物质性:媒介技术理论化及其与数字媒介研究的勾连——基于媒介理论与STS之比较

Bridging Medium Theory and STS:Materiality and New Media Studies

文章运用概化关键词的方法,通过厘清"物质性"概念,爬梳关于媒介技术的两种理论范式,及其与当下数字媒介技术研究的勾连。媒介区别于一般物质技术具有的二元性特点,即象征性和物质性,是人类意向与技术物同源共存的连续统一体。媒介理论通过彰显媒介的物质性发展出一种技术阐释的方法,强调作为物本体的媒介具有形塑文化的能动性;STS则通过质疑科学的物质性将技术本身问题化和去本质化,深描技术物与社会实践相互建构的过程。技术阐释与社会建构两种范式的对话推动数字媒介研究领域出现一种物质性转向,具体表现为从软件研究到平台研究、算法批判研究的演进脉络,文章建议关注这一丰富的知识场景,并将其应用于中国社会平台化进程的实证考察中。

Drawing on a keyword conceptualization approach,this article outlines two theoretical paradigms of media technology and their connections to research on digital media technology by clarifying the concept of“materiality”.Media,differing from general technology,are both symbolism and materiality:they are hybrid of human intentionality and material continuum.Medium Theory developed an approach to interpretations of technology through manifesting the materiality of media,emphasizing that medium,as ontologically material,has the power to shape culture.On the other hand,STS problematizes and de-essentializes technology by questioning the materiality of science,and thickly describes the process of mutual construction of technological objects and social practices.The dialogue between the two paradigms of Medium Theory and STS drives a materiality turn in digital media studies,specifically manifested in the evolutionary from Software Studies to Platform Studies and Algorithmic Critical Studies.This article suggests paying attention to this knowledge scene and applying it to empirical researches of the platformization process of Chinese society.