The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age

This collection of fifteen essays examines the evolving nature of participation in contemporary society, exploring its connections to politics, surveillance, openness, and aesthetics in the digital age.

The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age explores the evolving nature of participation in contemporary society. It introduces the concept of the participatory condition, which refers to the current environment where engagement with others is both a norm and an expectation. While participation has always been a part of human experience, the book argues that today's social, economic, cultural, and political activities are increasingly centered around the idea of participation, highlighting its significance in our daily lives.

The book is structured around four key themes: participation and politics, surveillance, openness, and aesthetics. It features fifteen essays that delve into various aspects of participatory media practices, examining their implications for power dynamics, social movements like Occupy Wall Street and the Arab Spring, and initiatives such as worker-owned cooperatives. The contributors analyze the complexities and contradictions inherent in participation, touching on topics like media activism, open-source projects, civic engagement, commercial surveillance, and the intersection of contemporary art and education.

This comprehensive work represents a significant transdisciplinary effort to understand the role and value of participation in the digital era. Drawing parallels to Jean-François Lyotard's notion of the postmodern condition, the book encourages readers to reflect on how participation has become a pivotal concern of our time, shaping our interactions and experiences in an increasingly interconnected world.