A theory discussed in class that I found interesting and changed my idea of sustainability was the Actor Network Theory. This theory is defined as a theoretical strategy for understanding events, concepts, and situations as systems of relationships. In other words, more things are connected than some may think. As an activity in class, we created a web-like diagram that had actors such as the professor, the students, readings, attendance, discussions, and so on. All of these entities, or nodes. Have relation to each other. For example, the teacher assigns the readings that the students do, then we discuss these readings in class, which one could be a part of depending on their attendance, and so on and so forth.
A reading from class written by Richard D. Besel, Opening the “Black Box” of Climate Change Science: Actor-Network Theory and Rhetorical Practice in Scientific Controversies, discusses Actor Network Theory in a rhetorical setting regarding the analysis of a study done by other scientists. Besel goes on to assert, “ANT thus provides a critical perspective that moves beyond the traditional ‘’close reading’ approaches used in rhetorical criticism and environmental communication research. In other words, ANT critics use what Leah Ceccarelli calls a ‘close textual-intertextual analysis’ and more” (Besel 125). This observation really helped me when I was learning about Actor Network Theory, and it helped me be able to visualize it working in the world around me. As Richard Besel went into more detail in the analysis of the study, the idea arose that this theory could be applied anywhere (similar to the example that we used in class regarding the teacher, students, reading, etc. being related). Applying this to the topic at hand in class, sustainability, my idea of the environment and ways to help it became a little more advanced.
Before learning about Actor Network Theory, a lot of the practices regarding sustainability were all separate entities, I never really put the pieces together. I assumed that the people running companies that produce carbon emissions were completely separate from the government, from the average person, and especially from climate activists and sustainable companies. However, this is not completely true. By using Actor Network Theory and plotting all of these nodes in a web, it becomes clear they are all very interconnected.
Putting all of the nodes into one web is something that has helped me understand the flow of sustainability that I have seen. Specifically when breaking down each layer into subcategories from what I have read in class as well as out, and also the ideas I have seen in the real world of sustainability being implemented. Using Actor Network Theory in regard to rhetoric has been a challenge, it has become apparent that there is more to look at than what is at face value. Besel emphasizes, “The use of ANT as a framework for rhetorical criticism in this article certainly builds additional bridges between the work of Science Studies scholars and rhetoricians. However, there is still much to be done. Even in this one case, I have only examined the way one node of a network was defended by invoking other nodes of the network” (Besel 132). This passage reminds me that there is always more to be found, sustainability, to me, has become something that is ever changing and connected endlessly.
Through Actor Network Theory discussed in class and through Richard D. Besel’s writing, I have found that connecting nodes together in the frame of sustainability has helped me reach a certain point of understanding in an endless web of ideas that surrounds being sustainable. The nodes are not separate entities, but rather connected through work, ideas, or actions. This does not equate to a complete understanding of sustainability though, as Besel stated, “There is still much to be done”.