On the Mode of Existence of Symbols: An Actor-Network Perspective on Identification and Group Formation

Abstract

This paper analyses a specific aspect of the contribution of actor-network theory (ANT) to political theory, focusing on the role of symbols in forming groups or publics. Focusing on Bruno Latour’s work in political ecology, the paper interprets ANT as an argument for including the affective dimension in politics. First, it explores the origins of the concept of symbol in ANT, drawing on the work of Tarde, Durkheim, Dewey and Lippmann. It then considers the «symbolic engineering» through which Latour aims to generate ecological mobilization by presenting James Lovelock’s Gaia theory as a symbol for the ecological movement. The conclusion paves the way for further research by highlighting the differences between the concept of symbol in ANT and the left populism of Chantal Mouffe and Ernesto Laclau: drawing on the reading of Dewey by Matteo Santarelli and Justo Serrano Zamora, ANT is presented as a pragmatist alternative to populism that recognizes the need to maintain symbols in touch with the reality they are supposed to stand for.