Visit to Wëlakamike

In this fictional essay, two ethnographers visit Wëlakamike, a community started by a group of citizens who became disillusioned by the failure of nation states to reign in capitalism and manmade climate change. The researchers learn that the technologies and practices designed by community members are used to minimize harm to the environment by human activity while encouraging citizens to engage in spirited democratic practices and artistic interventions. As we articulate in our research statement, this futuristic utopian community is developed upon a critique of contemporary surveillance capitalism and its capacity to disenfranchise people, weaken democracy, and harm the environment.