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Wolfgang, I think there are now efforts to align ANT, and more broadly speaking STS, to design. In terms of literature here are some examples: Verbeek, P.-P. (2005). What things do : Philosophical reflections on technology, agency, and design. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press Yaneva, A. (2005). 'Scaling Up and Down: Extraction Trials in Architectural Design', Social Studies of Science, 35(6), 867-894. Danholt, P. 'How is User-centered Design Interested in Users? A Posthumanist Approach'. Henderson, K. (1991). 'Flexible Sketches and Inflexible Data Bases: Visual Communication, Conscription Devices, and Boundary Objects in Design Engineering', Science, Technology, & Human Values, Vol. 16(No. 4), 448-473. There is also a seminar series currently being held at the Centre for the Study of Invention and Social Process in which participants are exploring connections between social science and design: http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/csisp/source/events.html Also, the work of the Interaction Research Studio at Goldsmiths is being informed by STS. http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/interaction/ With regards to the question of the relationship between writing and fiction this topic has also been explored in SSK (sociology of scientific knowledge) and STS , for example: Woolgar, S. (1991). Knowledge and reflexivity : New frontiers in the sociology of knowledge: Sage Publications. Ashmore, M. (1989). The reflexive thesis : wrighting sociology of scientific knowledge. Chicago ; London: University of Chicago Press. The politics of writing as a social scientific practice has also been explored in the edited collection: Clifford, J., & Marcus, G. E. (1986). Writing culture : the poetics and politics of ethnography. Berkeley ; London: University of California Press. Other 'ways out' of the reflexive hall of mirrors include Haraway's notion of situated knowledge and Strathern's notion of partial truths. I think its generally seen as a problematic that has been dealt with in the social sciences, especially as you suggest, by those working in STS (after ANT). The infamous 'epistemological chicken' debate is one encounter in which STS scholars discussed this and other forms of reductionism. Here's an account of this debate: http://www.easst.net/review/march1996/harbers And lastly, I'm writing a sociological PhD informed by ANT on the practice of user-centered design. Hope this helps. Alex --------------------------------------------- Alex Wilkie Lecturer in Design & PhD Candidate Centre for the Study of Invention and Social Process Department of Sociology http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/csisp/ Room 1202, Warmington Tower Goldsmiths, University of London New Cross, London SE14 6NW, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7078 5058 Fax: +44 (0)20 7919 7713 Mob: 0781 796 0120 ---------------------------------------------