The Emerging Outer Space Order : Professional Orders, Heterarchy, Hypermodernity and Political Reason
(2021) In Lund Political Studies- Abstract
- Political order in outer space has so far been perceived as an extension of the terrestrial political order. In contrast, I argue that the political order emerging in outer space defines international relations on Earth. Therefore, with a refreshed understanding of the political dynamics of outer space, we will be better equipped to grasp the contemporary world order. Moreover, deeper knowledge about the kind of order that is emerging in outer space opens up possibilities to influence its evolving direction, should we find this desirable. Consequently, the overarching research question of this thesis is how can we understand the kind of order that is emerging in outer space and the impact that this order has on the broader world order?... (More)
- Political order in outer space has so far been perceived as an extension of the terrestrial political order. In contrast, I argue that the political order emerging in outer space defines international relations on Earth. Therefore, with a refreshed understanding of the political dynamics of outer space, we will be better equipped to grasp the contemporary world order. Moreover, deeper knowledge about the kind of order that is emerging in outer space opens up possibilities to influence its evolving direction, should we find this desirable. Consequently, the overarching research question of this thesis is how can we understand the kind of order that is emerging in outer space and the impact that this order has on the broader world order? Exploring this question, I visit everyday working environments and key sites for outer space ordering where I conduct multi-sited ethnography and elite interviews (2017-2020).
This explorative inquiry shows that the kind of order emerging in outer space can best be conceptualized not as anarchical, nor as hierarchical but as heterarchical. I find that quantum-mind entangled professional orders are the principal units that define the outer space order’s evolving direction. Using space as a crucial and illustrative example of the world order, I argue that these professional orders constitute the depoliticized fabric of the world setting its direction. I find that the prominent and defining professional orders are the scientific, commercial and military orders, which trajectories extend well into the future. Moreover, I theorize that the emerging outer space order foreshadows a transition into hypermodernity as the constellations of satellites for fast-speed-Internet that are being launched in outer space are creating a gigantic ‘transmission belt’. In addition, this inquiry reveals an imminent cosmological shift, as the world is yet again extended. This time further and more permanently into outer space with consequences for our sense of responsibility for Earth. I conclude that the increasingly heterarchical world, the ‘emboosted transmission belt’ and prevailing visions of the extended world call for a different ‘way of being political’ – for reflective political reason at the individual level including reconsiderations of professional identities.
(Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Den politiska ordningen i rymden har tidigare betraktats som en förlängning av den politiska ordningen på jorden. I den här avhandlingen hävdar jag istället att den framväxande politiska ordningen i rymden definierar internationella förhållanden på jorden. Nya insikter om den politiska dynamiken i rymden ger oss därför en bättre förståelse för den nuvarande världsordningen. Dessutom ger en fördjupad kunskap om vilken sorts ordning som växer fram i rymden oss möjligheter att påverka dess riktning om vi skulle finna detta önskvärt. Således söker denna avhandling besvara den övergripande frågan: Hur kan vi beskriva den sortens ordning som växer fram i rymden och det inflytande denna ordning har på världsordningen? Omfattande etnografiska... (More)
- Den politiska ordningen i rymden har tidigare betraktats som en förlängning av den politiska ordningen på jorden. I den här avhandlingen hävdar jag istället att den framväxande politiska ordningen i rymden definierar internationella förhållanden på jorden. Nya insikter om den politiska dynamiken i rymden ger oss därför en bättre förståelse för den nuvarande världsordningen. Dessutom ger en fördjupad kunskap om vilken sorts ordning som växer fram i rymden oss möjligheter att påverka dess riktning om vi skulle finna detta önskvärt. Således söker denna avhandling besvara den övergripande frågan: Hur kan vi beskriva den sortens ordning som växer fram i rymden och det inflytande denna ordning har på världsordningen? Omfattande etnografiska studier, arkivstudier samt elitintervjuer med ledande företrädare för centrala yrkesgrupper som arbetar med rymdfrågor ligger till grund för undersökningen som är utpräglat explorativ.
