Information practices are environmental
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31ISIC65154Keywords:
information practices, environment, more-than-human, environmentality, envirotechnicalAbstract
Introduction. Existing research into information practices has largely neglected their fundamental environmental dimension. Despite earlier research into information environments, ecosystems, and environmental information, a sustained investigation into the reciprocal relationship between information practices and the physical, more-than-human environment – termed ‘environmentality’ – has been surprisingly sparse. This paper aims to address this gap, arguing for a broadened conceptualisation of information practices.
Method. This conceptual paper reviews earlier literature focusing on the influence of the environment on information practices, and conversely, how information practices shape the environment. Two empirical vignettes are used to illustrate key themes emerging from this review.
Results. The key argument of this paper is to expand the conceptualisation of information practices beyond traditional cognitive, sociomaterial, and sociocultural approaches. Specifically, the concept of environmentality highlights a mutual, unfolding co-construction between information practices and the environment. This includes an acknowledgement of the embodiedness, materialities, environmental underpinnings and impact inherent in these practices, as well as opening possibilities for further investigation into the reciprocal relationships between diverse more-than-human actors, including robots and animals, engaged in these practices.
Conclusion. This paper concludes that a more comprehensive understanding of information practices necessitates acknowledging that information practices are environmental. By recognising information practices as fundamentally embedded within a more-than-human habitat, and engaging with their reciprocal influence, it is possible to move beyond fragmented conceptualisations and better account for their intricate complexity. Furthermore, this perspective opens avenues for critical inquiry into the embeddedness, accountability, and agency of these practices within a wider ecological framework.
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