Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is a socio-technical research method that is beginning to come to prominence after first appearing some 15 years ago. In analysing such varied human systems as computer networks, engineering projects and hospital routines, ANT seeks to give equal weight to the human actors and the non-human technology. It rejects as simplistic the view that technology shapes society or that technology emerges only where there are stable social conditions. ANT sees the world as being made up of hybrid entities consisting of humans and technologies, where each influences the other and the nature of the system emerges from the interaction of both.
The ANT approach is based on three principles: analytical impartiality, where all actors, human and machine, are given equal value; generalised symmetry, which means that the same language is used to describe all actors; and elimination of any predetermined distinctions between the technical and the social.
ANT is perhaps distinguished by the breadth of topics it is associated with: education systems, ICT, healthcare, government policies, social networking and technology innovation generally. The 17 articles in this collection reflect and extend this diversity. They cover everything from teaching standards through deconstructing the Arizona stock exchange to leadership styles in local government. About half deal with some aspect of education; five deal with innovation with computerised processes, and three are really commentaries on ANT theory and practice. An interesting development is that two of the articles challenge the aging Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by reinterpreting previous work through the lens of ANT.
The articles are mostly written for readers who are familiar with the boisterous undercurrents of the ANT practitioner community. Many are full of allusions to current and past academic stances and seek to extend or defend the theoretical base. ANT's roots in sociology are obvious from the heavy use of jargon and sentence structures that demand repeated re-reading to make sense of them. However, overall the standard is very high, and the collection well edited.
It brings together contrasting approaches to the application of ANT in diverse areas that is not available elsewhere. The collection is a very useful addition to the literature.
