SAVING LIVES OR SAVING MULTIPLE IDENTITIES - THE DOUBLE DYNAMIC OF RESUSCITATION SCRIPTS

Using the example of resuscitation techniques, I explore how technolog y helps to mediate the attribution and acquisition of identities. I ar gue that certain identities are pre-written in resuscitation scripts. If we follow the person through the resuscitation process, we see a do uble identity transformation. The resuscitation technology facilitates certain medical identities, and renders others irrelevant. When the o utcome of the resuscitative attempt is known, this process is reversed , and some previously irrelevant identities are now reinstated. Some i dentities can also be lost for ever, and new identities added to the m ultiple configuration. I examine the implications of this analysis of the stabilization of technology.