Governance by technological design, a critique

This chapter undertakes a critical examination of the concept of governance through technological design. It analyses influential works by Foucault, Winner, Latour, Lessig and Yeung, seeking to determine whether perspectives rooted in this tradition offer realistic pathways for comprehending and acting upon the intricate nature of contemporary technology. The chapter asserts that viewing governance primarily as a product of artefacts’ materiality may lead to alluring yet oversimplified conclusions, diverting attention from the complex political interplay between things and people. Beyond raising questions on some assumptions about the materialization of social control, this critique also puts forth specific directions for future theorization on this topic.