Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean
How do algorithms shape the experience of facts? Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Limón, Costa Rica, this paper explores the role of algorithms in mediating three kinds of “factishes”: data truths, affective facts, and mystic revelations. The article unfolds as a series of stories that capture t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Tapuya |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25729861.2024.2363095 |
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| _version_ | 1849688408859869184 |
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| author | Ignacio Siles Edgar Gómez-Cruz Rodrigo Muñoz-González |
| author_facet | Ignacio Siles Edgar Gómez-Cruz Rodrigo Muñoz-González |
| author_sort | Ignacio Siles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | How do algorithms shape the experience of facts? Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Limón, Costa Rica, this paper explores the role of algorithms in mediating three kinds of “factishes”: data truths, affective facts, and mystic revelations. The article unfolds as a series of stories that capture the interactions between Costa Ricans and the algorithms of social media platforms. To analyze these relationships, we develop a “ventriloquist” ethnographic approach that gives voice to algorithms by interpreting extant literature and the experiences of our interlocutors. We argue that algorithms enable individuals to navigate composite realities and assume multiple positions within them rather than merely conflating truth and fiction or strictly separating them. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ebddc953f1bc42ae85dc00a0dee6b249 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2572-9861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tapuya |
| spelling | doaj-art-ebddc953f1bc42ae85dc00a0dee6b2492025-08-20T03:22:00ZengTaylor & Francis GroupTapuya2572-98612024-12-017110.1080/25729861.2024.2363095Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican CaribbeanIgnacio Siles0Edgar Gómez-Cruz1Rodrigo Muñoz-González2School of Communication, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa RicaSchool of Information, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USASchool of Communication, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa RicaHow do algorithms shape the experience of facts? Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Limón, Costa Rica, this paper explores the role of algorithms in mediating three kinds of “factishes”: data truths, affective facts, and mystic revelations. The article unfolds as a series of stories that capture the interactions between Costa Ricans and the algorithms of social media platforms. To analyze these relationships, we develop a “ventriloquist” ethnographic approach that gives voice to algorithms by interpreting extant literature and the experiences of our interlocutors. We argue that algorithms enable individuals to navigate composite realities and assume multiple positions within them rather than merely conflating truth and fiction or strictly separating them.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25729861.2024.2363095AlgorithmsCaribbeanfactsfactishLatin Americareligion |
| spellingShingle | Ignacio Siles Edgar Gómez-Cruz Rodrigo Muñoz-González Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean Tapuya Algorithms Caribbean facts factish Latin America religion |
| title | Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean |
| title_full | Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean |
| title_fullStr | Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean |
| title_full_unstemmed | Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean |
| title_short | Algorithms as facts and fabrications: ethnographic stories of factishes from the Costa Rican Caribbean |
| title_sort | algorithms as facts and fabrications ethnographic stories of factishes from the costa rican caribbean |
| topic | Algorithms Caribbean facts factish Latin America religion |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25729861.2024.2363095 |
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