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Social Informatics Research: Schools of Thought, Methodological Basis, and Thematic Conceptualization

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  • Zdenek Smutny
  • Vasja Vehovar

Abstract

Research activities related to social informatics (SI) are expanding, even as community fragmentation, topical dispersion, and methodological diversity continue to increase. Specifically, the different understandings of SI in regional communities have strong impacts, and each has a different history, methodological grounding, and often a different thematic focus. The aim of this article is to connect three selected perspectives on SI—intellectual (regional schools of thought), methodological, and thematic—and introduce a comparative framework for understanding SI that includes all known approaches. Thus, the article draws from a thematic and methodological grounding of research across schools of thought, along with definitions that rely on the extension and intension of the notion of SI. The article is built on a paralogy of views and pluralism typical of postmodern science. Because SI is forced to continually reform its research focus, due to the rapid development of information and communication technology, social changes and ideologies that surround computerization and informatization, the presented perspective maintains a high degree of flexibility, without the need to constantly redefine the boundaries, as is typical in modern science. This approach may support further developments in promoting and understanding SI worldwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Zdenek Smutny & Vasja Vehovar, 2020. "Social Informatics Research: Schools of Thought, Methodological Basis, and Thematic Conceptualization," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 71(5), pages 529-539, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:71:y:2020:i:5:p:529-539
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.24280
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    Cited by:

    1. Zoltan Ban & Jan Lansky & Stanislava Mildeova & Petr Tesar, 2019. "A Probe Survey of Bitcoin Transactions Through Analysis of Advertising in an On-Line Discussion Forum," Acta Informatica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2019(2), pages 112-131.
    2. Zdenek Smutny & Zdenek Sulc & Jan Lansky, 2021. "Motivations, Barriers and Risk-Taking When Investing in Cryptocurrencies," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(14), pages 1-22, July.
    3. Vasja Vehovar & Zdenek Smutny & Alice R. Robbin, 2020. "Call for Special Issue Papers: Perspectives of Social Informatics," Acta Informatica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2020(2), pages 224-227.
    4. Vasja Vehovar & Zdenek Smutny & Alice R. Robbin, . "Call for Special Issue Papers: Perspectives of Social Informatics," Acta Informatica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 0.
    5. Vasja Vehovar & Zdenek Smutny & Alice R. Robbin, 2021. "What is Social Informatics from an International Perspective?," Acta Informatica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(3), pages 207-210.
    6. Christa Weßel, 2021. "Social Informatics Experience: A Case Study on Learning and Teaching Sociological Basics in a Technical Context," Acta Informatica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(3), pages 211-235.

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