Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology

Amany Elbanna

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11

Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

Over the last decade, sociomateriality appeared as a theme in IS research that has been interrogated with a variety of theoretical lenses. However, researchers have since raised methodological concerns regarding its application. This paper argues that a research methodology cannot be separated from either the theoretical lens that the research adopts or from its overarching purpose. Considering the broad range of theoretical lenses through which sociomateriality could be examined, this paper focuses on Barad’s theory of agential realism (Barad 2007). The paper provides a brief history of agential realism to shed light on the reasons behind IS researchers methodological difficulty and offers a diffraction methodology as a possible methodological guide to IS research adopting this lens. Implication for research is discussed.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Living with Monsters?
Subtitle of host publication	Social Implications of Algorithmic Phenomena, Hybrid Agency, and the Performativity of Technology
Publisher	Springer
Pages	140-155
Number of pages	16
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-030-04091-8
ISBN (Print)	978-3-030-04090-1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 14 Nov 2018

Publication series

Name	IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume	543

Keywords

Sociomateriality
Agential Realism
DIFFRACTION
IS research methods

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11

Cite this

Elbanna, A. (2018). Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology. In Living with Monsters? : Social Implications of Algorithmic Phenomena, Hybrid Agency, and the Performativity of Technology (pp. 140-155). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ; Vol. 543). Springer. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11

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Elbanna, A 2018, Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology. in Living with Monsters? : Social Implications of Algorithmic Phenomena, Hybrid Agency, and the Performativity of Technology. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology , vol. 543, Springer, pp. 140-155. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11

Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology. / Elbanna, Amany.
Living with Monsters? : Social Implications of Algorithmic Phenomena, Hybrid Agency, and the Performativity of Technology. Springer, 2018. p. 140-155 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ; Vol. 543).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

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Elbanna A. Making a Difference in ICT research: Feminist Theorization of Sociomateriality and the Diffraction Methodology. In Living with Monsters? : Social Implications of Algorithmic Phenomena, Hybrid Agency, and the Performativity of Technology. Springer. 2018. p. 140-155. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ). Epub 2018 Nov 14. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-04091-8_11