Symbolic interactionism and Actor-network theory: crossing points, divergences and ‘trading zones''

Abstract

The article concerns relations between symbolic interactionism (SI) and actor-network theory (ANT). A number of features common to SI and ANT are articulated. However these are points of intersection and divergence rather than places of contact and cooperation of two traditions. The source of divergence comes from two different anthropologies or rather two different anthropological myths to which SI and ANT are attached. Two traditions build their methodological tools around the problem of presence/absence and pay a key attention to the issues of action at distance, displacement, deletion, mediation and delegation. There is a «trading zone» exemplified by the studies of science and technology from the stance of «social worlds» theory (S. L. Star, A. Clarke, J. Fujimura, E. Gerson, K. Garrety) that both borrow from and criticize ANT.