Imagining a Feminist Actor-Network Theory

Feminism and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) have often been considered opposing theoretical and intellectual traditions. This paper imagines a meeting between these seemingly divergent fields and considers the theoretical and methodological challenges that ANT and feminism raise for one another. This paper examines an empirical project that calls for an engagement with both ANT and feminism. Through the lens of this empirical project, three methodological questions that an alliance between ANT and feminism would raise for any research project are considered: 1) Where does the analysis start? 2) What can be seen once the research has begun? 3) What about politics? The potential places where ANT and feminism can meet and mutually shape research on scientific practice and technological innovation are explored. In doing so, this paper moves toward an imagining of a feminist ANT. DOI: 10.4018/jantti.2012040101 2 International Journal of Actor-Network Theory and Technological Innovation, 4(2), 1-9, April-June 2012 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. feminism and ANT are incommensurable. But perhaps, as this paper will explore, this need not be the case. This paper takes up Harding’s (2008) hopeful projection and imagines a meeting between the seemingly divergent fields of feminist scholarship and Actor-Network Theory. I will examine an empirical project that calls for an engagement with both ANT and feminism. Through the lens of this empirical project, I will consider what these diverging theoretical and methodological traditions can learn from one another. I will consider three methodological questions that an alliance between ANT and feminism would raise for any research project: 1) Where do we start our analysis? 2) What can we see once we have begun? 3) What about politics? Through these questions, I will explore how ANT and feminism challenge and potentially speak to one another.