The politics of performative ontology in information systems

Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The politics of performative ontology in information systems
 
Creator Postma, Dirk
 
Subject — Information system ontologies; performativity; technology; politics; contestation
Description This article argues that information systems (ISs) and information system ontologies (ISOs) are powerful devices that perform reality in profound ways. The development and use of ISOs are forms of ontological politics through which interests are promoted, identities established and resources distributed. ISOs are ideological in so far as their political nature is not recognised while serving partial interests. This happens when ISOs are seen as merely technical, inevitable and natural. A democratic politics of ISs and ISOs is needed in order to make public these political actions. This article aims to create a critical awareness of the ways in which technologies perform reality an d argues that the political agenda must be activated through the opening up of terrains of dissensus and contestation within the technical performances of reality. It provides examples of such ontological politics of technology.Keywords: Information system ontologies, performativity, technology, politics, contestation
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2013-12-31
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/td.v9i2.204
 
Source The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa; Vol 9, No 2 (2013); 19 pages 2415-2005 1817-4434
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://td-sa.net/index.php/td/article/view/204/171
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2013 Dirk Postma https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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