actornetworks

Actor-network theory, often abbreviated as ANT, is a theoretical and methodological framework that analyzes social phenomena by treating both human and non-human entities as actors within a network. Developed primarily by sociologists Michel Callon, Bruno Latour, and John Law, ANT proposes that social order is not pre-determined but rather emerges from the constantly shifting relationships between these heterogeneous actors. Instead of focusing on pre-existing social structures, ANT examines how actors, or "actants," enroll and mobilize other actants to achieve their goals, creating and maintaining networks of association.

Non-human actants can include objects, technologies, texts, or even natural phenomena, all of which are seen as having agency and the capacity to influence the network. ANT emphasizes the mutability of these networks and the fact that their stability is never guaranteed. It seeks to trace the pathways of influence and transformation as actants interact, often employing a symmetrical approach that avoids privileging human intentions or motivations over the actions of non-human entities. The goal is to describe how things come to be aligned and how a particular state of affairs is stabilized, rather than assuming a fixed social reality.