Digital lives in postcolonial Aboriginal Australia. (September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christie, Michael; Verran, Helen
• Other Names: Were Graeme guest-editor.; Favero Paolo guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of material culture. Volume 18:Number 3(2013)
• Page Start: 299
• Page End: 317
• Publication Date: 2013-09
• Subjects: Analogy -- communication technology -- computers -- cultural practices -- Indigenous -- object lessons -- working imaginary; Material culture -- Periodicals; 306
• DOI: 10.1177/1359183513492081
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1835

Abstract

In this article, the authors relate brief stories of episodes spanning a period of 10 years when they worked with Australian Aboriginal groups and individuals as they incorporated digital technologies into their cultural practices. Their story telling is leavened with a dissonant working imaginary designed to interrupt both itself and the stories. As their stories of their digital lives proceed, however, the carefully contrived, resourceful dissonance unexpectedly recedes as the new and surprising digital lives that form part of their collectives evade the grasp of their interrupting tool.