Amateur biopolitics: generalization of a practice, limits of a concept

Abstract

In the current stage of capitalism, amateur images emerge as a paradigmatic production insofar as they reflect the dispute about the subjective and affective practices of consumers/spectators who have also become producers/collaborators. This paper discusses the biopolitical slant of this universe of images: the modulation strategies developed by companies and the modes of capitalization of life they engender. Our main goal is to discuss the concept of amateur, indicating its limits in face of contemporary practices of image production.