Habermas

2'276
76 .l . Habermas
i5 bv rto
intcsru1l,rtl is
ol'social
dcvclopment ol
However, the development
sequence
social integration
by tio
sequcnce . However

exploitation.
in social
social exploitation.
decrease in
sequential decrease
w.rth a sequential
svnorlvmous with
means
nleans synonymous
intesratiorr
ol'social
tvpe
the
perspective, the tvpe ol social integration
cv,olutionary perspective,
an evolutionary
l'rom ati
From
is
situations'
in
<'onllict
that,
and
syslem
kinship system and that, in conict situatiori. IS
thc kinship
is tied to the
that
that is
to
belonss
sanctions
legal
preconventional legal sanctions belongs to aa
through precoiiventional
maintained
maintainecl through
rule
political rule
involves political
tvpe that
that involves
the type
rhar) the
o1'cle,,elopmentthan
lower
stage olidevelopment
Iower stage
conventional
through
is
maintained
irl conflict
r.onflict situations, is maintained through conventional
that. in
and that,
statldards
nroral $la"daTd5
o[' m0Fl
vantage-point Ol
tl-rc vantage-point
li-orn the
\'et, from
practices. Yet
legal practices
lrm ol
the
societies'
civilized
and
primitive
applicable
applicable to both primitive and civilized societieS. U19 form Ol
as
be.iudged
must
sot:ieties
in
class
practised
necessarilv practised in class societies must be judgedas
exploitation
.*ploitutio,l necessarily
inequalities
social
moderatc
the
with
.egrersion in comparison with the moderate social inequalities
a,. regression
are
societies are
class societies
why class
cxplains why
This explains
svsrems. This
kinship svstems.
possible in kinship
that they
legitimation
lor
need
the
satislv
to
structurally
satisfy the need lor legitimation that they
stru<-turalll unable
'l:his
in postkinsliip
postki,ship
struggles in
class struggles
recurritg class
the recurring
ro the
key,to
i, the key
produce.
procluce. This is
societies.
s c l c i e ites .

Note
Note
GesellschaJten
organisierter
slaatlichorganisierter
Entstehung
F,der. Zur Entstehung
Klaus Eder.
lompare Klaus
lI ( Iompare
staat/ich
Gesellschaften
I97ti)'
( l'ranktirrt-\tain: Suhrkamp.
Suhrkarnp.I976).
(l"rankl'uit-l\lain:

10
l0

Unscrewing
Llnscrewing the big
Leviathan:
Leviathan: how actors
macro-structure reality
macro-structure
reality and
how
how sociologists
help them
sociologists help
to do so
so
Michel Callon
Callon and
and Bruno
Bruno Latour*

l
l

with barbed irons?

irons? .. .. .. Lay thine hand upon
fill his skin with
(Ianst
Clanst thou ll
l-rim remember
remember the battle, do no more.
more . .. .. .. None is
is so
so erce
fierce that
him
who then is
is able to stand before
me?
dare stir him up: who
belre me?
4l:7,8,10
_]ob
J o b 4l:7,8,l()

