This thesis examines the roles played by digital information and communication technologies in a Swedish public library’s three-year long renovation project. As a case study of technology-influenced collaboration in a cultural heritage institution, this study addresses a gap in digital humanities research on the practical details of sociotechnical collaboration, as well as a lack of documentation of an ongoing trend of renovations and rebuildings of Swedish public libraries.  A large number of internal materials produced at the library during the course of its renovations was studied, and semi-structured qualitative interviews with three of the cultural heritage workers involved were conducted. Reading these materials with an actor-network theory approach, an account was constructed of the renovation project and the usages therein of digital technologies, in order to examine these technologies as actors and their effects on the project. It was found that, throughout the project, information and communication technologies were used to think, plan, organize, discuss, and make decisions about the work, that limitations and affordances of these technologies shaped how they could be used, and that this thus had effects on the project. Digital technologies are shown to have been active and agential, and avenues for future research are suggested.

From the socio-economic turmoil of the 20th century, Japan has repeatedly revealed its resilience. During these trying times, scientific work has been an important element in Japan's economic development. However, the 1990s revealed weaknesses in this “economic miracle.” During this period, several socio-structural factors have contributed to this social landscape. Future successes in Japanese socio-economic spheres will partially depend on scientific work. In this study, it is suggested that identifying structural factors in the Japanese “system” that contribute to its scientific organizations is key to ascertaining a more coherent assessment of scientific work in Japan. This assessment can lead to more in depth analyses of the interconnections between science and society. The focus of this study is on scientific institutes and their organizational structure. The social networks that interconnect these institutes and couple their scientific work with other elements of Japanese culture are essential in the analysis of Japan's scientific enterprise. In the present study, a qualitative case study methodology is used to explore socio-structural networks within the cultural field of scientific work in Tsukuba, Japan. The structure of scientific work in Japan is composed of several cultural and material elements which have been distilled into two themes for evaluative purposes. These themes include cultural factors and scientific production/economic affairs. Through a reflexive-thematic lens an analysis of scientific work is conducted. Central to the method used in this study is a series of structured and un-structured in-person interviews using a format of open-ended questions. Most informants in this study were chosen by administrators of the institutes involved. Although, I did participate in assuring diversity in the sample, there is possible bias inherent in management's choices of particular informants. These interviews were held during the month of October 2002 in five separate university and non-university institutes in Tsukuba, Japan. The findings in this study reveal common, contradictory and idiosyncratic aspects that have important cultural and scientific/economic effects across organizational types. Common attributes include the observation of universal “top-down” organizational hierarchies with networks of labor being accumulated through elite scientists. Generally, informants perceived little to no effect from the national economy on their particular institute's funding of science. Scientists spent an extraordinary amount of time at work and conducted highly specialized work tasks. The publishing activity concentrated among elite scientists while utilization of foreign scientists and contingent workers were segregated. Also, the use of tacit knowledge as a principal training tool was universally observed across institutes. Contradictory attributes include scientists' attitudes toward their work versus the city they live in, government policy versus actual laboratory work, and publishing versus conference presentations. The idiosyncratic attributes focus on levels of organizational formality across organizations. The organizational formality is related to the individual scientists' perceptions of what they enjoyed most about their work. Thus, scientists that enjoyed the 'processes' of their work tended to be located in more formal organizations whereas those scientists who enjoyed “discovery” were situated in less formal organizations. It is likely that the different levels of organizational formality observed in this study are associated with other elements of laboratory culture. Also, the composition of foreigners and women varied remarkably across institutes. Yet, their use in laboratories is relatively similar. / Ph. D.

