Reflection on Materiality in the Age of the Anthropocene

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Published: Oct 25, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/ta.44295
Keywords:
Anthropocene, Layered structure, New materialism, Sustainability, Degrowth
Christos Merantzas
University of Patras
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8443-0830
Konstantina Karakosta
University of Patras
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8254-4308
Abstract

The relationship between human activities and the material transformations of the Earth during the Anthropocene is critically examined, with particular emphasis on the enduring impacts of industrial materials such as plastics and concrete. These substances have become geological markers of human intervention, reshaping ecosystems and altering planetary systems on an unprecedented scale. The analysis underscores the urgent need to transition toward sustainable practices and ethical modes of production, while highlighting the necessity of institutional reforms to restore ecological balance and long-term environmental resilience. The discussion juxtaposes two influential theoretical frameworks. Benjamin Bratton conceptualizes technological and ecological systems as layered and hierarchical structures that connect industrial production with geopolitics and digital infrastructures, emphasizing stability, organization, and control. In contrast, Karen Barad’s new materialism proposes a dynamic and relational understanding of materiality, where matter and meaning continuously co-evolve through interaction. This contrast reveals divergent interpretations of global flows: Bratton views them as structured and relatively stable, whereas Barad considers them fluid, contingent, and constantly transforming. Furthermore, the analysis explores the consequences of human consumption and waste for the planet’s geological and biological trajectories. It engages with the concept of degrowth, which challenges perpetual economic expansion and promotes reduced consumption, social justice, and ecological well-being. Degrowth advocates limiting resource extraction and redistributing wealth more equitably. Objects are not mere commodities but components of economic, geopolitical, and environmental power relations. Materials such as lithium batteries and semiconductors exemplify how capitalist production intensifies ecological degradation.

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  • Section
  • Sustainable Development
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