Digitalization and Social Change

Kristine Ask is an Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies (STS), at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. She researches emergent user practices and communities online, spanning from games to social media and memes. Dr. Ask has a particular interest in internet culture that is dismissed as frivolous or mundane. Roger A. Søraa is an Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies (STS), at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. His research focus is on automation, robotization, and the digitalization of society—how humans and technology relate to each other. Dr. Søraa is especially interested in the social domestication of technology and how different groups are impacted by technology.

Preface

Section 1

Chapter 1: Getting lost in a the digital

1.1 Limited or liberated by ubiquitous digital technology?

1.2 It Could Be Otherwise (ICBO) – the foundation of critical thinking

1.3 Opening the black box

1.4 A response to political and corporate solutionism

1.5 Digitalization as a topic for Science and Technology Studies (STS)

1.6 A critical sociotechnical perspective

1.7 The structure of the book

1.8 Conclusion

References

Chapter 2: What is "digitalization," exactly?

2.1 Digitalization as technological fix

2.2 Defining digitalization

2.3 Defining digitalization as a political act in itself

2.4 A digitalized world

2.5 Digitalization as a sociotechnical process

2.6 Conclusion

References

Section 2

Chapter 3: A sociotechnical perspective on digitalization

3.1 What is a sociotechnical perspective on digitalization?

3.2 What do we mean by "technology"?

3.3 Technologies and their agency

3.4 Why technological determinism is a dead end

3.5 Technological reductionism

3.6 How social determinism is equally problematic

3.7 Conclusion

References

Chapter 4: Domestication: User perspectives on technology

4.1 A user perspective on technology

4.2 Domestication theory

4.3 The dimensional model of domestication

4.4 The history of domestication

4.5 Strengths and weaknesses of domestication theory

4.6 Re-domestication and dis-domestication

4.7 What non-users can teach us about the use of technology

4.8 Normativity and use

4.9 Conclusion

References

Chapter 5: Script: Technology’s manual for use

5.1 Script as technology’s manual

5.2 The historical and theoretical position of script theory

5.3 How do you do a script analysis?

5.4 Making scripts through technology development

5.5 Conclusion

References

Chapter 6: Technologies as normality machines

6.1 A thought experiment on a student app

6.2 Technology as inclusion or exclusion?

6.3 Scripting the use and users to create differences

6.4 The digital divide

6.5 Conclusion

References

Chapter 7: Digital technologies in the past and present

7.1 Becoming a communication society

7.2 What comes after the communication society?

7.3 Digitalization and some sample diagnoses of the times

7.4 Conclusion

References

Section 3

Chapter 8: Digitalization of health: Networks of care and technology

8.1 In search of good health: Robots to the rescue?

8.2 Digital technology for better health?

8.3 Talking flowerpots: Welfare technology in the home

8.4 Exergames: Gamifying health

8.5 Support groups in social media: Communities for mental health

8.6 Digitalization makes the actor network of health visible

8.7 Conclusion

References

Chapter 9: Digitalization of work: Automation, responsibility, and reskilling

9.1 Two visions of future work

9.2 From animal laborans to homo faber

9.3 Automating workers?

9.4 Who operates self-service checkouts?

9.5 The digital stopwatch and the attempt to automate care work

9.6 Craftspeople at construction sites working with robots

9.7 What will we do in the future—and how will we do it?

9.8 Conclusion

References

Chapter 10: Digitalization of control: Surveillance, automation, and algorithms

10.1 Control through surveillance and digital tracking

10.2 Control of animals using virtual fences

10.3 Care, technology, and the desire for boundaries when surveilling children

10.4 Predictive police algorithms: Surveillance of data sets and predictions of the future

10.5 Life in a surveillance society: What digitalization does to surveillance

10.6 Conclusion

References

Chapter 11: Digitalization of culture: Remix, community, and prosumers

11.1 SKAM and transmedia storytelling

11.2 Remix culture as the foundation of digital culture

11.3 Understanding where remix culture comes from: Participatory culture and networked publics

11.4 Memes: Collective creativity, both serious and humorous

11.5 Fan fiction: When fans take ownership of the story

11.6 Twitch.tv and livestreaming games: How innovative gamers made one of the world’s biggest platforms

11.7 Discussion: Prosumers’ new cultural expressions

11.8 Conclusion

References

Chapter 12: Digitalization of the self: Selfies, influencers and the quantified self

12.1 Picture perfect? What "Instagram vs. reality" can teach us about being fakeness and authenticity online

12.2 From anonymity to persistent identities on the internet

12.3 Frontstage, backstage, and the cyborg’s theater

12.4 Selfies: The cyborg’s self-portrait?

12.5 Influencers: The professionalized digital self

12.6 The quantified self: Believing in a countable and optimized self

12.7 Discussion: The cyborg’s expanded toolbox

12.8 Conclusion

References

Section 4

Chapter 13: Digitalization summarized

13.1 Part 1: A critical perspective on digitalization

13.2 Part 2: Theoretical Tools

13.3 Part 3: Empirical case studies

13.4 Digitalization as social change

13.5 A user perspective on digitalization

13.6 Critical thinking about digitalization

Chapter 14: Analytical cheat sheet: A guide for thinking critically about digitalization

14.1 Interpretative flexibility

14.2 Delegation

14.3 Actor-network

14.4 Script

14.5 Domestication

Chapter 15: Methods cheat sheet: How to study digitalization

15.1 Research question: What are you going to find out?

15.2 Choosing method: How are you going to find it?

15.3 Tips for getting good data

15.4 From data to analysis