Immersion, immersive power

Abstract

Immersion is a specific quality that emerges through dynamics of affecting and being affected, and is characterized by a dense involvement of the subject in an interactive and inter-affective context that entangles thinking, feeling and acting. In this article, we discuss the current use of the term in various domains including arts, experience economy, and the design of work spaces in Human Resource Management. We specifically focus on examples of immersive performance installations and work place designs to present our affect theoretical conceptualization of “immersion”. Finally, we argue that immersion is currently emerging also as a new technique of affect based micro-governance.