Social bodies and locative technologies

This chapter reflects on the emerging field of locative technologies and attempts to place it within a theoretical framework within social and urban studies, human computer interaction and through the presentation of recent artistic practices. The analysis looks how socio-spatial systems such as the "agora" (and other sites of social interaction) played a role in the constitution and development of society. Findings will be evaluated against the emergence of contemporary public spaces and their relation with the social that through the proliferation of mobile, wireless and ubiquitous computing offer new platforms for public discourse and innovation in the application of update new media technologies. Critically framing the implications of location awareness and context based technologies, the author will benchmark the findings with social approaches that re-address the focus and meanings of the "social" and "space" using Manuel Castells' and Bruno Latour's concepts and definitions. The question underlying the chapter is: what relations are there between locative technologies and the social body? Examples of contemporary artistic practices will be used as evidence of this discourse, drawn in particular from the artworks of artist such as Beatriz da Costa, or in projects like GPS drawings.