Science, Social Theory and Body in The Affective Turn: Articulating Spheres

Abstract

The so-called ‘Affective Turn’ has brought articulations between certain contributions from social sciences and humanities —what we call here «social theory(ies)»— and some expressions from hard or natural science, —what we call here «science(s)»—. The argument of this paper is that such re-encounters between «science» and «social theory» happen, in the frame of the contemporary studies, in three different kinds or gear logics that we have named ‘Assemblage Spheres’. Here we argue that each of those spheres promotes different notions about the body, and each particular notion is what distinguishes them and what defines the possibilities of articulation for each sphere. The three logics of articulation that name our spheres are: The cybernetic fold, the Techno-Science and the Neuroscience. We will explain every sphere and we will illustrate each one with a research that displays its logic. Moreover we will make some warnings about possible critiques with regard to the re-encounters of «science» and «social theory», finally we will incorporate some premonitions about such relation within the studies of affect.