Reading Digital Denmark: IT Reports as Material-Semiotic Actors

Abstract

During the past decade, several governmental reports have discussed how information technology can transform Danish society. Most important among these reports is Digital Denmark from 1999.In this article, the authors examine how to analyze Digital Denmark by considering two strategies for engaging reports. The first aims at uncovering and making explicit hidden assumptions or ideologies in the text. This approach is called “reading against the text.” The second approach—inspired by science, technology, and society studies—considers where a text goes and what it does rather than how to critically interpret it. Texts may be read as material-semiotic actors, having effects on their environment that exceed or bypass discussions of content or motivation. This approach is called “reading with the text,” and the authors argue that traveling with Digital Denmark makes visible the limitations of critical analyses, while adding agency to the report as it moves in between practices.

Documentscape

“…By embedding intertextuality among the documents, creating the documentscape can be characterized as a form of interactions between the collaborating actors and the documents that are created [11]. Documents that are part of a documentscape are constantly part of a reading/writing process somewhat similar to the one found in hypertext [15].…”

“…Documents in a documentscape take their meaning from their position in an ensemble of documents used or produced in series or in parallel. Here it is important to notice that when we refer to the use of documents in collaboration, we do not simply refer to people's interpretation of the documents [11]. Instead, we are interested in the practices and agency of documents that makes it possible for remote collaborators to continue working based upon what was inscribed by others in the documents.…”

The unbearable lightness of organizational learning theory: organizations, information technologies, and complexities of learning in theory and practice

“…This message appears almost excessively well known, bordering on the banal. Indeed, it can be encountered almost daily on television, in newspapers or in fashion magazines, not to mention in IT-reports (e.g., Jensen and Lauritsen 2005). However, given this ubiquity it becomes relevant to consider the consequences of this framing of learning, IT, and organizational change.…”

Constructions of the patient in healthcare communications: six patient figures

“…21-26;Jensen and Lauritsen, 2005;Justesen, 2005;Riles, 2006). Documents build connections and make uncertain alliances more robust and stable, e.g., by framing interactions within scenarios, models, ideals or standards (Callon and Latour, 1981, p. 52).…”