We all live in place and under capitalism. So it is no surprise that the spatial and economic processes of daily life appear to us as natural as the air we breathe. Appearances can deceive, however. Far from being timeless and universal, the fusion of place and capitalism is a recent occurrence and sharp departure from the mainlines of human history. While place is as old as our species—300,000 years, according to the experts—capitalism did not come fully into its own until the industrial revolution kicked off 300 or so years ago. Today, place and capitalism are inseparable conditions of life.
Framing Capitalism in Place aims to show how capitalism shapes the places in which we make our lives, and how these places, in turn, shape capitalism. It tells this story using pictures, words and the theory of capital formulated by Karl Marx. The photo galleries and the reflections that accompany them are small windows looking out on a vast, ever-changing landscape produced by the contradictory unity of place and capitalism.
Who might be interested in this website?
- Geographers, historians, students across the human sciences.
- Documentary and street photographers.
- Creative artists whose passion is visual story telling.
- Travelers of the self-reflexive sort.
- Anyone interested in Karl Marx's theory of capital.
- Activists engaged in anti-capitalist struggle.
- Stargazers who like to ponder how this world came to be what it is.
My advice is that you begin with the two essays filed under the "Place" and "Capitalism" tabs. These present a Marxist framework for understanding the deeper processes at work in the locations I have visited, photographed and written about. Once you have familiarized yourself with the theory and concepts I am working with, dive into the photo galleries. Each photo has a caption indicating where it was taken and how it illuminates this or that aspect of the process of capitalist place formation. Some of the galleries are also accompanied by reflections that discuss these matters in greater depth.
I recognize that some of you will prefer a less structured, smorgasbord approach—a gallery here, an essay there, perhaps a reflection if you have the appetite for it. Others will eat their fill of photos and leave the essays and reflections for the next diner.
It's up to you. This website is not a fixed menu.
If the Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise, I plan to continue my travels. So stay tuned for new postings and revisions of old ones.
Framing Capitalism in Place is a work in progress, just like Marx and Elvis in the photo above. Just like you and me and the places I have documented with my camera.