Speaker
Description
Particulate matter (PM), a toxic airborne pollutant known for its microscopic size, has become a pressing concern in South Korea since the early 2010s. Due to health risks associated with PM, such as its ability to penetrate lung cells and cause inflammation, South Koreans gradually started to navigate their outdoor physical activity (PA) according to PM levels. For instance, people base their decisions about outdoor PA on real-time air pollution reports on smartphone applications, as well as, I argue, bodily senses regarding air pollution. In this presentation, I explore the interplay between mobile technology and bodily senses in shaping people’s understanding of air pollution and experiences of outdoor PA. I particularly illustrate the embodied, sensory, and affective dimensions of the app experiences that manifest through a transformation of bodily capacities and performances. Looking into this interplay can help us understand the ways in which technology complicates the relationship between human bodies and the environment.
