Identity troubles:

hybrid partner relationships in the era of 'algorithmic intimacy' and the 'digital risk society'

Abstract

The present contribution examines the reconfiguration of the self and institutions, focusing on companionate
relationships in the era of 'algorithmic intimacy' and the 'digital risk society.' From this perspective, it combines
theoretical contributions from critical posthumanism and feminist new materialisms, as well as from the
sociology of risk and digital sociology. At the core are transformations in intimacy through dating platforms,
artificial intelligence, and humanoid robots, along with new forms of embodiment and emotional
consumption. Simultaneously, new risks are highlighted, from surveillance and abusive behaviors, to the new
forms of psychotherapy. The ultimate question is whether these practices lead to new forms of coexistence,
resistance, or to the further disposability of love and human bonds.