ACTOR-NETWORK THEORY AND ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY: A METATHEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF MARKET DEVICES

Abstract

Economic sociology was one of the areas influenced by actor-network theory (ANT), through the work of Michel Callon and colleagues. With its innovative contributions, it also provoked some puzzlement. This article aims to critically present the application of ANT to objects and the debate of economic sociology. We draw on various texts from Michel Callon and the ANT's tradition. First, some metatheoretical elements of ANT are examined, namely flat ontology and vitalism. Second, for presenting the contribution of Callon and colleagues, we discuss three lessons derived from ANT in economic sociology: the induced and non-spontaneous character of the market, the materiality of the market framework and the performativity of economics. Finally, we ground both the potential of its conceptual and methodological tools and the perplexity of some critics in the theoretical core of ANT, which distinguishes it from the foundations of the canon in sociology.