Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

While the digital today enjoys popularity and draws much scholarly attention, it can be discussed only against the background of the analog. In the words of Norbert Wiener, who invented the field of cybernetics, every digital device is really an analogical device. It must be emphasized that not only is the digital conceptually related to the analog, but also that the subject of digital knowledge can never fully represent the subject of analog knowledge. This is especially true for more traditional cultures with deep analog roots. The study argues that, while embracing the digital in today’s global communications, it’s equally important to unforget the importance of analog modes. In this light, the revolution can never be Tweeted and the role of ‘analog liberalism’ and ‘embodied resistance’ cannot be overstated. In this paper, the reasons for, and examples of, these and other modes of unforgetting the analog are discussed.