The Re-enchantment of a Technologically Disenchanted World: An Affirmative Critique of Anti-surveillance Art.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Re-enchantment of a Technologically Disenchanted World: An Affirmative Critique of Anti-surveillance Art.
Authors: Alacovska, Ana1 (AUTHOR) aa.msc@cbs.dk
Source: Journal of Business Ethics. Nov2025, Vol. 202 Issue 1, p1-19. 19p.
Subject Terms: *Activism, Art, Digital technology, Capitalism, Business ethics, Data privacy
Abstract: Focussing on anti-surveillance art, this article makes the case that the arts have the unique capacity to induce and energize hope and caring in the otherwise hopeless context of a technologically disenchanted world of surveillance capitalism, characterised by a wholesale loss of privacy due to ubiquitous data capture, and an algorithmically powered exacerbation of social inequalities and discrimination. Drawing on theories of enchantment from literary studies, art history, philosophy and political thought, I theorize anti-surveillance art as an art-full means of enchantment generating an 'ethical energetics' that is capable, however momentarily or imperfectly, of dissolving the constraints of our imagination and moving people to act hopefully and caringly in spite of technology-induced malaise. Through an affirmative critique of anti-surveillance art practices, I illustrate the processual mechanisms and dynamics of activist art (artivism), showing how these art forms not only critique and subvert entrenched imaginaries of surveillance capitalism but also enact the ethical imperative of re-imagining better future worlds even in the face of present technological toxicity and breakdown. This article contributes knowledge on the ethico-political import of the arts in troubled social, business and organisational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Business Ethics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: ehh
DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 189391054
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Re-enchantment of a Technologically Disenchanted World: An Affirmative Critique of Anti-surveillance Art.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alacovska%2C+Ana%22">Alacovska, Ana</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> aa.msc@cbs.dk</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Business+Ethics%22">Journal of Business Ethics</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 202 Issue 1, p1-19. 19p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activism%22">Activism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Art%22">Art</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+technology%22">Digital technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Capitalism%22">Capitalism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+ethics%22">Business ethics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+privacy%22">Data privacy</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Focussing on anti-surveillance art, this article makes the case that the arts have the unique capacity to induce and energize hope and caring in the otherwise hopeless context of a technologically disenchanted world of surveillance capitalism, characterised by a wholesale loss of privacy due to ubiquitous data capture, and an algorithmically powered exacerbation of social inequalities and discrimination. Drawing on theories of enchantment from literary studies, art history, philosophy and political thought, I theorize anti-surveillance art as an art-full means of enchantment generating an 'ethical energetics' that is capable, however momentarily or imperfectly, of dissolving the constraints of our imagination and moving people to act hopefully and caringly in spite of technology-induced malaise. Through an affirmative critique of anti-surveillance art practices, I illustrate the processual mechanisms and dynamics of activist art (artivism), showing how these art forms not only critique and subvert entrenched imaginaries of surveillance capitalism but also enact the ethical imperative of re-imagining better future worlds even in the face of present technological toxicity and breakdown. This article contributes knowledge on the ethico-political import of the arts in troubled social, business and organisational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Business Ethics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=189391054
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10551-025-05971-5
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Activism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Art
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Digital technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Capitalism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Business ethics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data privacy
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Re-enchantment of a Technologically Disenchanted World: An Affirmative Critique of Anti-surveillance Art.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alacovska, Ana
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 15
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 01674544
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 202
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Business Ethics
              Type: main
ResultId 1