Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Cobalt & the DRC: a technological and ethical crisis

Publication Date

2024

College

Watkins College of Art

Department

Art, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Christine Rogers

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

Over the last couple of months, young adults have been boycotting the e-cigarette and vaping industry for its role in unethical practices of cobalt mining. Most of the technology we use daily relies on cobalt, a mineral that is commonly used in creating rechargeable batteries for smartphones, computers, and other electronic technologies. While cobalt provides the opportunity for enhanced renewable energy, often this is extracted and used at the cost of the people in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In this hypothetical art installation, the themes of Science and Stories are posed in an interactive way to understand our role in the ethical crisis occurring in the DRC. While imaginary in execution, this project proposal serves to question how we both benefit and are disadvantaged by the cobalt mining industry, hopefully pushing us to expand our minds to think more clearly about ways to ethically source items that we use.

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