This research took its point of departure in the aspiration of large-scale change of the construction industry, where existing industry structures has been frequently criticized. To facilitate innovation and change in the Swedish construction industry, a strategic innovation program has been established based on the idea that research, innovation, and development should manifest itself through the mobilization of collaborative and actor-driven networks. Using a strategic innovation program to support inter-organizational collaboration and actor-driven change is a fairly new phenomenon in the context of construction and thus the subject of inquiry for this research. From a theoretical point of view, this can be understood in terms of a transition of a socio-technical system. Therefore, the purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of how a socio-technical transition of the construction industry could be facilitated. The research presented in this licentiate thesis has been conducted between September 2019 – March 2022 and has been a part of a research project called Program Generic Measurement Methods. This research has a qualitative inquiry and has been designed as a longitudinal case study to understand, and follow, this process of change. The data that has been collected consist of document collection, structured interviews, semi-structured interviews and an autoethnographic approach including observations and self-reflection. Actor-network theory, and specifically the concepts related to the translation process and black boxing, has been used as an analytical framework and facilitated the analysis of the collected data. This thesis increases the understanding of how a socio-technical transition in construction could be facilitated by analyzing the events that lead to the development of the strategic innovation program as well as events from the operational part of the program. Key actors in these processes are identified as well as their roles in a transition of the construction industry. The results indicates that this is far from a linear process that contains a lot of negotiation between participating actors. During this process, the role of digitalization changes when the intention of the program moves from its initiators to the actors engaged in different technological niches. A better integration of academia is asked for due to the complexity that digitally driven transition processes brings. Moreover, actors in the construction industry are encouragedto engage in technological niches to interact and collaborate in new, or modified, ways outside traditional construction activities since it stimulates learning and facilitate a deeper understanding of the challenges that actors in the construction process face together.

