The Evolution of Social Informatics Research (1984­‐2013): Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Social informatics (SI) is “the interdisciplinary study of the design, uses and consequences of information technology that takes into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts” (Kling 1998, p.52; 1999). SI provides flexible frameworks to explore complex and dynamic sociotechnical interactions. As a domain of study related largely by common vocabulary and conclusions, SI critically examines common conceptions of and expectations for technology, by providing contextual evidence. This chapter describes the evolution of SI research in the US and UK and identifies challenges and opportunities for future research. We divided SI research into four major periods: an early period of foundational work which grounds SI (Pre-1990s), a period of development and expansion (1990s), a robust period of coherence and influence by Rob Kling (2000-2005), and a period of diversification (2006-Present). Each of the four periods is divided into four sections: principles, concepts, approaches, and findings. Principles refer to the overarching motivations and labels employed to describe scholarly work. Approaches describe the theories, frameworks, and models employed in analysis, emphasizing the multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of SI. Concepts include specific processes, entities, themes, and elements of discourse within a given context, revealing a shared SI language surrounding change, complexity, consequences, and social elements of technology. Findings from seminal SI works illustrate growing insights over time and demonstrate how repeatable explanations unify SI. In the concluding remarks, we raise questions as to the possible future expansion or extinction of SI research.