Policy Discourse meets Actor-Network Theory. Analysing policy discourse in the making

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingMeeting abstract (Book)

Abstract

The paper for the doctoral students' workshop presents the methodological and conceptual framework of the PhD research. Based on a critical review of Foucault's notions of discourse, knowledge and power, it combines the methodological approach of Argumentative Discourse Analysis (initiated as Argumentative Policy Analysis by Frank Fischer and John Forester and further developed by Marteen Hajer) with the conceptual ideas of Actor-Network Theory (ANT), as developed by Michel Callon, Bruno Latour and John Law. While the first is used to assess the argumentative structures and narratives constituting the discourses behind UNESCO's policy statements, the later is chosen in order to describe the actors, processes and practices leading to these statements. The paper therefore explores the questions of actors/actants within intergovernmental policy-making in the field of information and digital technology, where the technological development as well as the rules and conditions of the decision-making forum contribute to the process as much as the involved policy actors. It furthermore investigates the concept of translation for its possibilities to describe practices of influencing and mutual discourse shaping within the policy debates. Particular attention is paid to the creation of power relationship trough interaction and the role of theoretical knowledge. Therefore we also take into consideration the influence of epistemic communities (Haas) as actants within the actor network, even though outside the official policy-making body.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDoctoral Conference ‘Policy meets Actor-Network Theory’. University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Publication statusPublished - 29 Jun 2012
EventUnknown -
Duration: 29 Jun 2012 → …

Conference

ConferenceUnknown
Period29/06/12 → …

Keywords

  • Actor-Network Theory
  • Policy Analysis
  • Policy Discourse
  • Information Society
  • UNESCO

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