Plasticumwelt and umwelt diffraction: A new materialist ecosemiotics.

The article explores the intricate relationship between plastic materials, semiotics and ecology, offering a novel perspective on the concept of umwelt in the context of pervasive plastic pollution. Drawing on semiotic, ecosemiotic and neo-materialist theories, it examines how plastic has become a u...

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Published in:Sign Systems Studies Vol. 52; no. 3/4; pp. 409 - 438
Main Author: Zengiaro, Nicola
Format: Article
Published: University of Tartu 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 2024
      vid: 52
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      pub: University of Tartu
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        10.12697/SSS.2024.52.3-4.06
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        atl: Plasticumwelt and umwelt diffraction: A new materialist ecosemiotics.
      aug:
        au: Zengiaro, Nicola
        affil: University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
      su:
        Sustainability
        Ecosystem dynamics
        Ecological resilience
        Plastics
        Semiotics
        Analogy
      sug:
        subj:
          Sustainability
          Ecosystem dynamics
          Ecological resilience
          Plastics
          Semiotics
          Analogy
      keyword:
        material semiotics
        materialist ecosemiotics
        plasticumwelt
        umwelt diffraction
      ab:
        The article explores the intricate relationship between plastic materials, semiotics and ecology, offering a novel perspective on the concept of umwelt in the context of pervasive plastic pollution. Drawing on semiotic, ecosemiotic and neo-materialist theories, it examines how plastic has become a ubiquitous presence in ecosystems, profoundly shaping the subjective worlds of organisms. The paper presents a theoretical analogy between the world of the spider and the production of its web on the one hand, and the human world and the production of plastic on the other hand, to show how the minds of animals extend along the production of their materials. Through the lens of material semiotics, the study elaborates the notion of 'umwelt diffraction', highlighting how synthetic materials disrupt the ecological dynamics and perception of organisms, forming the structure of a 'plasticumwelt'. This reconceptualization underlines the urgent need for interdisciplinary approaches to address the challenges posed by plastic pollution. Ultimately, the article argues that plastic proliferation creates a toxic heritage, underlining the importance of sustainable practices to mitigate the harmful effects of plastic on biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
        Artiklis käsitletakse plastmaterjalide, semiootika ja ökoloogia vahelist keerukat suhet ning pakutakse välja uudne vaatenurk omailma mõistele kõikehõlmava plastireostuse kontekstis. Lähtudes semiootilistest, ökosemiootilistest ning uusmaterjalistlikest teooritest vaadeldakse, kuidas plast on muutunud ökosüsteemides kõikjalviibivaks, kujundades sügavuti organismide subjektiivseid maailmu. Artiklis pakutakse välja teoreetiline analoogia ühest küljest ämbliku maailma ning temapoolse võrguloomise ning teisalt inimeste ilma ja plastitootmise vahel, näitamaks, kuidas loomade meel laieneb nende toodetava materjali kaudu. Läbi materialistliku semiootika filtri käsitletakse üksikasjalisemalt „omailmadifraktsiooni" mõistet, rõhutades seda, kuidas sünteetilised materjalid katkestavad ökoloogilist dünaamikat ning organismide taju, moodustades „plastomailma" struktuuri. Selle ümberkontseptualiseerimisega joonitakse alla pakilist vajadust interdistsiplinaarsete lähenemiste järele, et tegelda plastireostuse esitatavate väljakutsetega. Viimaks väidetakse artiklis, et plastipaljusus jätab maha toksilise pärandi, ning toonitatakse jätkusuutlike praktikate olulisust, leevendamaks plasti kahjulikku mõju elurikkusele ning ökosüsteemide säilenõtkusele.
        L'articolo esplora la complessa relazione tra materiali plastici, semiotica ed ecologia, offrendo una prospettiva innovativa sul concetto di Umwelt nel contesto dell›inquinamento plastico pervasivo. Attingendo alle teorie semiotiche, ecosemiotiche e neomaterialiste, esamina come la plastica sia diventata una presenza onnipervasiva negli ecosistemi, plasmando profondamente i mondi soggettivi degli organismi. Il testo presenta un'analogia teorica tra il mondo del ragno e la produzione della sua tela e il mondo umano e la produzione di plastica, per mostrare come le menti degli animali siano estese attraverso la produzione dei loro materiali. Attraverso la lente della semiotica materiale, lo studio elabora la nozione di diffrazione dell'Umwelt [Umwelt diffraction], evidenziando come i materiali sintetici interrompano le dinamiche ecologiche e la percezione degli organismi, formando una sorta di "Plasticumwelt". Questa riconcettualizzazione sottolinea l'urgenza di approcci interdisciplinari per affrontare le sfide poste dall'inquinamento plastico. In conclusione, l'articolo sostiene che la proliferazione della plastica crea un'eredità tossica, evidenziando l'importanza di pratiche sostenibili per mitigare gli effetti dannosi della plastica sulla biodiversità e sulla resilienza degli ecosistemi.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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      custom: Copyright of Sign Systems Studies is the property of University of Tartu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
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      holder: University of Tartu
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          year: 2024
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