Plastic Fossils: Concepts of Deep Time and Enchantment in The Age of Social Media

The first part of my research will explore a relationship between enchantment, environmental activism and the Anthropocene by drawing upon research in this area related to the arts and advertising (Jane Bennett). I will draw upon the work of Alan Macpherson, Mark A. Schneider and Jane Bennett to argue that concepts that explore deep time and ecology like Timothy Morton's 'mesh' have the power to enchant because they 'expose us to something both real and at the same time uncanny, weird, mysterious and awesome'.[1]

The second part of my research will conduct a close reading of environmental activism and its social media elements to identify how online and real world activity combine to help to bring this new thinking to the forefront - exploring four themes - regeneration, participation, layering of temporalities and awareness of deep time. I will also touch upon the transformative nature of the arts and social media activism.

The third part of my research will recommend a new model for social media theory and research based on an adaptation of Alan Macpherson's two spheres of enchantment for the arts, adding a third sphere of communication. This will create new knowledge by suggesting new areas of though for social media theory and research.