Ecological Translation Karen Bakker and Digital Conservationism
Abstract
This article explores the intersection of law, technology and environmental ethics through Karen Bakker’s work on digital conservationism. The central question posed is how the current legal framework would change if humans could communicate directly with non-human entities, such as ecosystems or animals, that coexist with us. This question, although not explicitly addressed in Backer’s book Gaia’s Web, nevertheless touches on the broader issues of artificial intelligence, algorithmic governance and environmental law. Backer’s advocacy of using digital technologies to monitor and conserve the environment suggests that AI could bridge the gap between human and non-human communication, potentially leading to legal recognition of the rights of non-human organisms. The article critiques this view by examining questions relating to biopolitical control, the dangers of technological surveillance, and the challenges of representing non-human entities in legal terms. Furthermore, it re-examines the concept of the “natural contract,” taking into account the changing role of law in recognizing the autonomy of the non-human world.
Article Details
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Damianos, A. (2025). Ecological Translation: Karen Bakker and Digital Conservationism. Αutomaton: Journal of Digital Media and Culture, 3(2), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.12681/automaton.42668
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