Abstract
Scientific work is heterogeneous, requiring many different actors and viewpoints. It also requires cooperation. The two create tension between divergent viewpoints and the need for generalizable findings. We present a model of how one group of actors managed this tension. It draws on the work of amateurs, professionals, administrators and others connected to the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley, during its early years. Extending the Latour-Callon model of interessement, two major activities are central for translating between viewpoints: standardization of methods, and the development of `boundary objects'. Boundary objects are both adaptable to different viewpoints and robust enough to maintain identity across them. We distinguish four types of boundary objects: repositories, ideal types, coincident boundaries and standardized forms.
Keywords
ViewpointsStandardizationBoundary (topology)Boundary-workIdentity (music)SociologyWork (physics)Boundary objectIdeal (ethics)EcologyEpistemologyPolitical scienceBiologyEngineeringSocial scienceMathematicsAestheticsVisual artsPhilosophyArtLaw
Affiliated Institutions
Related Publications
Abrupt Climate Change and Extinction Events in Earth History
Slowly changing boundary conditions can sometimes cause discontinuous responses in climate models and result in relatively rapid transitions between different climate states. Su...
Publication Info
- Year
- 1989
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 387-420
- Citations
- 9844
- Access
- Closed
External Links
Social Impact
Altmetric
PlumX Metrics
Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions
Citation Metrics
9844
OpenAlex
Cite This
Susan Leigh Star,
James R. Griesemer
(1989).
Institutional Ecology, `Translations' and Boundary Objects: Amateurs and Professionals in Berkeley's Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, 1907-39.
Social Studies of Science
, 19
(3)
, 387-420.
https://doi.org/10.1177/030631289019003001
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1177/030631289019003001