Culture Machine Live

#secrecymachine. The Politics and Practices of Secrecy

In contemporary liberal democracies there is a polarisation between ideals of transparency – borne out in open government legislation, freedom of information, and confessionary culture – and what we might call a secret sphere, an institutionalised commitment to covert security operations that exist beyond the public view. In the wake of the Snowden revelations about the surveillance capabilities of intelligence agencies around the globe, an interdisciplinary symposium gathered experts to discuss the place and implications of secrecy in contemporary cultural politics. Speakers addressed what was politically, ethically, socially and ontologically at stake in cultures of secrecy at the individual, national, and international level. Recordings from the event were hidden across some of the darkest corners of the world wide web and were revealed to participants through a series of leaks and revelations starting on the 8th October 2015 at 12 Noon GMT. All of the leaks were revealed to the public on 9th October 2015 at 1102Hrs GMT. They are available as podcasts here: http://immersivestorylab.com/secret/leaks/

You can also download the materials from the symposium via a torrent. Distributing this will help our secrets remain permanently in the network. To use it please install a torrent client such as Bittorrent

Recursive Historiographical Work and the Responsibility of the Historian: Adrian Johns

This interview with historian Adrian Johns by Janneke Adema focuses on historical efforts to redefine print's past, on the  relationship between technology, science and knowledge, and on our responsibility and performativity as historians. The interview was conducted on March 20th 2015 at the Total Archive Conference at Cambridge University, UK. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net

Technogenesis and Media Specific Analysis: N. Katherine Hayles

This interview with literary scholar N. Katherine Hayles by Janneke Adema focuses on Hayles's concepts of technotext and intermediation, her views on technogenesis and agency, and her proposal for media specific analysis. The interview was conducted on March 20th 2015 at the Total Archive Conference at Cambridge University, UK. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net

Software Theory - Federica Frabetti

Interview with media theorist Federica Frabetti by Janneke Adema. The interview focuses on Frabetti's recently published monograph Software Theory: A Cultural and Philosophical Study. Topics of conversation include the materiality of software, code and writing, deconstructive readings of technology, the originary technicity of the (post)human, and the politics and ethics of software. This interview was conducted on February 23rd 2015 at Oxford Brookes University. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net

Speculative Computing and the Aesthetics of the Humanities: Johanna Drucker

This interview with visual and cultural theorist and practitioner Johanna Drucker by Janneke Adema focuses on Drucker's work as a scholar and practitioner, speculative computing, the difference between aesthesis and mathesis in Humanities knowledge production, and the concept of performative materiality. The interview was conducted on November 16th, 2013, at the Library of Birmingham in Birmingham, UK. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net

The Late Age of Print and the Future of Cultural Studies: Ted Striphas

Interview with Ted Striphas, Associate Professor of Media & Cultural Studies at Indiana University, by Janneke Adema. The interview focuses on Striphas thoughts on the future of cultural studies and cultural politics, on problems related to the accessibility and control of scholarly material and on Striphas approach towards researching books. This interview was conducted on July 14th 2011 in Ghent. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net

The Politics of Transparency and Secrecy: Mark Fenster

In this podcast, Mark Fenster, Professor of Law at The University of Florida, talks about transparency, open government and secrecy. Fenster is interviewed by Clare Birchall. This is part of the Culture Machine Live podcast series. For more information about the online, open access journal Culture Machine, visit www.culturemachine.net