Things, Affects and the Ecology of Mind: On Material Aspects of Identity Politics

Abstract

The author focuses on the less researched area of the intersection between affectivecognitive ecology and personal identity politics, which consists in intentional changes of the personal space (Umwelt) via (re-)construction of its cognitive (and mnemonic) and affective constituents that are enacted in dynamic interaction with habitual material and social surroundings. To the author’s knowledge there were no works so far that combine the extended cognition and affect theories with identity politics research. It is argued that the conceptual toolkits of these approaches would be productive for personal identity politics research that has neglected its material dimensions.