Beyond the network. A critical inquiry into the limits of the actor-network theory
This article critically examines the limitations and challenges of Actor- Network Theory (ANT) in contemporary social theory. Originally developed as a response to structuralist and constructivist paradigms, ANT offered a radical methodological alternative, emphasizing actor-relationality a...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Institute of Ethnography, SASA, Belgrade
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2025/0350-08612501247M.pdf |
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| Summary: | This article critically examines the limitations and challenges of Actor-
Network Theory (ANT) in contemporary social theory. Originally developed as
a response to structuralist and constructivist paradigms, ANT offered a
radical methodological alternative, emphasizing actor-relationality and
emergent networks over predefined so-called social structures. While this
approach has significantly shaped disciplines such as Science and Technology
Studies (STS), political sociology, and environmental governance, it has
also faced sustained criticism. Critics argue that ANT’s refusal to engage
with structural determinants, macro-political constraints, and historical
asymmetries limits its explanatory power, particularly in relation to
domination, hierarchy, and systemic inequalities. This article explores
whether ANT can evolve beyond its descriptive commitments to address these
concerns without compromising its core principles. Through an analysis of
power asymmetries, digital governance, and ecological crises, the article
interrogates whether ANT can reconcile empirical inquiry with critical
engagement. Ultimately, it argues that ANT’s future depends on its ability
to navigate the tension between methodological openness and theoretical
reflexivity, raising broader questions about the limits of a theory that
seeks to expand beyond the very epistemological constraints that define it. |
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| ISSN: | 0350-0861 2334-8259 |