Spinuzzi network-3

How are Networks Theorized?

Clay SpinuzziClay.spinuzzi@utexas.edu

Value

• Grounding in activity theory: history, assumptions, applications

• Grounding in actor-network theory: history, assumptions, applications

• Strengths of each theory• Differences between the theories• Applications of each theory to social media

THE FIGHT

THE FIRST STROKE

The Central Disagreement

• Activity theory: Development precedes and underpins political-rhetorical interests [weaving]

• Actor-network theory: Political-rhetorical interests precede and underpin development [splicing]

ACTIVITY THEORY: KEY CONCEPTS

0. Engelsian dialectics1. Mediation2. Structure of activity3. Contradictions4. Activity networks

0. Engelsian Dialectics

• “The dialectical laws are really laws of development of nature, and therefore are valid also for theoretical natural science” (Engels 1954, p.84).

• Not only does dialectic constitute a “universally valid … general law of development of nature, society, or thought,” it also constitutes a universally valid law of development for the natural world (p.91).

1. Mediation

“typified rhetorical responses to recurring social situations”

2. Structure of ActivityLevel Focus Chars Timescale Aware? Disruption

Macro Activity Culture, history; social action, social memory

Year, decades

No Contradiction

Meso Goal Tool-in-use; tactics

Minutes, hours

Yes Discoordination

Micro Operation Rules, habits Seconds No Breakdown

2. Structure of Activity

3. Contradictions

Primary Contradictions

Secondary Contradictions

Tertiary Contradictions

Quaternary Contradictions

4. Activity Networks

4. Activity Networks

Example: Coworking

• Coworking = “working alone, together”• Coworking sites = open plan workspaces

where unaffiliated people can work in each others’ presence

• Coworkers and proprietors don’t agree on what coworking is

Exercise: What’s your activity?

• What is the object they’re cyclically trying to achieve?

• What’s the outcome they’re trying to produce? (Why are they doing it?)

(Figure out the object and outcome, and you’ll be able to determine the rest of the activity.)

Social Media in an Activity System

Social Media in an Activity Network

Social Media in an Activity Network

Social Media in an Activity Network

Activity Theory: Summing Up

• Woven, developmental• Nodes: activities, which develop over time• Links: interconnections among activities and

components of activities• Splicing explicitly built on top of weaving• The first stroke is a weave

ACTOR-NETWORK THEORY: KEY CONCEPTS

0. Machiavelli1. Actor-Networks2. Mediation3. Translation4. Composition5. Black-Boxing6. Delegation

1. Actor-Networks

• Actants define each other (Callon 1991, p.142)• The actant is the effect of the network, not its

cause (Law 1992)• ANT is ontological.

2. Mediation

• In ANT, creating a relation (link) between two actants (nodes)

• All actants are also intermediaries• Agency is distributed

Genres Developed Over Iterations

Mediation Involves…

• Translation• Composition• Reversible Black-Boxing• Delegation

3. Translation

a. Problematizationb. Interessementc. Enrollmentd. Mobilization

4. Composition

• The assemblage becomes an actant.• “Who performs the action?”• “Action is simply not a property of humans but

an association of actants” (Latour 1999b, p.182; cf. Berg 1999, Law 1986b).

5. Reversible Black-Boxing

• “I’ll call X.”• “The phone’s not working.” • “The line is dead.” • “I called Telecorp and they’ll send someone

out.” • “Telecorp didn’t tell the BigTel technician

there was a dog in our yard.”

6. Delegation

Exercise: How is translation happening in your case?

• Problematization. What’s the problem to be solved?

• Interessement. What people and resources must be defined to address the problem?

• Enrollment. How are these people and resources given roles? Defined and attributed?

• Mobilization. How can they be persuaded to link up and address the problem?

GENUINE DIFFERENCES

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Genuine Differences

Activity Theory Actor-Network Theory

The first stroke is a weave The first stroke is a splice

Developmental Political-rhetorical

Competence, Cognition Negotiation

Dialectic Rhizomatic

Genealogical Antigenealogical

Asymmetrical Symmetrical

Structural Relational

Irreversible Reversible

Contradictions Translations

Epistemology Ontology

Commonalities

• Heterogeneous• Multiply linked• Transformative• Black-boxed

Takeaways

• Grounding in activity theory: history, assumptions, applications

• Grounding in actor-network theory: history, assumptions, applications

• Strengths of each theory• Differences between the theories• Applications of each theory to social media

Exercise: Analyzing an Activity

• Identify the object of your activity: the problem space or material around which people’s effort is focused, the problem space that is cyclically transformed.

• Identify the outcome: what results from the cyclical transformation. Think in terms of motives or benefits.

• Based on these, identify the other components of the activity.

Exercise: Identifying Black Boxes

• In the same case, identify a black box (e.g., “I’m making a call”).

• Try decomposing the black box. What components or actants compose it and hold it together?

• Try examining translation. Where did these actants come from, and how did they come together?

• Repeat – forever.