Introduction

Assemblage Theory is a concept that analyses the construction of both the physical (environments, societies, nations) and the non-physical (morals, culture, histories, social) as a process of assembling assemblages (DeLanda, 2016). The theory has seen multiple renditions throughout academia, such as Actor-Network Theory, which focuses more on socio-technological constructions, the human and non-human assemblages within society that consistently rely upon ever-transforming networks (Law & Hassad, 1999; Bruno, 1996). Deleuze and Guattari also discussed ideas surrounding assemblages in their co-written work ‘A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia’ (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987). Positing that everything is in a constant state of becoming, a never-ending transformational process that has no end yet only exists to build upon itself (Buchanan, 2015; Deleuze & Guattari, 1987). Assemblage theory can even have its roots traced back to Michel Foucault and his work surrounding ‘Dispositifs’ (the structures that sustain and change power dynamics within social institutions) (Legg, 2011). There are many forks in the interdisciplinary nature of the theory, assemblage theory is more of an umbrella term. the one that this essay shall focus on first is Manuel DeLanda’s, as it is more relevant within geographical literature (DeLanda, 2016). In this rendition of the theory, DeLanda discusses both the physical and the non-physical assemblages that constitute everyday place and space. Hierarchical structures within buildings are analysed, such as the vertical nature of power within skyscrapers, or that churches are pointed as if they were aiming at heaven. DeLanda focuses not just on assemblages but also on the design of the rhythms of our social world and how these are a product of reactions and flows that engulf more than just the idea of place (DeLanda, 2019). It is important to note that DeLanda himself regards his take on the theory as an extension of the work produced by Deleuze and Guattari. DeLanda separates his theory of assemblages, however, by stating that each of the assemblages built is its own data point, and is not reliant on networks or other variables, they exist as a singular assemblage (Ball, 2016).

One idea that heavily features within assemblage theory is the concept of states reaching consistent situated plateaus, within these plateaus is where the order of the social (both external and internal) is created. This order of the social consists of the directions upon which social change is being built, this was discussed within DeLanda’s early work and is a rare instance of networking being mentioned within his theory. DeLanda states that to understand this constant plateau that leads to pushing social aspects in new directions, we must analyse them through macro networks. The difference, DeLanda claims, is that, unlike ANT theory, these networks are not stable or physical things, and instead are chaotic and ever-changing  (DeLanda, 2006). DeLanda later distances himself from ANT and its ideas of solid networks, by thinking in terms of humans not as agents but as assemblages whose agency is down to how they react to possibilities, be it intentional or not. This, in turn, strengthens the theory against a common criticism levelled against ANT, that it does not account for or highly neglects the roles of human agency within its networks (Atkinson, 2023). However, it does not strengthen criticisms of its deterministic nature or its neglect of individual agency.  DeLanda focuses on assemblages as becoming homogeneous, a holistic singularity without breaks or joints but instead seamless. For DeLanda, human agency only interacts with certain elements of assemblages, it is relational yet not dependant and whilst these agencies can increase the chances of assemblages moving in certain directions it is not a foregone conclusion. DeLanda uses an analogy of the correlation between smoking and cancer to illustrate his point, arguing that whilst it does highly ramp up the risk, not all lung cancer is due to smoking, and not all smokers get lung cancer  (Anderson, et al., 2018).

When examining the impact and advancements of thinking assemblage theory has had within academia, globalisation must be also examined, as the two go hand in hand. As socio-technological interconnections have advanced, so too has the nature of assemblages within an increasingly globalised world. Research is shared globally informing societal structures, current laws, and regulations (such as the COVID-19 lockdowns), and technological advancements blurring lines between rural and urban places. Translocal places have become assemblages of their own, and now transcend ideas of space as situated or having a fixed location. Further drawing upon Deleuze, Guattari, and DeLanda’s ideas of things never reaching a finished state, and always in a state of becoming (Woods, et al., 2021; DeLanda, 2019; Deleuze & Guattari, 1994). When discussing the advancement of understanding globalisation through assemblage theory, it is important to mention the contributions of Doreen Massey. With the intensified global network of a slowly harmonising global village, Massey believed that despite spatial locations, people and governments would have to address the ‘responsibilities at a distance’ (Massey, 2002). Sentiments on morality, more specifically how they are being constructed within societal assemblages have been also discussed by DeLanda, when using the example of red-light districts (DeLanda, 2019). Massey referred to this as flows and interdependencies stemming from interactions and intra-actions through and by spaces that transcend just location. Massey further contributed to the state of becoming, stating that spaces are never static and are always under a state of construction (Kitchin, 2016). Massey is still highly poignant and informs literature within geography and beyond to this day. As the concepts around inequality, local identities, and what it means to be rural vs a product of urbanisation are brought more to the forefront of developing issues. Massey’s works’ relevancy can also be seen as a vital supplementary work to assemblage theories, which are a relatively new concept within academia (Rossignolo, 2022).

