Bazerman,
\n Charles. "Discursively Structured Activities." Mind, Culture,
\n and Activity<\/i> 4.4 (1997): 296-308.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bazerman is concerned with accounting descriptively for the roles of
\ndiscourse in structuring systemic activity. He notes that discourse is a
\nfundament to social structure; it provides a "regularizing force." As such,
\nBazerman folds together Vygotskyan principles of situated cognition with
\nActivity Theory in an effort to reframe more common approaches to structuring in
\nthe social sciences. Interest in structuring applies here both to the cause of
\nregularities in the technosciences and to "the discursive organization of fields
\nof knowledge production [i.e., disciplinary formations]" (10).<\/p>\n
Because the existing model of the case study tends to deal very little with
\ntradition and because ANT (in Bazerman’s reading of it, at least) tends to focus
\ntoo much on the individual agent, we need better descriptive tools to account
\nfor the structuring of social systems. For this, Bazerman proposes the
\nlanguage of genre (as it in turn is used to articulated expectations). While
\n"dismantling dominations," Bazerman concludes, we are put upon to come "up with
\nsome order we can tolerate and perhaps trust" (12). <\/p>\n
Terms: "verbal coordination" (1), "regularizing force" (3), "actant-network
\ntheory" (6), "descriptive tools" (7), "conscious categorization" (7), "systems
\nof genre" (9), "agenda-setting documents" (10), <\/p>\n
"Because the produced discursive objects<\/b> are in a sense concrete<\/b>,
\nalthough symbolic<\/b>–an actual utterance, a physical book, an interactive
\ncomputer program that can be run repeatedly on a computer–they provide a
\nconcrete locus for the enactment of social structure<\/b>" (1-2).<\/p>\n
"The fact that written and archived material<\/b> (whether in print or on
\nan electronic server) can travel<\/b> to different groupings of people, over
\ngeographic distances, and over time, means that their structuring influence<\/b>
\nmay be widespread<\/b> and persistent<\/b>" (2). Rel. this to the
\nstructuring force of the writing prompt?<\/p>\n
"To clarify, the problem<\/b> is one of describing<\/b> the
\norganization, structure, or order<\/b> that exists within those activities
\nidentified as scientific and technological, the processes<\/b> by which that
\norder is created and maintained, the forces<\/b> which influence the shape of
\nthat order, and the consequences<\/b> of that order for the activity carried
\nour within it" (4). <\/p>\n
"Studies of localities tend to lose sight of the historical processes<\/b>
\nby which individuals and groups attempt to provide continuities among locales,
\nattempt to draw together moments across time and space (as through
\norganizations, training, institutions, forums, communication)" (5). <\/p>\n
"Unlike earlier theories of scientific and technological structure actant
\nnetwork theory<\/b> foregrounds individual agency<\/b>, foregrounds an
\nhistorical account<\/b> of current arrangements, and foregrounds the creative
\nresponse of individuals<\/b> to complexity and contingency in order to create
\nnovel arrangements" (6). Bazerman suggests that ANT (is this the same ANT Latour
\nwrites about in Reassembling<\/i>?) centers on the individual actor. <\/p>\n
"What I am suggesting is little more than providing a structurationist
\nbalance<\/b> to our accounts of the social construction of technoscience, but the
\nproblem remains of what terms<\/b> to use to describe the persistent, though
\nchanging, social landscape which we must come to terms with and act within, if
\nwe are to act effectively" (7). <\/p>\n
"That is, by looking at the symbolic tools<\/b> of a discipline we can see
\nwhat it is the tools can do, while keeping in mind that individuals always find
\nnew uses<\/b> for tools" (10).<\/p>\n
"Socialization can be seen as a series of concrete
\ntool\/concept\/artifact\/mediation integrations into personal relations organized
\nwithin activities" (11). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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