[pt] A presente pesquisa investiga os movimentos de uma rede brasileira de mulheres-mães que age em prol da inclusão de estudantes disléxicos em esferas educacionais no país. A partir das narrativas que as participantes constroem, em entrevistas individuais e em encontros coletivos com a pesquisadora, o estudo objetiva investigar não só como e quais maternidades, atreladas à dislexia, são articuladas e elaboradas pelas participantes, mas também como essas construções estão conectadas às agências em prol da educação inclusiva. Somado a isso, este trabalho busca compreender quais outros elementos/agentes estão, de alguma forma, envolvidos na construção do processo agentivo, além de entender como as participantes da rede avaliam o legado da luta em momento porvir. As bases teóricas concentram-se, principalmente, nos estudos sobre a maternidade e a maternagem, considerando as diversas influências existentes em um país historicamente marcado pelo encontro, pelo entrecruzar e pela sobreposição de culturas diversas; nos princípios da Teoria Ator-Rede (TAR), entendendo o coletivo como rede complexa em que as agências se dão via associações e hibridismos; e nos estudos da narrativa como forma de organização social. Os processos metodológicos são qualitativos, em perspectiva de etnografia em rede sociotécnica, considerando o olhar da pesquisadora, que esteve por mais de dois anos em campo, como lugar de interpretação para análise de dados gerados com 8 participantes do Movimento Mães do Brasil – Dislexia. As análises dos dados, em primeiro momento, apontam para narrativas que entrelaçam maternidade e dislexia atreladas ao inicial desconhecimento acerca da temática, à observação atenta e à suspeita do quadro, à tentativa de silenciamento de suas vozes em ambientes escolares, à persistência na investigação diante do comportamento dos filhos/filhas e à formalização do diagnóstico. Outrossim, indicam o impacto no campo afetivo e a dislexia como ponto de virada para busca pela informação e pelo compartilhamento público de conhecimento e de vivências – além de uma experiência com empreendedorismo como forma de conciliação entre maternidade/maternagem, dislexia e trabalho. Com essas etapas, maternidades são construídas a partir de maternagens atentas, resistentes, sofridas, solitárias e, na sequência, colaborativas rumo a outros espaços. Em segundo momento, as análises apontam para a necessidade do encontro com pares que vivenciam a dislexia, algo que configura a rede, a partir da memória institucional, não só como lugar de troca, de empatia e de espelhamento, mas como lugar de articulação de práticas que intensificam os vínculos e as associações com outros atores (humanos ou não-humanos) de modo a concretizar conquistas importantes, tais como a formalização das leis acerca da dislexia no Brasil. A maternidade e a maternagem, nesse contexto, são construídas não só como lócus privilegiado de conhecimento a partir do saber familiar, doméstico e diário, como também de modo estratégico, combativo e politizado em espaços como a escola, a câmara dos deputados e o congresso nacional. Há, dessa forma, reivindicação pelo compartilhamento do cuidado e pela partilha das responsabilidades frente à educação formal, principalmente, a partir de normas legais apoiadas na inclusão, o que, de certo, configura-se como agência em interesses práticos de gênero. Por fim, as análises apontam para avaliações maternas positivas do legado porvir, apoiadas em três principais ideias: mover-se é importante; (re)conhecer a dislexia é urgente; lutar pelos direitos de seus/suas filhos/filhas é também lutar pela coletividade (e vice-versa). As maternidades, nesse contexto e com essas participantes, significa também nutrir transformações para aqueles que virão. Com essas inteligibilidades, a pesquisa busca contribuir com/para outros estudos sobre coletivos que, ativamente, atuam em prol de seus ideais. Ressaltamos, do ponto de vista teórico e metodológico novas formas de olhar para a maternidade no encontro com a dislexia e com a educação, que precisa, de fato, ser inclusiva, assim como para o coletivo como rede em suas múltiplas agências. Esperamos, a partir da investigação proposta, também propiciar reflexão, ação e mudança. / [en] The present research investigates the initiatives of a Brazilian network of women-mothers who act in favor of the inclusion of dyslexic students in educational spheres of their country. From the narratives built by the participants, in individual interviews and in collective meetings with the researcher, this study aims to investigate not only how and which kinds of motherhood linked to dyslexia are articulated and elaborated by the participants, but also how these constructions are connected to the agencies for inclusive education. In addition, this work seeks to understand which other elements/agents are, in some way, involved in the construction of the agentive process, besides understanding how the network participants evaluate the legacy of the impending struggle. The theoretical framework mainly focus on studies about motherhood and mothering, considering a variety of influences in a country which is historically marked by the encounter, the intersection and the overlapping of different cultures; in the principles of the Actor-Network Theory (ANT), which understands the collective movement as a complex network in which the agencies take place via associations and hybridism; and in narrative studies as a form of social organization. The methodological processes are qualitative in the perspective of ethnography in a socio-technical network, considering the researcher s view. The analyst spent more than two years was in the research field, a place of interpretation and analysis of data generated with 8 participants who belong to the social movement called Mães do Brasil – Dislexia (Mothers from Brazil – Dyslexia). The data analysis, at first, point to narratives that intertwine motherhood and dyslexia linked to the initial lack of knowledge about the theme, the attentive observation and suspicion of the situation, the attempt to silence their voices in school environments, the persistence in the investigation before sons’/daughters’ behaviors and official diagnosis. Furthermore, they indicate the impact on the affective field and dyslexia as a turning point for the search for information and for the public sharing of knowledge and experiences - in addition to an experience with entrepreneurship as a way of reconciling motherhood/mothering, dyslexia and work. With these steps, a variety of motherhood types are built from attentive, resistant, suffering, solitary and, subsequently, collaborative mothering. Secondly, the analyses point to the need of meeting peers who experience dyslexia, something that configures the network, based on institutional memory, not only as a space for exchange, empathy and mirroring, but also as a place for the articulation of practices that intensify ties and associations with other (human or non-human) actors in order to get important achievements, such as the formalization of laws on dyslexia in Brazil. Motherhood and mothering, in this context, are constructed not only as a privileged locus of domestic and daily family knowledge, but also in a strategic, combative and politicized way in spaces such as the school, the Chamber of Deputies and the National Congress. There is, therefore, a demand for sharing care and responsibilities in relation to formal education, mainly based on legal norms supported by inclusion, which, of course, is configured as an agency in practical gender interests. Finally, the analyses point to positive maternal assessments of the legacy to come supported by three main ideas: moving is important; (re)knowing dyslexia is urgent; fighting for their sons/daughters rights is also fighting for the collectivity. Motherhood, in this context and with these participants, also means boosting changes for those who will engage some day. With these intelligibilities, the research seeks to contribute with/to other studies on social groups that actively work towards their ideals. Concerning the theoretical and methodological frameworks, new ways of approaching motherhood, dyslexia and education were presented. Education does need to be inclusive. It is also suggested other ways of framing social groups as networks in their multiple agencies. We hope the proposed investigation can provide reflection, action and change.

