Writing Out Loud: Mixing Humans and Non-Humans: The Sociology of a Door-Closer

Latour wants us to take seriously the influence of non-human objects on behavior and activity. As you read, consider the following:

Theme: Emergence Through Convergence

Questions

  1. Latour considers something that most social scientists overlook, or perhaps discriminate against: the role of nonhumans in interactions. What does his example of the “door-closer” tell us about the impact of physical objects on human behavior?
  2. Have you ever named or talked to an object (e.g., a computer, a car)? What does this tell us about the role of objects in interactions?
  3. What is the benefit of expanding our scope to include nonhumans in sociological study/analysis? What might be the drawbacks to Latour’s approach?
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