Property Matters

Session Submission Type: Traditional (Closed) Panel

Abstract

Despite its recent interest in markets and economics as well as its longstanding focus on things, STS has so far largely neglected property as an object of its research. When property is brought up, it is usually in the form of property rights which, in turn, are mostly understood as intellectual property. But what about the property matters itself? Are they, like John Locke's acorn, just patiently waiting to be appropriated, leaving everything to lawyers, courts, and legislatures? Or do they also get a say in if, how, and under what conditions they will enter into a property relationship? This panel invites contributions that closely engage with the nature of property objects and the societies, economies, and institutions they summon. Understanding property in a broad sense — from locked bikes to research papers to kidneys — it asks what it takes for these things to work as property. Apart from laws and rules, which technologies demarcate, identify, move, and hold property in place? How much work does appropriation and, conversely, alienation of property take? And how does the division of labor between owners and property bring both into being? Extended abstract at: https://www.academia.edu/30664954/Property_matters

Sub Unit

• 4S Annual Meeting

Chair

• Veit Moritz Braun, LMU Munich

Individual Presentations

• Copyright and Car Modding: The Conflict Over Vehicle Ownership and Vehicle Software Copyright - Michelle C Forelle, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism

• Property as Technology - Veit Moritz Braun, LMU Munich

• Twilight Zones – Scientific and Tacit Practices at the Crime Scene - Susana Costa, Centre for Social Studies

• Ideology and Technology Transfer: A Case Study of Reverse Engineering of the Hongqi Limousine - Longfei Pan, Center for Social Studies of Science,Peking University; Cheng ZHOU, Center for Social Studies fo Science,Peking University.