As Information Systems matures as a discipline, there is a gradual move away from pure statistics towards consideration of alternative approaches and philosophies. This has not been incorporated into the literature of the field. Until now. Collecting major social theorists and philosophers into one volume, Social Theory and Philosophy for Information Systems provides a historical and critical analysis of each that is both authoritative and firmly focused on practical relevance to IS. The result is an insightful text for researchers, academics and students that will provide an up-to-date starting point for those considering alternative approaches.
This volume aims to widen the imagination of information systems researchers in addressing questions about fundamental relationships between philosophy, social theory and technology.
Each chapter is written by an expert/experts in both IS and the particular line of thinking under review. Lee provides a ground clearing introduction to the philosophy of science. Markus critically appraises the promise that still lies within functionalism and neofunctionalism. Introna and Ilharco discuss Husserl's and Heidegger's phenomenology in relation to 'the screen'. Myers, Probert, and Klein and Huynh reveal the abiding applicability of hermeneutics, Adorno's and Habermas's critical social theory respectively. Willcocks details the evolution of Foucault's mode of thinking and its usefulness, including essential concepts of power/knowledge, genealogy, the disciplinary society and technology.
Jones and colleagues reconsider structuration theory, and provide considerable insight into Giddens' later thinking and its role in IS. Howcroft and her co-authors focus on the social shaping of technology approaches, including actor network theory, while Mingers brings critical realism into play suggesting that it can provide an underlying philosophy for information systems. Finally, Merali details and assesses an area strangely neglected by IS researchers, namely complexity theory. Overall the book provides a rich, insightful and critical set of fresh, key contributions to the study of technology and information systems.
