• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.169-206
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• 2019

This article seeks to explore new relationships and ethics of human and technology by analyzing a cultural imaginary produced by artificial intelligence. Drawing on theoretical reflections of the Feminist Scientific and Technological Studies which understand science and technology as the matter of care(Puig de la Bellacas, 2011), this paper focuses on the fact that artificial intelligence and robots materialize cultural imaginary such as autonomy. This autonomy, defined as the capacity to adapt to a new environment through self-learning, is accepted as a way to conceptualize an authentic human or an ideal subject. However, this article argues that artificial intelligence is mediated by and dependent on invisible human labor and complex material devices, suggesting that such autonomy is close to fiction. The recent growth of the so-called 'assistant technology' shows that it is differentially visualizing the care work of both machines and humans. Technology and its cultural imaginary hide the care work of human workers and actively visualize the one of the machine. And they make autonomy and agency ideal humanness, leaving disabled bodies and dependency as unworthy. Artificial intelligence and its cultural imaginary negate the value of disabled bodies while idealizing abled-bodies, and result in eliminating the real relationship between man and technology as mutually dependent beings. In conclusion, the author argues that the technology we need is not the one to exclude the non-typical bodies and care work of others, but the one to include them as they are. This technology responsibly empathizes marginalized beings and encourages solidarity between fragile beings. Inspired by an art performance of artist Sue Austin, the author finally comes up with and suggests 'artificial intelligence in wheelchair' as an alternative figuration for the currently dominant 'autonomous artificial intelligence'.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.303-330
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among poverty, family structure and functioning, burdens of adult roles and socio-emotional problems. It was especially focused on the relationship between the burden of adult roles and socioemotional problems among children in poverty. The Structural Equation model was employed for analyses. The Theoretical model was established based on previous researches related to poverty and adult roles (for example, parentification and parentified children). Data came from the first wave of 'Seoul Panel Study of Children; SPSC' and subjects consisted of 1,807 4th grade elementary school students and their parents who were located at K-Gu in Seoul. The survey was carried out from October 25th to November 20th in 2005. The Results of the Structural Equation model were congruent with the theoretical expectations. To find a more appropriate model, three kinds of structural models were hypothesized and analysed. In the most appropriate model which had a good model fit, poverty and family structure impacted on socio-emotional problems directly and indirectly. The relationship between poverty and socio-emotional problems was mediated by family functioning and burdens of adult roles. The same mediation process existed between family structure and socio-emotional problems also. In brief, children in poverty or those who have a single parent are more likely to have impaired family functioning, which is likely to cause higher burdens of adult roles. In turn, those who have higher burdens of adult roles are more likely to have socioemotional problems. In conclusion, various theoretical and practical implications for social work practice focusing on the burdens of adult roles or caretaker roles among children in poverty were discussed.