Video: Devin Proctor – On Being Non-Human

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In this video meeting (held using Zoom in September 2019), we hear from Devin Proctor, PhD talking about otherkin and identity in online communities from a scientific perspective. He further explores concepts like open-bodied identification, animism, and a mind-blowing take on what the word “cybernetics” means – it’s not what you think it means!

Devin is an expert in anthropology, sociology, and education – after getting his bachelor’s at New York University, he went on to get a total of three master’s degrees (you can never have enough graduate school!) before getting his PhD in Anthropology from The George Washington University.

His presentations and publications have included things like “Of Bots and Dragons: Animist Internet Practice,” “Cybernetic Animism,” and “Policing the Fluff: The Social Construction of Scientistic Selves in Otherkin Facebook Groups,” and of course his herculean thesis, “On Being Non-Human: Otherkin Identification and Virtual Space”

Some topics discussed may be quite personal for people, so please keep an open mind as you watch the video.

Thanks again Devin for a great discussion!
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Devin’s full dissertation can be found here:
https://search.proquest.com/openview/e156c24bf65c4efb0918a8db37433cce/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

“Cybernetic Animism” (book chapter): https://devinproctor.jimdo.com/publications/cybernetic-animism/

“Policing the Fluff” (article): https://estsjournal.org/index.php/ests/article/view/252

Devin invites everyone to find all of the above and additional material at his website: devinproctor.com

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The Freedom of Form Foundation is working to fund and popularize scientific research that will enable freedom of one’s physical form – biotech for self-expression. We regularly hold events and community activities, and are working hard to put people, knowledge, and resources together to make freedom of form possible. To see what all we’re up to, you can check out our website at https://freedomofform.org/ and our Twitter at https://twitter.com/FreedomOfForm – look forward to seeing you next time!

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