Disciplining the Future: A Critical Organizational Analysis of Internet Studies

@article{citeulike:2677596, abstract = {This article provides a critical, cautionary stance toward the future structure of \“Internet studies\” as a field. A social constructionist reading of the process of organizing reveals the ways in which apparently obdurate structures are constructed and negotiated through everyday discursive practices. Subsequent structures and practices function ideologically to control organizational members in a concertive fashion by shaping and directing the conceptual frameworks for inquiry and action in a seemingly natural way. Definitions and metaphors construct conceptual boundaries of meaning for the field of inquiry, delimiting and protecting over time what counts as Internet and Internet studies. Over time, origins of knowledge are hidden within the structure of the organizations and a culture of unobtrusive control emerges. Unless radical measures are taken to reflexively interrogate everyday routines and habitual ways of talking in academic environments, the future field of Internet studies will not transcend the traditions of the academy but will be entrenched in and reproduce traditional structures and a traditional scholarly enterprise.}, author = {Markham, Annette N. }, citeulike-article-id = {2677596}, doi = {10.1080/01972240591007571}, journal = {The Information Society}, keywords = {internet, studies}, number = {4}, pages = {257--267}, posted-at = {2008-04-16 12:08:40}, priority = {2}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, title = {Disciplining the Future: A Critical Organizational Analysis of Internet Studies}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01972240591007571}, volume = {21}, year = {2005} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2677596 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2677596 TI - Disciplining the Future: A Critical Organizational Analysis of Internet Studies JF - The Information Society VL - 21 IS - 4 SP - 257 EP - 267 PB - Taylor & Francis N2 - This article provides a critical, cautionary stance toward the future structure of “Internet studies” as a field. A social constructionist reading of the process of organizing reveals the ways in which apparently obdurate structures are constructed and negotiated through everyday discursive practices. Subsequent structures and practices function ideologically to control organizational members in a concertive fashion by shaping and directing the conceptual frameworks for inquiry and action in a seemingly natural way. Definitions and metaphors construct conceptual boundaries of meaning for the field of inquiry, delimiting and protecting over time what counts as Internet and Internet studies. Over time, origins of knowledge are hidden within the structure of the organizations and a culture of unobtrusive control emerges. Unless radical measures are taken to reflexively interrogate everyday routines and habitual ways of talking in academic environments, the future field of Internet studies will not transcend the traditions of the academy but will be entrenched in and reproduce traditional structures and a traditional scholarly enterprise. KW - internet KW - studies AU - Markham, Annette PY - 2005/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01972240591007571 ER -