Commodities, infrastructures, and violence: a view to resource chains in western Civilization

The book is about the history of copper open-pit mining in the US, specifically, through the case of the Bingham pit in Utah. The book is an excellent example of a historical account and analysis where technology, expertise, human and non-human agents are at play. In the introduction, the author makes two compelling arguments:

        First, we have learned to ignore the systems of what he calls “mass destruction”, and instead, to focus and glorified mass production and mass consumption. Nonetheless, the three systems are interrelated and inseparable.

        Second, open pit-mining (or the system of mass destruction as he refers to it) is an ultimate expression of western society's relationship with nature, where we conceive humans and their technological systems as distinct and separate from nature. This relationship is dangerous and has started to show its limits.

This week’s activity is a short writing exercise, where you will explain these two arguments to someone who has not read the book.  In other words, imagine that you are explaining the introduction of the book to a friend of you in an informal conversation, and try to put it in writing in your own words. Be concrete, one page should be enough.

A hint for the reading: the text starts with a (longer than I like) story about a house that belonged to both, Daniel Jackling (the man who perfection the open-pit mining) and Steve Jobs. The story is intended to introduce the first argument. During a seminar where we read the same text, many students focused their writing and discussion almost solely in that story (maybe they did not read the whole chapter?) Please don’t do so!!! The real arguments begin after the fourth page. The story of the house is definitely not the important thing.

A second hint is to remember that you don’t need to memorize the details, places, events, names or dates of the case study. You need to focus on understanding the arguments, which could be made using other case studies as well.  So, keep this in mind and focus on the analysis and theoretical ideas behind the text. Don't get stuck in the details about this mine in particular.

Finally, I had assigned the introduction and the chapter about the pit, but I decided that we can focus solely on the introduction and make a careful reading of it. If you wish to have the whole book, send me an email, and I will share it with you.

You have until 2:00 pm Monday june 1 to send your texts or upload them to moodle. 

Have a nice reading.