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The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies

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  2. Sociologus
  3. Vol. 72, Issue 2
  4. pp. 93–113

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Lacan, L., Alexiou, P., Brekl, J., Köhler, E., Van Engelen, W., Vehrs, H., Bollig, M. The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies. Sociologus, 72(2), 93-113. https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2022.1444501
Lacan, Léa; Alexiou, Paula; Brekl, Julia; Köhler, Emilie; Van Engelen, Wisse; Vehrs, Hauke-Peter and Bollig, Michael "The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies" Sociologus 72.2, 2022, 93-113. https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2022.1444501
Lacan, Léa/Alexiou, Paula/Brekl, Julia/Köhler, Emilie/Van Engelen, Wisse/Vehrs, Hauke-Peter/Bollig, Michael (2022): The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies, in: Sociologus, vol. 72, iss. 2, 93-113, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2022.1444501
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The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies

Lacan, Léa | Alexiou, Paula | Brekl, Julia | Köhler, Emilie | Van Engelen, Wisse | Vehrs, Hauke-Peter | Bollig, Michael

Sociologus, Vol. 72 (2022), Iss. 2 : pp. 93–113

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Article Details

Publisher Name
Duncker & Humblot
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2022.1444501
Language
Multiple languages
Pages
21
Keywords

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Author Details

Léa Lacan.

Paula Alexiou.

Julia Brekl.

Emilie Köhler.

Wisse Van Engelen.

Hauke-Peter Vehrs.

Michael Bollig.

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Abstract

This article examines the concept of “assemblage” in anthropological research on multispecies relations. The contribution begins by situating “the multispecies assemblage” within the theoretical legacy of Deleuze and Guattari. Then, it delves into three case studies of multispecies research in southern Africa, first to highlight their use of the assemblage as an analytical framework, and second to discuss methodological implications. Overall, we argue that the assemblage concept provides an open-ended analytical and methodological framework in terms of spaces, actors and times. These three trajectories take multispecies research to be multi-sited rather than site-bound, to encompass a hete­rogeneity of actors, and to trace linkages between actors historically.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Léa Lacan et al.: The Assemblage: A Framework for Anthropological Research in Multispecies Studies 93
Abstract 93
1. Introduction 94
2. The Multispecies Assemblage: Contextualising a Loose Concept 95
2.1 Case Study 1 – the More-than-Elephant Assemblage: Studying Conservation in the Making 99
2.2 Case Study 2 – Tsetseing: Analysing a Shifting Problem in a More-than-Tsetse Assemblage 102
2.3 Case Study 3 – Becoming Rosewood/muzauli: Exploring Material-Semiotic Assemblages 104
3. Lessons for Empirical Research: An Open-Ended Framework 106
4. Conclusion: Working with Open-ended Frameworks 108
References 110

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