Oscillating politics and shifting agencies: equalities and diversity work and actor network theory

Abstract

PurposeThe paper has two purposes: to introduce a new perspective on power and resistance in equalities work; and to trouble either or theorisations of success and failure in this work. Instead it offers a new means of exploring micro‐practice.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies/develops an “actor network theory” (ANT) analysis to a single case study of Iopia, a Black woman equalities practitioner working in a prison education context. It uses this to explore the ways in which Iopia interacts with a variety of human and non‐human objects to challenge racism in this context.FindingsIopia, from an initial position of marginality (as a Black woman experiencing racism) is able to establish herself (by virtue of this same identity as a Black woman combating racism) as central to a “new” network for equality and diversity. This new network both challenges and sustains narrow exclusionary definitions of diversity. Thus, Iopia's case provides an example of the contradictions, and paradox, experienced by those working for equality and diversity.Research limitations/implicationsIn the future, this type of feminist ANT analysis could be more fully developed and integrated with critical race and other critical cultural theories as these relate to equalities work.Practical implicationsThe approach, and, in particular, the notion of translation, can be used by practitioners in thinking through the ways in which they can use material objects to draw in multiple “others” into their own networks.Originality/valueThe article is one of the first to explore equalities workers via the lens of ANT. It is unique in its analysis of the material objects constituting both diversity workers and diversity work and thus its analysis of diversity workers and their work as part of a complex set of social and “material” relations.

Men on board: Actor-network theory, feminism and gendering the past

“…Recently, feminists have explored the value of ANT for tracing neglected politics and gender practices through the activities of networks of people and non-material actors (e.g. engineering tools) (see Berg and Lie 1995; Haraway 1985; Hunter and Swan 2007). While the outcomes are promising, feminist accounts of ANT are still either neglecting or reifying history (Durepos and Mills 2012).…”

“…While there are various references to ANT in the literature, they are underwritten by a variety of philosophical approaches. There are variants of ANT that have developed over the years – some are more social constructionist, others are more amodern, and others are more realist in tone (Durepos 2010; Hunter and Swan 2007). In this paper, we focus on the work of Bruno Latour (e.g.…”

“…It would be in ANT style to spin a story around Air Canada CEO Gordon McGregor – ‘the oldest fighter pilot and the top-scoring RCAF ace to serve in the Battle of Britain’ (http://www.aerovision.org). This propensity to venerate heroes – the most powerful actor situated at the top of the hierarchy (Hunter and Swan 2007) – is at odds with the ANT foundation that networks result from heterogeneous sources. Feminist studies distrust such singular positioning that fails to make sense of diverse views.…”

“…Since ANT explores how non-humans and humans attempt to enroll one another, it opens up a view as to how material actants commonly present in organizations help or hinder gender discrimination – items such as heavy engine repair tools, pay equity policies, financial rationalization strategies, or the size of an aeroplane galley may all contribute to punctualized actor-networks. This means that heterogeneous humans, objects, documents, skills and technology can ‘align together to produce a relatively stable but dynamic network in spite of contradictions and oscillations’ (Hunter and Swan 2007: 405). Thus, ANT focuses on how human actors and non-human actants associate to produce a durable (but ultimately temporary) alliance.…”

Competitive Moves: The Influence of Industry Context and Individual Cognitive Factors

“…Kairotic and chronological time (the moment when things happen and the sequence of events) are considered in some depictions of ANT, but in conception ANT work attempts to freeze time. A basic criticism of ANT is this attempt to "clamp" time (Hunter & Swan, 2007;Kilduff & Brass, 2010;Whittle & Spicer, 2008).…”