Hutchby2001d

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Hutchby2001d
BibType ARTICLE
Key Hutchby2001d
Author(s) Ian Hutchby
Title Technologies, texts and affordances
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Technology, Affordances, Materiality, Realism, Social constructionism
Publisher
Year 2001
Language
City
Month
Journal Sociology
Volume 35
Number 2
Pages 441–456
URL Link
DOI 10.1177/S0038038501000219
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

In contrast to recent sociological emphases on the social shaping of technology, this article proposes and illustrates a way of analysing the technological shaping of sociality. Drawing on the concept of affordances (Gibson 1979), the article argues for a recognition of the constraining, as well as enabling, materiality of artefacts. The argument is set in the theoretical context of one of the most recent and comprehensive statements of anti-essentialism (Grint and Woolgar 1997). The position is illustrated through a reinterpretation of some case studies used by proponents of the radical constructivist position.

Notes