relationsin
Habermas, Callon
Latour conceive
oif micro-macro
micro-macrorelations
in
[Like
of
Callon and
and Latour
conceiue
lLike Haberrnas,
process
the-y
donot
oJthemin
euoLutionary
terms.The
Theprocess
dlnamic terms,
terms, but
but they
notconceive
conceiue
in evolutionarv
dynarnic
do
ofthem
terms.
processin
tlteyhave
hauein
is not
in which
oJ'social
integrationbecome
become
in mind
mind is
not aa process
whichforms
they
forms of
social integration
processby
replaced
replacedlgr
neut.f'ormson
on the
thebasis
basisif
of social
sociallearning,
Learning,but
but rather
ratheraa process
lsv
b-ynew/onns
which micro-actors
grow
micro-actorssuccessliilly
successlully
grow to
to macro-size.
macro-size.
Callon
to
who
the macro-order
macro-order
to consist
who
and Latour
Latour consider
considerthe
consistofmacro-actors
oJ macro-aclors
Callon and
'transLated'
have
other
wills into
success.f
otheractors
into aa single
singlewillfor
uillJor which
whichthey
thel
hauesuccess/ully
ulQ translated
actors'wills
speak.
which
speak.This
This enrolment
enrolmentof other
otheractors
actorsallows
allowsthem
themto
to act
like aa single
singlewill
will which
actlike
powerJulbecause
rely.How
is,
powerful
oftheforces
on
is, however,
extremely
because
oJ'theforces
onwhich
whichit can
canrely.
How do
do
howeuer,extremely
micro-actors
grow
grow to
to suchformidable
sizes
si3s like
like that
oJ'bigmultinational
multinationalcorpormicro-aclors
suchformidable
that ofbig
corporto rely
ations?
Latour say
saythat
tltat unlike
unlikebaboons,
baboons,
human
humanactors
actorsare
ableto
rell
ations?Callon
Callonand
andLatour
areable
'durable'materials,for
not
slmbolicrelations,
relations,but
but also
alsoon
0n more
moredurable
materials, for which
which
not only
onlyon
on symbolic
prouideexamples.
they
provide
this difference
which
thehuman
humansociety
sociegtto
to
the_y
examples.It is
is this
difJrence
which allows
alLousthe
producemacro-actors
produce
and
baboonsociety
societyto
to enact
its relations
relations
macro-actors
whichforcesthe
thebaboon
enactall
aLlits
andwhichforces
practice.
on
of
onaa micro-level
nicro-leuel
oJsymbolic
slmbolicpractice.
presentchapter
The
to the
is the
the contribution
contributionto
the book
bookwhich
which most
mostforcefully
The present
chapteris
forceJull-y
powerand
possible
reminds
correlation
between
power
themacro-level.
L.It is
is also
remindsus
usofa
oJ-a possible
correlation
between
andthe
macro-leue
also
perhapsmost
the
ofmacro-actors
is
oJmacro-actors
is perhaps
mostsimilar
similar to
to Harrs
Harr's
the chapter
whoseconception
conception
chapterwhose
powers(see
(seechapter
notion
collectivities
to
oJ'structured
to which
heattributes
attribulescausal
chapter
notionofstructured
colLectiuities
whichhe
causalpowers
l'eespecially
in alphabetical
** Authors
thankjohn
Authorsin
alphabeticalorder.
order.We
especiallv
thankJohnLaw,
Law,Shirley
Shirley
Strum,
Strum, Karin
Karpik and
and Luc
Luc Boltanski
lbr their
theirsharp
Karin Knorr,
Knorr, Lucien
l,ucierrKarpik
Boltanskifor
sharp
(ailed.most
criticism
we failed,
criticismwhich
whichwe
mostofthe
ol'thetime,
time.to
to answer.
answer.

l
l

l
l

278
278

Latour
B. Latour
and B.
Callonand
M. Callon

summariln.q
the summarizing
on the
cicourel's;focus
uith Cicourels
oaerlapwith
someoverlap
has some
which has
4),
focus on
4), and
and which
(see
action(sze
micro-social
within
generated
is
macro
the
which
throughwhich the macro is generated within micro-social t1Cll0Tt
pioceduresthrough
procedures
'chapter
as the
be Sm!
seen11-
it can
can be
senseit
In aa sense
Introduction)'In
the Introduction).
icrion 5 of the
and section
chapter I and
I 6
micro-conceptions'f
mentioned
t
las
the
macro-counterpart
of the last mentioned micro-conceptions]
macro-counterpart

