Mapping the absence: a theological critique of posthumanist influences in marketing and consumer research

Abstract

In this study, we critically examine the ongoing adoption of various posthumanist influences into the fields of marketing and consumer research from a theological perspective. By conducting a theological-historical assessment, we propose that it is not posthuman notions of human/technology relations, nor their broader context in the emerging non-representational paradigms, that mark radically new disruptions in the continuing restructuring of the disciplines of marketing and consumer research. Instead, we argue that what is taking place is an implicit adherence to a contemporary form of age-old Christian dogma. As a radical conjecture, we thus propose that an identification of certain similarities between Christian dogma and the grounds for various posthumanist frameworks suggest that posthuman thought may well herald the global dissemination of a far more elusive, authoritarian, and hegemonic system than that which posthumanists typically claim to have abandoned. Consequently, we elaborate on implications to developments in marketing thought.

Writing telepathy back into marketing theory

“…Myers, Barrett and Freud do not present their work as affect theory. Instead of arguing that it could be read as part of a protoaffect tradition, we are merely noting 'certain similarities' (Botez et al, 2020) between Myers', Barrett's and Freud's reflections on telepathy and more contemporary forms of theorising in our subject. This material is included as it deals with the capacity of one person to affect another in ways that may be fostered by an 'affective background' (e.g., religious insecurity accompanying the materialism of the 19 th century; the anxiety, fear and despair associated with World War I, etc.)…”

Consumer’e Aşkin Olan Construer’i̇n Kavramsal Çerçevesi̇ Üzeri̇ne Bi̇r İnceleme: Consumer’i̇n Aşkin Zemi̇ni̇ Olarak Theosumer

“…The basic idea of posthuman thought is based on the definition that "…the human is defined by an endless plasticity, an innate malleability that posits change and transgression as its inherent form (Botez et al, 2020)". This thought shows why Braidotti refers to Spinoza's -conatus-philosophy while establishing her posthuman thought.…”

“…So the "consumer" needs to be transcended as "construer" in terms of the transcendent world; otherwise "construer" cannot be the essential mode of God. In this framework, on the necessity of assigning a transcendent identity to the consumer in terms of posthuman, the theological ground becomes essential for consumer behaviour, which Botez et al (2020) underline. An essential thought regarding establishing the consumer on the transcended ground as a construer is mentioned by (Fırat and Dholakia, 2017).…”

Marketing Research Trends: Issues and Research Direction

“…Any useful method can be utilized in marketing research (Addis and Podesta, 2005). Marketing research theory and practice have witnessed substantial changes over the years (Tadajewski, 2010;Botez et al, 2020). According to Hair et al (2018), marketing research methods are changing as a consequence of changes in managerial skills, innovations in technology, consumer and client behaviours, and the emergence of big data and associated data analytics methods.…”