Week 3 1 S514: Social Aspects of IT. 2 Disciplines related to SI Social ScienceManagementComputer Sci. Science & Technology Studies MIS Information Science.
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Slide 1
Week 3 1 S514: Social Aspects of IT
Slide 2
2 Disciplines related to SI Social ScienceManagementComputer
Sci. Science & Technology Studies MIS Information Science
Social Informatics Communication
Slide 3
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
Slide 4
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).
Slide 5
Social Informatics (Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer, 2005) SLIS
S514 5 3 orientations in SI research Normative ~= social realism
E.g., participatory design Analytical ~= social theory E.g., Web
model; STIN Critical Question the standard model
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Social Informatics (Lamb & Sawyer, 2005) SLIS S514 6 People
Environment Technology Work Practice Socio-technical
perspectives
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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
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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
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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
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Analysis of Aroras 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
Aroras article if you were the discussant for the SIG-SI best paper
awards? SLIS S514 10
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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
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Three Shuttles (Giebryn, 2003) FieldLab FoundMade HereAnywhere
ImmersedDetached
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Social Construction of Technology (Bijker, 2001) SLIS S514 13
Technology is socially constructed Criticize technological
determinism SCOTs 3 research steps: Relevant social group and
interpretive flexibility (e.g., ordinary bicycle) Closure and
stabilization Technological frame
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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
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What is Actor Network Theory? E.g., driving a car
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What is Actor Network Theory? E.g., driving a car
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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)
http://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/~vanhouse/bridge.html
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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)
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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.
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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
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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
Slide 22
Group Activity SLIS S514 22 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?