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The question of the human/non-human boundary remains unanswered today. This book explores the relationship between people, society and nature through the lens of robots and robotics research. Blending ethnographic fieldwork with critical analysis and literature, it develops an original interpretation of contemporary technology – that a deeper understanding of the field leads to a greater appreciation for human embodiment and creativity, rather than a belief in imminent machine intelligence.
“The book excels in blending ethnographic fieldwork with critical analysis of AI/robotics' sociopolitical dimensions...it is not only a valuable antidote to overly abstract theorizing but also shows and contributes to a cross-disciplinary engagement with anthropology, STS, phenomenology and ethics.” • Wendelin Küpers, Karlshochschule International University
Louise Veling is Senior Specialist in Innovation and Digital with the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), Ireland. Prior to joining the IPA in May 2025, Louise held several lecturing and research positions with Maynooth University, including most recently Associate Professor in Sustainable Futures with the School of Business.
Introduction: Cyborgs, Crisis and the Ecocene
Chapter 1. Human-Machine Co-Constitution – A Historical and Philosophical Prelude
Chapter 2. Making Robots, Making Worlds – Inside the Robotics Lab
Chapter 3. Encountering Robots – Embodiment, Affect and Intersubjectivity
Chapter 4. Robots, Labour and the Political Economy of Animacy
Chapter 5. Rethinking Boundaries, Embodiment and Ecological Existentialism
Conclusion: What Robots Can Teach Us about Being Human in a Calamitous World
References