Dear Jurgen
Whew! Ken has accused me of serious stuff!
I hope you don't feel I criticized and trivialized your question. I posted Bagwell's abstract because I thought it might help provide a comprehensive, systematic approach to answering your question, which seemed to be about measuring economic impacts. An economist's answer to a serious economic question.
I did admit I hadn't read it (there was a glitch accessing the chapter from my library - which is normally excellent!) I'm glad Ken has verified the chapter was worthwhile.
As for the problematic bits (in answer to the point raised by David), the 'decontextualised' idea comes from Callon's (1999) "Actor-network theory - The market test". I guessed you would be familiar with this, having quoted Sloterdijk in a post to Derek. I'm interested in this approach, and ways of addressing Callon and Law's 'qualculation' question. A more 'faceted' research repertoire seems to be a good way forward in design for social business, no?
Best,
Amanda
Dr Amanda Bill
Institute of Design for Industry and Environment
College of Creative Arts
Massey University, Wellington
New Zealand
+64 4 8015799 ex 62555
email: [log in to unmask]
On 21/07/11 5:55 PM, "Ken Friedman" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Amanda,
It is inappropriate to describe Jurgen's question as you do. You
criticize approaches to research that "seem to maintain their
'claims to truth' by treating all the problematic bits as
externalities - they 'decontextualize, dissociate, detach and
disentangle'. This process is necessary to make anything into a
marketable commodity." Then you add, "Which is what Jurgen seemed to
be asking for."
This is not what Jurgen was asking for. If you know Jurgen's work -
especially his work with Muhammad Yunus on design for social business
- you know that Jurgen wrestles with serious problems in serious
ways, and he does not make anything into a marketable commodity."
|