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Journal article

Amazonian materialisms: The life of machines among the Yagua people

Abstract:
This article presents different vignettes on the life of matter and machines among the Yagua people in northwestern Amazonia. Based on an extended period of ethnographic fieldwork, it highlights the potential ubiquity, plurality and complexity of life-forces in matter and machines among the Yagua people. It shows how Yaguan materialisms differ from existing materialisms in anthropology, archaeology and the wider social sciences. The article advocates for an ontologically open attitude towards the life of matter, which is rooted in the belief that we can never be certain about the underlying fabric of our world.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1177/13591835261419646

Authors

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-1920-4762


Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Journal:
Journal of Material Culture More from this journal
Volume:
31
Issue:
1
Pages:
30-47
Publication date:
2026-02-22
DOI:
EISSN:
1460-3586
ISSN:
1359-1835


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2407672
Local pid:
pubs:2407672
Source identifiers:
3867365
Deposit date:
2026-03-19
ARK identifier:
This ORA record was generated from metadata provided by an external service. It has not been edited by the ORA Team.

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