[Air-L] Using ANT as ethos and method

Alexander Semenov semenoffalex at googlemail.com
Tue Feb 10 07:56:43 PST 2009


Hello, Tamara.
As Jeremy has already said, ANT isn't a method, but a way to think about
reality. One of it's main features is that it sees not difference between
human and nonhuman actors in the network (or rather worknet) of interaction.
This feature is also called "symmetrical anthropology". 
But I wanted to talk about another problem with this "paradigm" in
sociological thought. Latour represents the "ontological" branch of
"sociology of everyday life" which derives from Shutz's idea of "multiple
realities". Like Shutz, he considered that there is one paramount reality
and others to be of second order. Like in "Nine Princes of Amber" by Roger
Zelazny, where there were only one real Amber and other places, worlds and
realities were simply it's reflections. 
So, the problem for your research here is that from that point of view, any
kind of MMO will be "realities of second order" by default. And respectively
any activity in this reality will be automatically considered to be
"activity of second order". The same is for players - that's why they'll
seem to be geeks and loosers.
To avoid this problem, I think that you should use another paradigm of
theorizing about everyday interaction (or microsociology if you wish) - it's
frame analysis by Erving Goffman. From Goffman's point of view, there is no
"paramount reality" and even a dream or delirium can be scrutinized
sociologically.
I hope this thoughts will seem somehow usefull.
Best wishes,
Alexander.

-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Tamara Paradis
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 6:15 PM
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Subject: [Air-L] Using ANT as ethos and method

Hi all

I'm working on a graduate project that explores the controversies and
understandings of MMO gaming as valid leisure. I'm curious what is it about
MMO gaming that results in it being viewed as geeky, strange, "luser-ish",
etc. I've been struck by the ways in which MMO gamers themselves, as well as
everday non-gaming folks and mass media reportage (outside of financial
reports!) seem to accept that MMO gaming is somehow a type of strange and
suspect pursuit.

I've long been intrigued with the work of Bruno Latour and others from SST
and material culture studies who use an Actor-Network Theory (ANT) approach
to studying the world and its phenomenon. I am drawn to the ethos of ANT
which flattens the divide between researcher and the researched, and which
advocates jettisoning old notions of society and "the social", and the old
(artificial?) divides between micro/macro, structure/individual,
power/domination etc. in the interests of letting the actions tell the story
of the results. I'm equlally drawn but intimidated by the methods built into
ANT -- the mapping of actors and connections and associations.

I'm trying to convince a reluctant adviser that an ANT approach is a valid
way of studying my research question. Given the digital focus and the desire
to use ANT as ethos and method, as well as the ways in which ANT approaches
study and fieldwork, I'm having a rough go of it.  I'm wondering if any of
you are using ANT or have used it in the past for qualitiative research
purposes (e.g. virtual ethnography; findings reporting; etc.). If you have
done so in the past, are in the midst of doing so now or are at least
intrigued by the possibilities, I'd be interested in talking with you
off-list.

Thanks.

Tamara Paradis
tparadis at connect.carleton.ca
tsparadis at gmail.com
Carleton University - Sociology & Anthropology
Ottawa, ON, Canada
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