Love and Other Technologies: Retrofitting Eros for the Information Age by Dominic Pettman – A Critical Study of Love as

Introduction

In an age where smartphones, social media, and instant messaging dominate our daily interactions, the concept of love has undergone a profound transformation. Dominic Pettman’s Love and Other Technologies: Retrofitting Eros for the Information Age offers a groundbreaking exploration of how desire, intimacy, and human connection are being reshaped by the very tools we use to communicate. This hardcover edition, published by Fordham University Press, is an essential read for students, scholars, and anyone curious about the intersection of philosophy, technology, and the heart.

Book Overview

Pettman challenges us to reconsider love not as a purely emotional or spiritual phenomenon, but as a form of technology—a set of rituals, techniques, and practices that define how we belong to one another. Drawing on the works of influential thinkers like Giorgio Agamben, Jean-Luc Nancy, and Bernard Stiegler, this book dissects the “techtonic” shifts in contemporary culture. From cell phones and text messaging to mass media, Pettman argues that our expressions of love reveal our deepest assumptions about what it means to be human in a hyper-connected world.

Key Highlights

• Original redefinition of love as a cultural technology
• Engages with continental philosophy and media theory
• Explores how modern communication tools alter intimacy
• Challenges romanticized notions of love from the past
• Written in an accessible yet intellectually rigorous style

Inside the Book

The book is structured around a series of provocative arguments. Pettman examines how love, as a technique of belonging, responds to the fundamental plurality of identity. Each chapter unpacks a different aspect of mediated desire—from the role of the voice in phone calls to the politics of touch in digital spaces. The author weaves together literary references, film analysis, and philosophical inquiry to show how eros is being “retrofitted” for the information age.

Key Topics

• The philosophy of technology and human intimacy
• Love as a social and cultural construct
• Media ecology and its impact on relationships
• Posthumanism and the future of desire
• Rituals of courtship in the digital era

Reader Benefits

This book offers Indian readers a fresh lens to understand their own experiences of love in an era of WhatsApp, dating apps, and video calls. It helps decode the unspoken rules of modern romance and provides intellectual tools to critique how technology shapes our emotional lives. Academics will find a rich theoretical framework, while general readers will appreciate the relatable examples and clear prose.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the relationship between technology and human emotion
• Analyze love as a technique rather than a feeling
• Critically evaluate the role of media in shaping desire
• Apply philosophical concepts to everyday digital interactions
• Develop a nuanced perspective on intimacy in the 21st century

Who Should Read

This book is ideal for students of philosophy, media studies, cultural studies, and sociology. It is also a compelling read for psychologists, artists, writers, and anyone interested in the evolving nature of human connection. If you are a curious reader in India who enjoys blending deep thinking with contemporary life, this book will resonate with you.

About the Author

Dominic Pettman is a renowned scholar and professor of culture and media at the New School in New York. He has written extensively on technology, affect, and posthumanism. His work bridges continental philosophy with popular culture, making complex ideas accessible to a wide audience.

About the Publisher

Fordham University Press is a distinguished academic publisher based in New York. Known for its rigorous scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, the press brings critical ideas to global readers, including those in India, through carefully curated titles like this one.

Conclusion

Love and Other Technologies is not just a book; it is an invitation to rethink the most intimate aspects of our lives. In a world where every swipe and ping carries emotional weight, Pettman’s insights are more relevant than ever. Add this hardcover to your collection and discover how love is being redesigned for the information age.