Do Categories Have Politics? The Language/Action Perspective Reconsidered

Abstract

Drawing on writings within the CSCW community and on recent social theory, this paper proposes that the adoption of speech act theory as a foundation for system design carries with it an agenda of discipline and control over organization members' actions. I begin with a brief review of the language/action perspective introduced by Winograd, Flores and their colleagues, focusing in particular on the categorization of speakers' intent. I then turn to, some observations on the politics of categorization and, wiith that framework as background, consider the attempt, through THE COORDINATOR, to implement a technological system for intentionaccounting within organizations. Finally, I suggest the implications of the analysis presented in the paper for the politics of CSCW systems design