Undersökningen visar att den framväxande politiska ordningen i rymden bäst kan beskrivas, varken som anarkisk eller hierarkisk, utan snarare som heterarkisk. Det betyder att det inte finns en utan flera parallella ordningar, ofta i samverkan men utan ett gemensamt politiskt centrum. Den framväxande ordningen är dessutom i hög grad teknisk och avpolitiserad. Fem olika professionella gemenskaper definierar den framväxande rymdordningen och dess inriktning varav de mest framträdande och inflytelserika är den vetenskapliga, den kommersiella och den militära, de minst betydelsefulla är den politiska/diplomatiska och den legala.
I avhandlingen teoretiseras också om hur den framväxande rymdordningen konstituerar övergången till hypermordernitet, bland annat eftersom ett ökat antal satelliter bildar ett enormt ”transmissionsbälte” i rymden. I förlängningen leder också rymdordningen till ett ”kosmologiskt skifte” eftersom vi ger oss mer permanent och längre ut i rymden. Sammantaget blir vikten av politiskt ansvar och reflektion på individnivå alltmer väsentligt liksom nya sätt att se på professionella identiteter och deras ordningsskapande funktion för politiken. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/c32f8140-a3a0-4f37-ba85-ea8c04ca4154
- author
- Justesen, Lisa LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Rhinard, Mark, Stockholm University
- organization
- alternative title
- Den framväxande rymdordningen : professionella ordningar, heterarki, hypermodernitet och politiskt förnuft
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Outer space, Order, Heterarchy, Hypermodernity, Political reason, Theorizing, Diorama, rymden, ordning, djupstrukturer, heterarki, hypermodernitet, politiskt förnuft, diorama
- in
- Lund Political Studies
- issue
- 201
- pages
- 271 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Online, LU Zoom meeting: https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/68113460958
- defense date
- 2021-05-20 10:15:00
- ISSN
- 0460-0037
- ISBN
- 978-91-7895-834-4
- 978-91-7895-833-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c32f8140-a3a0-4f37-ba85-ea8c04ca4154
- date added to LUP
- 2021-04-21 10:21:51
- date last changed
- 2021-05-07 09:55:02
@phdthesis{c32f8140-a3a0-4f37-ba85-ea8c04ca4154,
abstract = {{Political order in outer space has so far been perceived as an extension of the terrestrial political order. In contrast, I argue that the political order emerging in outer space defines international relations on Earth. Therefore, with a refreshed understanding of the political dynamics of outer space, we will be better equipped to grasp the contemporary world order. Moreover, deeper knowledge about the kind of order that is emerging in outer space opens up possibilities to influence its evolving direction, should we find this desirable. Consequently, the overarching research question of this thesis is how can we understand the kind of order that is emerging in outer space and the impact that this order has on the broader world order? Exploring this question, I visit everyday working environments and key sites for outer space ordering where I conduct multi-sited ethnography and elite interviews (2017-2020). <br/><br/>This explorative inquiry shows that the kind of order emerging in outer space can best be conceptualized not as anarchical, nor as hierarchical but as heterarchical. I find that quantum-mind entangled professional orders are the principal units that define the outer space order’s evolving direction. Using space as a crucial and illustrative example of the world order, I argue that these professional orders constitute the depoliticized fabric of the world setting its direction. I find that the prominent and defining professional orders are the scientific, commercial and military orders, which trajectories extend well into the future. Moreover, I theorize that the emerging outer space order foreshadows a transition into hypermodernity as the constellations of satellites for fast-speed-Internet that are being launched in outer space are creating a gigantic ‘transmission belt’. In addition, this inquiry reveals an imminent cosmological shift, as the world is yet again extended. This time further and more permanently into outer space with consequences for our sense of responsibility for Earth. I conclude that the increasingly heterarchical world, the ‘emboosted transmission belt’ and prevailing visions of the extended world call for a different ‘way of being political’ – for reflective political reason at the individual level including reconsiderations of professional identities.<br/>}},
author = {{Justesen, Lisa}},
isbn = {{978-91-7895-834-4}},
issn = {{0460-0037}},
keywords = {{Outer space; Order; Heterarchy; Hypermodernity; Political reason; Theorizing; Diorama; rymden; ordning; djupstrukturer; heterarki; hypermodernitet; politiskt förnuft; diorama}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{201}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund Political Studies}},
title = {{The Emerging Outer Space Order : Professional Orders, Heterarchy, Hypermodernity and Political Reason}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/96940126/Lisa_Justesen_HELA.pdf}},
year = {{2021}},
}