that something effectively `happens´ in this process, which transforms the ways things were before" (Hennion & Grenier 2000, p. 346). Mediation is not necessarily performed by human actors - as opposed to e.g. Bourdieu's "cultural intermediaries" (Bourdieu, 1984) which designates a certain class of people.
Empirically, the paper works with the cultural and aesthetic economies - and with fashion in particular. Using the mediator as central concept, the paper presents empirical stories from the field of fashion, and fashion marketing, highlighting how mediators are central in organizing the relations between aesthetics and social contexts. Thus, the paper argues empirically that aesthetics and sociality are co-constituted, that cannot be regarded as separate - and that agency is distributed through the lines of mediation in a very radical sense.
The data for the paper is produced using ethnographic methods - especially observation and interviews.
Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction. London, Routledge.
Callon, M. (1986). Some Elements of a Sociology of Translation - Domestication of the Scallops and Fishermen of St. Brieuc Bay. Power, Action, and Belief - A New Sociology of Knowledge. J. Law. London, Routledge and Keagan Paul: 196-233.
Hennion, A. (1997). "Baroque and rock: Music, mediators and musical taste." Poetics 24: 414 - 435.
Latour, B. (1993). We Have Never Been Modern. New York, Harvester-Wheatsheaf.
Original language | English |
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Publication date | 2008 |
Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Event | International Sociological Association - Barcelona, Spain Duration: 5 Sept 2008 → 8 Sept 2008 Conference number: 1 |
Conference
Conference | International Sociological Association |
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Number | 1 |
Country/Territory | Spain |
City | Barcelona |
Period | 05/09/2008 → 08/09/2008 |
Keywords
- fashion
- fashion research
- fashion and culture economy
- sociology
Artistic research
- No