Anthropocene Spectres of the Salish Sea

The Anthropocene has changed life globally, but in the Pacific Northwest, this is particularly notable for the keystone species of the region, the salmon.  Currently, this research and the related explorations are the basis of my dissertation research at North Carolina State University.

​

I've begun with the historical background with material enactments of cultural values in the landscape of Western Washington in the form of dams and other alterations to the waterways of the area.  I've examined cultural imaginaries and representations in the form of language and cartography that give insights into the historical processes that shaped the landscape and interacted with the non-human in the history of the Seattle area. 

​

I am in the process of exploring what current cultural representations of salmon exist, including that which exists within generative AI, and what salmon-focused artificial intelligence would look like.

​

​