Drawing new maps. An aprroach to Actor-Network Theory from basque sociology

Abstract

During the last decades an innovative paradigm has arisen in the field of worldwide social sciences: the Actor-Network Theory. It is having a big impact in social sciences, as it gives us new epistemologic, ontologic and metodologic bases for researching. Therefore, this article has the aim of bringing this new theory to the Basque sociology. According to this, the article will attempt to define the Actor-Network Theory and to approach its main concepts using terms such as traslation, agencement or black box. Moreover, the precedents of this theory will be presented. Considering that Tarde, Garfinkel, Serres and Deleuze have had an interesting influence on it, their main contributions will be highlighted and the evolution of their ideas will be explained. Besides, some examples related to urban, health or economic sociology will be used to show the application of this theory in research. Lastly, the article wants to present the main critics towards this method, as well as to invite the Basque sociology to immerse itself in these new theory.