Blurring boundaries between humans and technology: postdigital, postphenomenology and actor-network theory in qualitative research

In recent years computer technologies and digital devices have become ubiquitous in all facets of human existence, including crime and deviant behavior. Various forms of criminality have emerged in which technical entities play a substantial role. It can be argued that such a development urges criminologists and anthropologists to draw more attention to the significance of things in crime. Latour’s (2005) actor-network theory (ANT), which considers non-human entities as active participants of the social, could be a useful approach for extending our analytical focus to the non-human. The article will not only asses why, but also how we can apply ANT as a more-than-human methodology in qualitative research, by discussing three ANT-based methodological principles: ‘follow the tool’, ‘follow the hybrid’ and ‘follow the network.’ In this scope, this article draws on earlier conducted qualitative ANT case studies on different forms of high-tech cybercrime. In a more general vein, the article aims to show that innovations in qualitative research methods can be also informed by theory.

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Threat and Security Production at Václav Havel Airport Prague

Mezinárodní vztahy ◽

10.32422/mv.1601 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Sarah Komasová

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Network Theory ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Actor Network ◽

Vaclav Havel ◽

The Subject ◽

A Chain ◽

Security Check

Building on empirical qualitative research, this article explores the nature of security and threat resulting from the contemporary security practice at Václav Havel Airport Prague. The article, building on Actor-Network Theory, interprets a security check as a chain of translation, the possibility of threat deployment as a program of action, and activities aiming to disable threats as a security antiprogram. Deployment of threats is further conceptualised as a failure of a security chain implementation, its design, threat program expectation, and the sole existence of a particular program. Considering inflight explosions as the main threat to be identified, the article proceeds by finding divergences between travellers and employees regarding the subject of protection, and analyses the notion of terrorism present in practice as well as its consequences. Security is then identified as a service of agency take-over. The article indicates the importance of security agency and the ANT-based inquiry enabling its exploration.

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Critical Realism in IS Research

Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, First Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-553-5.ch108 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 611-616

Author(s):

Sven A. Carlsson

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Grounded Theory ◽

Information Systems ◽

Network Theory ◽

Critical Realism ◽

Structuration Theory ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Actor Network ◽

Is Research

The Information Systems (IS) field is dominated by research approaches and theories based in positivism (Arnott, Pervan, O’Donnell, & Dodson, 2004; Chen & Hirschheim, 2004; Schultze & Leidner, 2003). IS scholars have pointed out weaknesses in these approaches and theories and in response different strands of post-modern theories and constructivism have gained popularity—see Lee, Liebenau, and DeGross, (1997), Trauth (2001), Whitman and Woszczynski (2004), and Michael Myers’ “Qualitative Research in Information Systems” (http://www.qual.auckland.ac.nz). The approaches and theories argued for include interpretivism, ethnography, grounded theory, and theories like Giddens’ (1984) structuration theory and Latour’s (1987) actor-network theory. (For simplicity, we refer to these different approaches and theories as “post-approaches” and “post-theories” when distinction is not required).

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STRUCTURING A SUCCESSFUL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROCESS: A CASE STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF ACTOR NETWORK THEORY

Journal of Information and Communication Technology ◽

10.32890/jict.9.2010.8097 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Huda Ibrahim ◽

Hasmiah Kasimin

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Technology Transfer ◽

Transfer Process ◽

Network Theory ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Local Market ◽

Private Company ◽

Actor Network ◽

Technology Transfer Process

An effi cient and effective information technology transfer from developed countries to Malaysia is an important issue as a prerequisite to support the ICT needs of the country to become not only a ICT user but also a ICT producer. One of the factors that infl uences successful information technology transfer is managing the process of how technology transfer occurs in one environment. It involves managing interaction between all parties concerned which requires an organized strategy and action toward accomplishing technology transfer objective in an integrated and effective mode. Using a conceptual framework based on the Actor Network Theory (ANT), this paper will analyse a successful information technology transfer process at a private company which is also a supplier of information technology (IT) products to the local market. This framework will explain how the company has come up with a successful technology transfer in a local environment. Our study shows that the company had given interest to its relationships with all the parties involved in the transfer process. The technology transfer programme and the strategy formulated take into account the characteristics of technology and all those involved.

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The Action of Christian Buildings on their Chinese Environment

Studies in World Christianity ◽

10.3366/swc.2017.0179 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 100-121

Author(s):

Michel Chambon

Keyword(s):

Network Theory ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Active Part ◽

Architectural Style ◽

Actor Network

This article explores the ways in which Christians are building churches in contemporary Nanping, China. At first glance, their architectural style appears simply neo-Gothic, but these buildings indeed enact a rich web of significances that acts upon local Christians and beyond. Building on Actor-Network Theory and exploring the multiple ties in which they are embedded, I argue that these buildings are agents acting in their own right, which take an active part in the process of making the presence of the Christian God tangible.

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Actor-Network Theory and Social Practice

Социологические исследования ◽

10.31857/s013216250009372-2 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 128-137

Author(s):

Irina Orlova ◽

Keyword(s):

Network Theory ◽

Social Practice ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Actor Network

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The model of an intelligent information security control system for supply chains based on the spatial concepts of the actor-network theory

Informatization and communication ◽

10.34219/2078-8320-2020-11-5-94-106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 94-106

Author(s):

Y.M. Iskanderov ◽

◽

M.D. Pautov

Keyword(s):

Control System ◽

Information Security ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Network Theory ◽

Actor Network Theory ◽

Spatial Concepts ◽

Actor Network ◽

Information Security Management System ◽

Security Control ◽

Intelligent Information

Aim. The use of modern information technologies makes it possible to achieve a qualitatively new level of control in supply chains. In these conditions, ensuring information security is the most important task. The article shows the possibilities of applying the spatial concepts of the actor-network theory in the interests of forming a relevant intelligent information security management system for supply chains. Materials and methods. The article discusses a new approach based on the provisions of the actor-network theory, which makes it possible to form the structure of an intelligent information security control system for supply chains, consisting of three main functional blocks: technical, psychological and administrative. The incoming information security threats and the relevant system responses generated through the interaction of the system blocks were considered as enacting the three Law’s spaces: the space of regions, the space of networks and the space of fl uids. Results. It is shown that the stability of this system in the space of networks is a necessary condition for its successful functioning in the space of regions, and its resilience in the space of fl uids gained through the dynamic knowledge formation helps overcome the adverse effects of the fl uidity. The problems of the intentional / unintentional nature of information security threats, as well as the reactivity / proactivity of the corresponding responses of the intelligent information security management system for supply chains are investigated. Conclusions. The proposed approach showed the possibility of using such an interdisciplinary tool in the fi eld of information security as the concepts of the actor-network theory. The intelligent information security control system built on its basis ensures that almost all the features of solving information security problems in supply chains are taken into account.

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