Open this publication in new window or tab >>2023 (English)In: The Oxford Handbook of Animal Organization Studies / [ed] Linda Tallberg; Lindsay Hamilton, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023, p. 409-424Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Robotic animals in the shape of cats, dogs, and seals are increasingly used in dementia care. The robots are built to respond to users’ touch and talk for various purposes such as calming, activating, or entertaining patients. Drawing on media representations, marketing materials, reports of experts, and interviews with care workers we take a closer look at the ideas of animality that shape the robots and their application in care organizations. We find that the robots’ animality is described as connecting with a fundamental mammal aspect of our humanity. At the same time, concerns are raised that patients risk being dehumanized when robots replace human-to-human interaction, and the robots are thus treated as a threat to patients’ human dignity. The chapter discusses how notions of animality and a biopolitical understanding of the human as mammal play an integral role in robotized care organizations.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023
Keywords
animality, biopolitics, care organizations, care work, dementia, humanity, robots
National Category
Sociology Nursing Social Work
Research subject
Working Life Studies; Care Sciences; Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-64482 (URN)9780192848185 (ISBN)9780191943485 (ISBN)
Funder
AFA Insurance, 190170
2023-10-072023-10-072023-12-07Bibliographically approved