Actor-network theory

The Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is a theoretical lens based on the key concept of alliance/assemblage with regards to the strong and reciprocal connections between the human (individuals, organizations, associations) and non human actants (scientific and technological objects) led by a spokesman, who is necessary in order to define and implement common strategies to achieve common goals for the whole alliance. This process, called “translation process”, is based on the negotiation among actants and consists of four steps: problematisation, interessement, enrolment and mobilization. Whilst all the alliances or actor-networks are not permanently fixed, some of them are more stable than others on depending on their capacity of adapting their action strategies to the changes maintaining the stability of the whole assemblage (obduracy). Nevertheless, any actant can eventually betray the alliance redefining its identity and role and causing relevant consequences to the whole network.