The Actor Network Theory

The reading for week 6.1 was a mouthful, it talks about the actor network theory.   On Actor Network Theory: A Few Clarifications 1/2. 11

What I derived from the readings and after watching some youtube videos about the topic, was that we often assume that setting up a network is purely based on the focus of technology or social aspects of our society. Where tecnological determinism is assumed that all outcomes of technological change in this generation are attributed to the technological. Whereas for sociological determinism, it is attributed to the social. With that on hand, the Actor Network Theory (ANT) that was introduced in the readings, is a theory that theories that both technical and social to be flawed. That there is an equal balance of social and technological when it comes to forming networks. An example of this would be talking on our mobiles phones, whereby there is a need for human interaction (us) and technology (the phone) for the entire process to work. Without us using the phone, it is nothing. Without the phone , we are nothing either. In other sense, what seems to be social is partly technical as well.

In the reading, the author uses words like “Actants”, these are relational ties that are set between a network. Such to say that, within a network there must be humanist and non humanistic actors – relating to Jenga without the competitors the blocks can’t build itself shows how essential these actants are.

From what I can apprehend is that there is no distinction of the approach of the social, the natural and technology when it comes to creating networks. There needs to be an equal balance of these actants. If there would be no humanistic actants, such like an operator running the train, a taxi driver driving a car… networks like these would cease to exist.

For a better understanding :