The modern/colonial hell of innovation economy: future as a return to colonial mythologies

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

‘Innovation’ has become a central metaphor of contemporary capitalism, a global symbol of hope and future. In this paper, I examine the continuations and transformations of colonial mythologies within the on-going expansions of innovation economy. Drawing from Walter Benjamin's discussions on modernity as the time of hell, I discuss how the colonial ‘eternally returns’ under the cloak of ‘newness’. The material of the paper consists of popular innovation literature, drawn from two global centres of innovation economy: Silicon Wadi in Israel/Palestine and Silicon Valley in California bay. I conclude the piece by arguing that the return of colonial mythologies to the heart of contemporary capitalism is not only symbolic but rather a violently material phenomenon. Indeed, the examples of Silicon Wadi and Silicon Valley demonstrate how particular bodies and lands are becoming (re)colonized as the innovation economy expands
Original languageEnglish
JournalGlobalizations
Number of pages24
ISSN1474-7731
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Mar 2022
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • 5141 Sociology
  • 5203 Global Development Studies
  • innovation
  • coloniality
  • Temporality
  • Walter Benjamin
  • Silicon Valley
  • Myth
  • Silicon Wadi
  • Innovation
  • coloniality
  • Silicon Valley
  • Silicon Wadi
  • myth
  • temporality
  • SILICON VALLEY
  • ORIGINS

Cite this