One of the recent ways assemblage theories have been used to understand the world and advance literature has been through the feminist lens. One of the pivotal ways this is done is through the intersectionality of not only personal identity but place. It is argued that due to the abstract nature of social constructs and language cultures, assemblage theory can be used to trace and utilize the interplay of nonmaterial issues that lead to wider assemblages i.e., politically, culturally, and economically through power imbalances. It has been criticized, however, for the fact that the original theory itself widely ignored feminist issues and needed to be augmented to be relevant (Kinkaid, 2019; Puar, 2020). Feminist literature also uses assemblage theory to understand the linkages between the micro and macro political geographies that are shaping everyday life. Assemblage theory can be criticized for neglecting the role of the individual, yet, here its mass focus can be used as an advantage when studying how areas are deterritorialised and territorialised through politics. Assemblages allow a parsimonious inception of both materiality and non-materiality as effects, this binding of the human with the non-human creates a better understanding of politics as bodies with agencies (Ghoddousi & Page, 2020). Additionally, using the concept of mobility assemblages (a subgenre of assemblage that focuses specifically on the movement of migrant women), feminist geographers have used ideas around assemblages to research gender-based fear, moral panics, and violence. This nomad nature of mobility assemblages deterritorialized the migrant woman from patriarchal assemblages, as they move from one place to another (Tamboukou, 2021). Finally, Feminist literature, using DeLanda’s model of assemblage more specifically, discusses the role of hierarchical organisations becoming dematerialised through the union of solidarity that interconnected women bring about by social behaviours. These behaviours and understanding of not just the external but also personal autonomy encourage the situated plateau to move to a new outcome (Tamboukou, 2020). This personal autonomy thought through the lens of assemblage thinking was originally inspired by Donna Haraway’s ‘A Cyborg Manifesto’ (Haraway, 1991). A concept which removes essentialist ideas of autonomy as something merely biological and instead repurposes one’s body as a technology able to shift power previously thought inherent within society and unchanging (Melzer, 2019).

For assemblages to be truly understood, they cannot only be perceived as the net gain or building of something, they must also be analysed through their power to de-territorialise. To understand this concept, Deleuze and Guattari referred to the hand as a deterritorialized paw, something disregarded to create a new version of itself that may even exceed the complexity of its source  (Harrison, et al., 2020). Globalisation is often seen as an example of the deterritorialization of the rural and the territorialisation of the global, a non-physical flow that enables the movements of the locales to become translocal. This melds into the idea that assemblage theory is a flat ontology (all objects both physical and non-physical are valid within their existence), which means that even the micro materials that form assemblages and assemblages within themselves. Therefore, these micro assemblages are always subject to transformations, which creates an endless knock-on effect of internal variables (Moisio, et al., 2020). To simplify this idea, the three outcomes of deterritorialization, are the negative, the relative, and the absolute. Focusing on the last two, relative deterritorializations have the potential to reterritorialize themselves into something new, this new assemblage, however, is viewed as absolute, meaning that it cannot reterritorialize itself (Buchanan, 2020; Günzel, 1998). One example of deterritorialization that is less abstract is technologies surrounding mobility, which allow for rhythms and flows through local neighbourhoods essentially blurring the lines between local and urban. This can also end up territorialising an area as it creates a larger homogeneous location since the boundaries of separation are now nullified (Brown, 2020). For understanding the assemblages surrounding deterritorialization, Muller suggests that Bruno Latour’s ANT is the better model due to its network linkage focus and how this may help to understand power concerning territory. The nature of assemblages is one that not only constantly becomes, but also undergoes metamorphosis, dissolves, and re-establishes itself. Assemblages are a collection of diverse variables that can sustain itself for only a finite amount of time. Muller uses the example of the European Union here, an organisation that is an assemblage of diversity yet is treated as if it were unknowable, using the black box metaphor. Muller argues that ANT theory sheds light on problematic statuses like this, highlighting the intentional obscuring of human agency that defines boundaries (Müller, 2015; Bousquet, 2014).