Цель исследования – разработать методические основы анализа и управления стратегическим поведением акторов ювелирного рынка в условиях неопределенности внешней среды. Разработан методический подход к планированию мероприятий по стимулированию продаж, основанный на идеях акторно-сетевой теории, используемых для анализа поведения на основе модусов калькулирования акторов базовой сети «продавец – покупатель – посредник» с целью формирования предложения ювелирных изделий в качестве объекта инвестирования в условиях неопределенности. Предложенный подход позволит повысить уровень управленческой осознанности по проблемам построения доверия в сетях акторов, сформировать соответствующие управленческие решения по развитию компетенций товароведов ювелирного салона. / The purpose of the study is to develop methodological foundations for the analysis and management of the strategic behavior of the actors of the jewelry market in the face of uncertainty in the external environment. A methodical approach has been developed to planning sales promotion activities based on the ideas of the actor-network theory used to analyze behavior based on the calculation modes of the actors of the basic network "seller - buyer - intermediary" in order to form a proposal for jewelry as an investment object under conditions of uncertainty. The proposed approach will increase the level of managerial awareness of the problems of building trust in networks of actors, form appropriate managerial decisions to develop the competencies of jewelry store merchandisers.

В данной диссертационной работе исследуется проблема нормы тела в современной модной индустрии в западноевропейских странах. Поднимается вопрос о практиках сопротивления этой норме. Декларируемая свобода нормальной телесности ставится под сомнение, главным тезисом выдвигается усиление контроля над телом в современной fashion-культуре. / This dissertation explores the problem of body norms in the modern fashion industry in Western European countries. The question is raised about practices of resistance to this norm. The declared freedom of normal embodiment is called into question; the main thesis is the strengthening of control over the body in modern fashion culture.

No description available.

No description available.

I bring together ethnographic interviews with deck officers, studies in actor-network theory, explicit and tacit knowledge theory, and performativity theory in this work. I prove that bridge technologies produce what are called mimeomorphic (repeatable with some variation) actions that contain no deck officer collective tacit knowledge. I argue that deck officer bridge watch situated actions are mostly polimorphic (actions can vary depending on social context), and these actions are in fact performatives (in an Austin sense) derived from a more oral than literate performance production process. These performatives constantly build the mariner's identity within the maritime deck officer community and their successful performatives give deck officers agency in the form of an oppositional view to deskilling. These same performative acts are the value of the mariner's experiential technological knowledge within the ship's bridge technology framework. / Ph. D.

This thesis explores Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' 1986-87 comic book series Watchmen according to its network structure, paying particular attention to page layout and the establishment of or deviation from the nine-panel "waffle iron" grid. This reading aims to better understand the comic book form, connecting the work of comics theorist Theirry Groensteen to certain elements of actor-network theory and Ian Bogost's notion of the ontograph--a map of being that emphasizes the interobjectivity of networked nodes. This thesis explores the ontographic nature of the comic book form more generally before tracing the meta-textual ontograph in Watchmen. The thesis then examines the network within the single panel, the multi-panel page layout, and the collaborative network of artist and author. Finally, this thesis explores how Watchmen as an ontograph exploits the affordances of the comic book form in order to construct creative temporalities.