A critical review of the Actor-Network theory for the study of artifacts

Abstract

the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is an alternative and novel approach in social studies of science and technology because it represents an inversion of the dominant constructivist vision. Such theory states that artifact networks are not products or repositories of social content but elements that enable social life and associations; in other words, a sort of “Copernican revolution” in social studies. Therefore, it proposes a generalized principle of symmetry in which nonhuman actants (e.g., artifacts, scripts, and texts) have the same agency as human actors. This fact has raised criticism that calls into question the convenience and explanatory power of this theory. In this paper I review and share some aspects of these criticisms. However, it is intended to stress the proactive aspects of ANT for material culture studies and the philosophy of technology.

Keywords

• Actor-Network Theory
• ANT
• science & technology studies
• social construction of technology
• philosophy of technology