Actor Network theory.pptx

Actor Network theory

1. Actor Network theory Presented By: Umer Ikram

2. Pioneered in the 1980s John Law Michel Callon Bruno Latour The term "Actor network theory" was devised by Michel Callon in 1982. (Latour, 2004; Latour & Woolgar , 1986; Law J., 2007)

3. Actor-Network Theory is a theoretical and methodological approach that sees all social phenomena as the product of network interactions. It states that people, together with their technologies, comprise social networks. An actor network is “the act linked together with all of its influencing factors in building a network” (Suchman, 1987; Hanseth and Monteiro,1998)

4. Key Players “An actor in ANT is a semiotic definition – an actant – that is “something that acts, or to which activity is granted by another”…an actant can literally be anything provided it is granted to be the source of action” (Latour 1996, p.373; see also Callon & Latour 1981, p.286). ANT argues that both humans and non-humans actors be understood within a network wherein their identity is defined through their interaction with other actors, n etworks are thus systems of relations

5. The basic assumptions of Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) Actor-network theory declares that the world is full of hybrid entities (Latour 1993) It is necessary to include non-human actors in sociological explanations of action and structure There exists a relation between actors that forms a network In performing this relationship, actors are transformed as is the meaning or force that is transported

6. General principles of ant Actor-network theory has three main principles:  G eneralized symmetry A gnosticism F ree association

7. G eneralized symmetry According to this view no distinction between human and non-human actors should be made. Both should be analysed in the same terms without making any discrimination ( Callon , 1986; Law, 1986c; Law, 1987). In so doing, this principle maintains that both human and non-human actors have the ability to take actions, and can be anyone or anything (Law, 1986a).

8. Agnosticism t he principle of ‘agnosticism’ suggests that the observer of the actor network, needs to be impartial, and requires that all interpretations be unprivileged. This principle requires researchers to systematically avoid censoring any interpretation provided by the actors studied when they speak about themselves or other actors ( Callon , 1986)

9. free association The third principle of actor-network theory is  free association , which advocates for abandoning any distinction between natural and social phenomenon. T he principle of ‘free association’ requires the abandonment of all a priori relationships that could be assumed to exist between human and non-human actors ( Callon , 1986).

10. Criticism Critics of actor-network theory, such as Langdon Winner, have argued that certain properties, such as the ability to be intentional in one's actions, separate humans from animals and "things.“ It denies the fact that only humans can transform society Other critics have argued that ANT may imply that all actors are of equal importance in the network. This critique holds that ANT does not account for pre-existing structures, such as power, race, gender etc   One of the vehement attack includes accusations of a return to hylozoism (the belief that inanimate objects are alive).

11. Thanks