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Affektive Inszenierungen und digital-materielle Ästhetiken im Diskurs um sozial-ökologische Transformation

Abstract

As the digital public sphere is increasingly shaped by visuality, the circulation of images has become a key factor in determining social models, such as that of sustainability. Representations of embodied and affective performances, as well as symbolic signs, become objectifications of “communicative action” (Knoblauch 2017: 79-102) that contribute to the discursive construction of realities. Building on this, the article examines how these visualisations are employed in the construction of “socio-ecological transformation” and related demands. Combining visual discourse analysis (cf. Traue 2013) and image analysis, the study focuses on two contrasting empirical cases: a protest action by the Last Generation and its viral follow-up communication, and the SDG symbol, worn as a pin by celebrities, whose depiction is at times reinterpreted as an alleged sign of conspiracy. The analysis highlights the relevance of media-technological developments in current communication processes and, associated with this, the importance of bodily presence, affect, and algorithmic control.