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Objects as relational actors

Begleri (a skill toy of two beads on a string) as a teaching example for actor-network theory and relational thinking. The two beads form a minimal two-node actor-network: their agency is collective by design, since the string ensures every action on one bead propagates to the other.

The example makes a larger point: objects participate in networks of cultural transmission, personal skill, and community identity. Playing with begleri is not a solitary act but an engagement with generations of practice. The concept connects directly to relationality — entities constituted through their relations rather than existing independently.

Idea from emsenn; stub created from AI-generated draft in slop/understanding-actor-network-theory-with-begleri.md.

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@misc{emsenn2026-objects-as-relational-actors,
  author    = {emsenn},
  title     = {Objects as relational actors},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://emsenn.net/library/sociology/terms/objects-as-relational-actors/},
  publisher = {emsenn.net},
  license   = {CC BY-SA 4.0}
}