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Assemblages in the Venetian Lagoon : Humans, Water and Multiple Historical Flows

Porzionato, Monica LU (2021) In Shima 15(1).
Abstract
Since the dawn of its existence, and at times thanks to ambitious interventions, Venice and its lagoon have needed to be constantly protected from the various ways in which water has reclaimed its existence. This article asserts that the ways in which Venice approached the watery world imply a tendency to relate to the natural environment as if it was something humans ought to separate themselves from, rather than something towards which they could harmoniously relate. As a result of this mindset, the natural changes which made humans interventions necessary are most often phrased as events abruptly sprouted into being, and less as obvious consequences of pre-existing ecological alterations of the islands’ ecosystem throughout the... (More)
Since the dawn of its existence, and at times thanks to ambitious interventions, Venice and its lagoon have needed to be constantly protected from the various ways in which water has reclaimed its existence. This article asserts that the ways in which Venice approached the watery world imply a tendency to relate to the natural environment as if it was something humans ought to separate themselves from, rather than something towards which they could harmoniously relate. As a result of this mindset, the natural changes which made humans interventions necessary are most often phrased as events abruptly sprouted into being, and less as obvious consequences of pre-existing ecological alterations of the islands’ ecosystem throughout the centuries. In order to read these events differently, this article adopts assemblage theory as delineated in the work of Manuel DeLanda (2019 [2006], 2016), according to which history comprises a multiplicity of flows, each belonging to a specific social reality. As such, this article auspicates a way to read ecological alterations of the Venetian lagoon beyond the mere actions of humans and to see, instead, socio-natural changes as the result of intricate relations between heterogenous agents and forces. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
History, Venetian Lagoon, MOSE Sytem, Assemblage theory, Aquapelagic assemblage, Manuel DeLanda
in
Shima
volume
15
issue
1
publisher
Shima Publications (Australia)
ISSN
1834-6057
DOI
10.21463/shima.106
project
Rethinking urban tourism development: Dealing with sustainability in the age of over-tourism
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
be43b746-5f89-4727-b7b5-bd70f6ca7146
date added to LUP
2021-02-11 09:39:40
date last changed
2021-04-30 11:54:17
@article{be43b746-5f89-4727-b7b5-bd70f6ca7146,
  abstract     = {{Since the dawn of its existence, and at times thanks to ambitious interventions, Venice and its lagoon have needed to be constantly protected from the various ways in which water has reclaimed its existence. This article asserts that the ways in which Venice approached the watery world imply a tendency to relate to the natural environment as if it was something humans ought to separate themselves from, rather than something towards which they could harmoniously relate. As a result of this mindset, the natural changes which made humans interventions necessary are most often phrased as events abruptly sprouted into being, and less as obvious consequences of pre-existing ecological alterations of the islands’ ecosystem throughout the centuries. In order to read these events differently, this article adopts assemblage theory as delineated in the work of Manuel DeLanda (2019 [2006], 2016), according to which history comprises a multiplicity of flows, each belonging to a specific social reality. As such, this article auspicates a way to read ecological alterations of the Venetian lagoon beyond the mere actions of humans and to see, instead, socio-natural changes as the result of intricate relations between heterogenous agents and forces.}},
  author       = {{Porzionato, Monica}},
  issn         = {{1834-6057}},
  keywords     = {{History; Venetian Lagoon; MOSE Sytem; Assemblage theory; Aquapelagic assemblage; Manuel DeLanda}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Shima Publications (Australia)}},
  series       = {{Shima}},
  title        = {{Assemblages in the Venetian Lagoon : Humans, Water and Multiple Historical Flows}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.21463/shima.106}},
  doi          = {{10.21463/shima.106}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}