From the period between 1494 to 1648 territories first gained legal status as entities within the law, this was a significant move not only for power and politics but also for the actualisation of assemblages as more than imaginary or abstract claims (DeLanda, 2019; Whaley, 2012). From here forward, territories have not only become more defined, but more open to political hierarchies. This is still relevant today, as political geographers attempt to use assemblage theory to de-politicize sustainable development goals. It is argued that assemblage thinking not only unearths lost geographies but also creates an apolitical activism, devoid of conflictive legal power imbalances that may hinder sustainable development goals. Moreover, assemblage thinking highlights how technological progression and ecological green thought have come together in an uncomfortable union over climate sustainability (Hope, 2021). It is these assemblages of technologies that have threatened our existence in more ways than one, with the creation of the nuclear bomb being the most pivotal example. Despite the technological determinism of these potential extinction events, it is argued that assemblage theory offers a way of understanding the diverse multifaceted evolutionary outcomes that allow for the avoidance of deterministic thought (Bousquet, 2014; Perreault, et al., 2015). Technology is also where assemblage theory is beginning to find more relevancy, as physical moves to virtual and connective environments become more prominent as technological advancements permeate through society (Nichols & Stornaiuolo, 2019). Recent work in the realms of digital sociology and assemblage theory have studied the increasing technological literacy of children as the world moves towards a more virtual one. Including the shift from traditional cities to hybrid forms of physical and non-physical such as smart cities. This further blends into sustainability as smart cities are created with green spaces and energy infrastructure to tackle the climate crisis. This also highlights assemblage theories concepts around deterritorialization, as traditional cities are reassembled to make way for more eco-friendly urban environments. Entire new generations qualitative experience of the assemblages around them are becoming fundamentally changed at an attempted rapid rate. Assemblage theory, whilst criticised for being less of a theory and more of a mode of thinking, begins to shine through during the current technological sustainability geographical literature (Parks & Rohracher, 2019; Mora, et al., 2022; Carrington, 2020).

Conclusion

This essay began by analysing the groundwork that laid the foundations to the inception of assemblage theory. An umbrella term that encompasses a paradigm of thought surrounding both physical and non-physical assemblages. At first, DeLanda and Latour’s ANT were compared as they harboured differences that were important to acknowledge, and subtly yet significantly changed the theory’s ability to be applied in certain subjects. Whilst assemblage theory itself is still a relatively new school of thought within geographical academia, its origins stem from older philosophers and academics such as Foucault, Deleuze and Guattari. The theory utilizes the principles of these works, and DeLanda most notably, has crafted a more current rendition of assemblage theory that can be useful for studying the context of both past and present society. It has also seen utilisation throughout feminist geographical literature, due to its nature of focusing on both micro contexts and macro effects, this has allowed academics and research to analyse power imbalances and the migration patterns of nomad women. Assemblage theory is intersectional, and this has lent itself well to analysing conflicting agencies within contexts, such as deterritorialization and territorialisation, interconnectivity, and fragmentation. Furthermore, whilst ANT was the favoured thought in this scenario, assemblage theory, whilst neglecting individual human agency at the same time has the potential to lift the veil on diverse and complex ‘black box organisations’ such as the European Union and defining boundaries. Where assemblage theory is finding its most relevancy in new geographical literature, however, is within ideas of sustainability, smart cities, and assemblages of technology. As discussed in this essay, the world is becoming increasingly non-physical, and this continues to cause a shift in the lived experiences of coming generations from traditional mobility and physicality to virtual ones. The intersectionality of assemblages has allowed for a more in-depth understanding of the uncomfortable marriage of both green and ecological sustainability with increasing technological consumption and progression. Whilst the theory is not without criticisms, that being its deterministic nature, the overtly abstract premise that leads it more into thought than theory, and various iterations that differ subtly yet significantly. The idea of assemblages has become an important tool in navigating coming points of contention and the traceable histories that constructed them.

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