Article Abstract

In the Anthropocene, where human activities profoundly shape planetary ecosystems, traditional anthropocentric frameworks for understanding human-nature relationships are increasingly inadequate. This paper explores Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a posthumanist lens to reimagine multispecies ethics, emphasizing the agency of non-human entities such as animals, plants, and ecosystems. By treating humans and non-humans as equal actants within interconnected networks, ANT challenges hierarchical distinctions and fosters a relational ontology that acknowledges the distributed agency of all beings. This study examines how Latour’s framework can inform ethical responses to environmental crises, such as biodiversity loss and climate change, by promoting a multispecies perspective that decenters human exceptionalism. Through a case study of river ecosystems, the paper analyzes how ANT reveals the agency of rivers as actants in environmental governance, advocating for policies that recognize their ecological and cultural significance. Drawing on Latour’s works, including ‘We Have Never Been Modern’ and ‘Facing Gaia’, alongside posthumanist scholarship by Donna Haraway and Anna Tsing, this research argues that ANT provides a robust theoretical foundation for ethical practices that embrace interdependence and reciprocity in the Anthropocene. By reconfiguring human-nature relationships, this approach not only enriches posthumanist discourse but also offers practical insights for sustainable coexistence. The paper concludes that adopting Latour’s ANT in multispecies ethics can transform environmental decision-making, fostering a more inclusive and equitable planetary future.
Keywords: Actor-Network Theory, Anthropocene, Bruno Latour, Multispecies Ethics, Non-Human Agency, Posthumanism