Week 3 1 S514: Social Aspects of IT

2 Disciplines related to SI Social ScienceManagementComputer Sci. Science & Technology Studies MIS Information Science Social Informatics Communication

3 Scholars: Theoretical Perspectives Science & Technology Studies MIS Information Science Social Informatics Castells Kling Markus Lamb Webster Rosenbaum Qualman Sawyer Beijker Suchman Social ScienceManagementComputer Sci. Communication Arora Sismondo Turkle Monberg Wouters

Social Informatics (Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer, 2005) SLIS S514 4 Definition of SI: The interdisciplinary study of the design, uses and consequences of information technologies that takes into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts (Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer, 2005, p. 6).

Social Informatics (Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer, 2005) SLIS S orientations in SI research Normative ~= social realism E.g., participatory design Analytical ~= social theory E.g., Web model; STIN Critical Question the standard model

Social Informatics (Lamb & Sawyer, 2005) SLIS S514 6 People Environment Technology Work Practice Socio-technical perspectives

Social Informatics (Kling, et al., 2005) SLIS S514 7 How would you explain social informatics to a friend? What is the difference between technological determinism and the contextual analysis identified in social informatics research? Technological determinism: Technology as an independent variable directly effecting social change

Consequences of ICTs for Organizations and Social Life (Kling et al., 2005) SLIS S514 8 Social Nature of ICTs ICTs are interpreted and used in different ways ICTs enable and constrain social actions and social relationships ICTs provide a means to alter existing control structures There can be negative consequences of ICT developments for some stakeholders

Consequences of ICTs for Organizations and Social Life (Kling et al., 2005) SLIS S514 9 Technical Nature of ICTs ICTs play both communicative and computational roles There are important temporal and spatial dimensions of ICT consequences ICTs rarely cause social transformations ICTs are not magic bullets Institutional Nature of ICTs Social and technical consequences are embedded in institutional contexts ICTs often have important political consequences

Analysis of Arora’s Article This paper won the ASIST SIG-SI best paper awards. I was a discussant to talk about this paper (and another paper together). What would be your comment to introduce Arora’s article if you were the discussant for the SIG-SI best paper awards? SLIS S514 10

Messy Shapes of Knowledge (The Virtual Knowledge Studio, 2008) Impact talk E-science (European perspective) vs. Cyberinfrasturcutre (US perspective) “Media inscribes our situation” (p. 323) Inscriptions are “self-producing” and “the product of labor” (p. 339) Possibility for new methods with the Internet SLIS S514 11

Three Shuttles (Giebryn, 2003) FieldLab FoundMade HereAnywhere ImmersedDetached

Social Construction of Technology (Bijker, 2001) SLIS S Technology is socially constructed Criticize technological determinism SCOT’s 3 research steps: Relevant social group and interpretive flexibility (e.g., ordinary bicycle) Closure and stabilization Technological frame

Social Construction of Technology (Bijker, 2001) Two important concepts of research on SCOT Seamless web Mutual shaping of technology and society Symmetry Human and non-human actors should be treated similarly SLIS S514 14

What is Actor Network Theory? E.g., driving a car

What is Actor Network Theory? E.g., driving a car

Actor-Network Theory The notion of Actor-network theory (ANT) helps us to map out the set of elements (the network) which influence, shape, or determine action (Monteiro). Methodologically, ANT has two major approaches. One is to "follow the actor," via interviews and ethnographic research. The other is to examine inscriptions (e.g., documents, images, graphics, etc. ). (Van House, 1999)

Basic Concepts in ANT Inscription an artifact... embodies the innovators' beliefs, social and economic relations, previous patterns of use, legal limits, and assumptions as to what the artifact is about (Akrich, 1992). The term inscription is used when designers formulate and shape technology in such a way as to lead and control users. Inscription can also refer to the way technical artifacts embody patterns of use, including user programs of action. (Faraj et al., 2004) See also Van House (2004)

Basic Concepts in ANT Translation Design is translation (i.e., users needs are translated into a set of specifications) Once an innovator's beliefs and interests are embodied in forms of inscription and technical arrangements, networks of actors with their own chains of translations can react to them. These actors can form an alliance of interests and compete for standards. The actors race first to choose the technology that seems most beneficial for them and then enroll this technology in their own actor-network (Faraj et al., 2004). See also Van House, N. A. (2004). Science and technology studies and information studies. Annual Review of Information Science & Technology, vol. 38.

Basic Concepts in ANT (Allen, 2004) Enrollment The moment that another actor accepts the interests defined by the focal actor Process of persuasion and control which creates, and maintains actor-networks see also Van House, 2004

Basic Concepts in ANT Black-boxing The way scientific and technical work is made invisible by its own success. When a machine runs efficiently, one need focus only on its inputs and outputs and not on its internal complexity. Van House, 2004

Group Activity SLIS S Form 3 teams (3 people each) for 4 articles assigned for this week: A: Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer Ch 1 & 2 B: Arora C: Wouters et al List P+, M-, I!, and Q? for each article individually Come up with a group decision of P+, M-, I!, and Q?