Disconnection : A New Trend in Sociology of Resistance

Based on a multi-sited ethnography conducted in Alaska, the Pyrenees and the French Alps, this contribution aims to lay the groundwork for a sociology of digital disconnection, viewed as a system of social control or domination. It will demonstrate how voluntary disconnection emerges as a new form of social struggle. Additionally, it will examine how the advent of satellite-based connectivity (e.g., Starlink) disrupts these efforts. After outlining 3 ethnographic cases, the presentation will examine the perspective of digital power and avoidance strategies as a means of rebalancing relations of domination at a local level. It will also look at how these struggles take shape in communities between supporters of hyper-connection and those defending the right to total disconnection. Ultimately, the work will draw on David Graeber's theories to explore the rearticulation of local resistance in the digital age.