What is it about?
Observing public cell phone use, we offer a Lacanian theorization of common social scenes involving mobile communication technologies. We turn to Lacan’s distinction between the look and the gaze to read and reconcile the tensions. Moving beyond understanding cell phones as fetish objects, we use Lacan’s theory of the gaze as a means to understand the existential dilemma, a lack of being, which underwrites the pleasures of consumption.
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Why is it important?
Interesting and important how connections work: Lead author Ian Reyes, during his dissertation phase, worked with Henry Krips, the leading (if not the most important) Lacan scholar on the Western side of the Atlantic. When Nikhilesh Dholakia (who works collaboratively with Ian) found this MT special issue opportunity, Ian said he could bring in Lacan concepts he had learned under Krips. Without such an influence chain, this paper would not have been possible.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Disconnected/connected, Marketing Theory, November 2014, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1470593114558535.
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Resources
Mobilty and Ubiquity: Insights from Syagnik 'Sy' Banerjee and Ruby Roy Dholakia
The patterns of virtuality are being constantly shaped and reshaped by ubiquitous computing, internet shopping offers, mobile advertising, mobile communications, data-analytic targeting, innovations in devices and networks, and wireless internet. This paper is a pioneering and insightful study of these changes.
Lacan essay at Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Sometimes referred to as “the French Freud,” Jacques Lacan was a major figure in Parisian intellectual life for much of the twentieth century. Since 1960, Lacanian ideas have become central to the various interpretations of things psychoanalytic in philosophical circles; and gradually entering other discourses (such as on technology and markets, in this article).
Jacques Lacan article at Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Quote from this resource: “Lacan maintained throughout his career that desire is the desire of the Other. What is meant by him in this formulation is not the triviality that humans desire others… Lacan's contention is rather that what psychoanalysis reveals is that human-beings need to learn how and what to desire.”
Lacan Portal in USA
A very chic USA-based portal into the influence of Lacan on... really everything.
Fountainhead: Pioneering research into technology, markets, consumers at URI
From mid-1980s, under the skilled leadership of Dr. Ruby Roy Dholakia (with Dr. Nikhilesh Dholakia) at the University of Rhode Island (URI), a strong and innovative program of research on technology, markets and consumers has been producing highly insightful research on a range of social, psychological, cultural, organizational and political aspects of information technologies. Explore the scope and depth of such research via the Google Scholar portal of Ruby Roy Dholakia.
Freud and Lacan - A scholar's personal portal
Richard G. Klein is a Freud-Lacan scholar, contributing editor for Lacanian Ink, former associate editor of the Lacanian journal, Re-Turn, and New York correspondent for the Journal of European Psychoanalysis.
CFAR London - Freud and Lacan
A much more clinical resource (compared to other resources listed)...
Important Glossary - U of Chicago - Some key Lacan terms
A must read resource to get more information on some of the key terms used in this article
Henry Krips at Claremont
As mentioned in the impact summary, the influence chain (in terms of Lacan concepts) starts with Henry Krips...
Journal of interest and relevance
A resource from Claremont Graduate University, where Lacan scholar Henry Krips is based.
Ruby Roy Dholakia: Pioneering research scholar in mobility, mobile communications, mobile commerce
This introductory piece indicates the very early focus on mobile technology, mobile communications, and mobile commerce; in the research endeavors launched at the University of Rhode Island (URI) by Ruby Roy Dholakia and her globally associated research network. For more samples of work done by her and her associates, please search for "Ruby Roy Dholakia" in Google Scholar.
Google Scholar Page: Ruby Roy Dholakia
Rich portal into 3 decades of research into tech-markets-strategies-cultures-and-consumers, done at the University of Rhode Island (URI), led by Ruby Roy Dholakia, with publications by her and her local and global research collaborators. Also visit the related Google Scholar page of Nikhilesh Dholakia.
Curated Travel, Curated Shopping: A New E-Biz+Physical-Biz model
Connecting curated desires... Reviewing, recommending and sharing are popular online activities that shape platforms, social sites, and merchant sites. This venture illustrates a new twist that combines e-biz and physical travel and tourism. It uses the approach of curated selection and presentation of sights, activities, places, happenings, merchants and products.
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