What is “Anthropotechnics”: on the Trail of a Transforming Concept

Bulgarian Historical Review, 53 (2025), No. 3, pp. 211-234
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/BHR3.25.DN09

Denitsa Nencheva

Denitsa Nencheva, Ph.D. - Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Moskovska Str. 6A, Sofia 1000 Bulgaria; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0856-8288, E-mail: denica.nencheva@iefem.bas.bg

Abstract: The paper explores the historical variations in the understanding of the notion of anthropotechnics by examining the reshaping of concepts embodied in the term, which is typically associated with scientifically based aspirations for human refinement and longevity. Through this lens, the text comments on the biopolitical horizons of the 20th century, which permeate established political divisions through techniques of both (self-) governmentality and the discipline of the collective body. Initially framed within the field of biology, the term denoted techniques similar to these in animal breeding, linking it with the concept of eugenics. During the 1960’s and 1970’s anthropotechnics entered the context of productivity intensification, engaging with the humanmachine system. Its newest interpretations focus around concepts such as human enhancement and mind training. The primary aim is to examine the extent to which this term signifies the transformations standing behind ideas such as “optimization”, “improvement” and “better life”. The analysis draws on a number of sources – literature, archival materials, and other relevant studies from the periods in question.

Keywords: anthropotechnics, eugenics, ergonomics, medicine, occupational safety

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