Paper long abstract:

This paper explores a particular nature-culture relationship, that of cod and humans. It holds that cod can be seen as 'relational materiality', its properties being that of inseparability between object and measuring agencies. It is argued that cod shifts ontology with shifting measuring agencies. Cod to the environmentalist is different from cod to the manager. And cod to the manager shifts ontology whether the manager is Russian or Norwegian. Politics and ontopolitics inform the nature of cod. Likewise, humans that engage with cod are also performed in the processes. The materialization processes at work inform both subjects and objects.

The paper focuses on materialization processes of cods and humans but the perspectives also invites discussions on measuring agencies that give cod voice as well as political and ethical aspects of giving some cods more voice than others.