lI

Hobbes's paradox
Hobbess
Paradox

in a
l a w in
a n y law
w i t h o u tany
l i v i n ewithout
m e n living
e g o i s r i cmen
o l ' e q u a l .egoistic
m u l r i t u d eofequal,
Given:
a
G i v e n : a multitude
'the war ol'e'u'ery
as,
described
been
has
that
o['nature
stateotinature that has been described as, the war ol every
mercilessstate
merciless
end?
to an
an end?
brought to
be brought
state be
this state
can this
one'.rHow
every one.'
one
How can
against every
one against
man
every
that
a
contract
through
reply:
Hobbes's
knows
Everyone
Everyoneknows Hobbess reply: through a contract that everyman
n
group
ol'me
or
a
man,
one
gives
which
and
other
every
-uk., with every other and which gives one man, or a group ol men
makes
become:
on behallollall.
behalt'ol'all.'I'hey
speakon
to speak
right to
rhe right
other, the
none other,
bound to none
bound
They become:
.actor' ol' which the multitude linked by contracts are the
the actor oll which the multitude linked by contracts are the
the
who
.authors'.2T'hus .authorized'.,rthe sovereignbecomestheperson
authors? Thus
authorizedlfl the sovereign becomes the person who
worth'
are worth.
what they
they are
and what
want and
they want
what they
are' what
others are,
the others
says what the
says
ol'property
recorder
laws,
ol'all
guarantor
debts,
ol'all
accountant ol all debts, guarantor ol all laws, recorder ol property
accountant
judgments and
opinions, judgments
ranks, opinions,
ol' ranks,
measurer of
suPreme measurer
reeisters, supreme
registers,
and
'that Mortal
Leviathan:that Mortal
the Leviathan:
becomesthe
sovereignbecomes
the sovereign
I., short
sho.t the
.u...n.y. In
currency.
and
peat'eand
our peace
God, our
lmmortal God,
the lmmortal
under the
owe under
we owe
which we
to which
God, to
defense?
_ _
delnse'.{
political
to political
interest to
is ol
ol' interest
Hobbes is
by Hobbes
proposed by
The solution
solution proposed
clearly
lbrmulatingclearly
to sociology'
importanceto
philosophy
sociology, lormulating
o1:maiorimportance
and ofmajor
philosophyand
and
micro-actors
between
relationship
the
time
first
the
lbr
as
it
does
for
the
rst
time
the
relationship
between
microactors
and
doe.
as
the
between
sizebetween the
or size
levelor
ol-level
dillrenceof
no dillerence
seesno
Hobbes sees
macro-actors.
macro-actors.Hobbes
lransaction''l'he
oJ'atransaction. '1 he
resultofa
notthe
theresult
is not
uhichis
Leviathan which
the Leviathan
micro-actors
micro-actors and the
multitude,
time
m u l t i t u d e ,says
s a y Hobbes,
s H o b b eis
s ,at
i s the
a t t hsame
esam
e t i the
m e tForm
h e F oand
r m athe
n dMatter
theNlatter
of
articial
o l .the
t h e body
b o d y politic.
p o l i t i c .The
. I . h econstruction
c o n s t r u c t iof
o nthis
ol'th
i s a r t i f ibody
c i a l biso dcalcuyiscalcuthan
other than
nothing other
is nothing
sovereignis
absolutesovereign
the absolute
thar the
such a way that
lated
lated in such
expression'Leviathan'
the expression
T-houghthe
wishes.Though
multitude'swishes.
of'themultitudes
the
Leviathan
the sum
sum ofthe
'totalitarian monster" in
with totalitarian
synonymouswith
is
considereclsynonymous
monster, in
is usually
usually considered
says
He says
authority' He
his own
own authority.
on his
nothing on
says nothing
soueteignsays
ihe sovereign
Hobbes
Hobbes the
whose
multitude'
the multitude, whose
by the
authorized by
been authorized
hai'ing been
nothing
nothing without having
'l'he
not
is not
sovereignis
he is."
is';' The sovereign
amplifier he
and amplier
mask-bearerand
spokesman,
spokerman, mask-bearer
or
higher'
he
nor
is
lunction, I1OT'1S he-higher, or
or by
by function,
nature or
by nature
either by
the people,
peoPle'either
above
ibouethe
another
itsell'i.
peopleitsell in anothfff
is the
the people
He is
. He
substance
oi'dillr.nt substance.
o. olldiillerent
greater,
greater, or
state'
- as
solid state.
or aa solid
gaseousor
ol'a gaseous
speakolla
we speak
as we
state
_
state
This
tos us
importance,
1 h i s ppoint
o i n t ,seems
...,tou
o | 'of
c acapital
pitalim
p t r r t a n c e 'and
a r r dini l this
r t h i paper
s p a p ewe
rwe

Unscrewing
Llnscreuing the
the big Leviathan
Leaiathan

')79
279

should like to examine all its consequences.

consequences.Hobbes states
states that there
there
rro dillerence
is no
between
the
actors
which
is
inherent
in
nature. All
between
dillrence
actors
inherentintheir
theirnature.
r\ll
dillerences
dillrences in level,
level, size
size and scope
scope are the result
result of
ol'aa battle or a
negotiation. We
!\'e cannot distinguish between
between macro-actors
macro-actors (institutions,
classes,
parties,
states)
tiorts, organizations,
orpanizations, social
parties,
social classes,
states) and micro-actors
(indir,'iduals, groups, families)
(individuals,
olltheir
fmilies) on the basis
basis ol'their dimensions,
dimensions, since
sincc
'same
they are all, we might
or
rather
since
mieht say,
sal', the same size',
size',
since size
size is
is what
primarily at stake
is also.
is primarily
stake in their struggles
strugeles it is
also. therefore,
therelbre, their most
- and for
- it is
important result.
result. For Hobbes
lbr us
important
us too
is not a question
quesrion ot
ol'
classily'ing macro- and micro-actors,
classilying
micro-actors, or reconciling what we know ol
ol'
tbrmer and what
what we know
know oi
the lormer
the latter, but posing anew the
ol'the
rhe old
question: how does
does a micro-actor become
become a macro-actor?
macro-actor? How
How can
'like
m e n act
a c t like one
man'?
men
o n e man?
'l-hc
originality ollthe
ol'the problem posed
posed by Hobbes is
The originality
is partly concealed
concealed
- the social
- which history.
by
by' his solution
social contract
history, anthropology
anthropoloey
'l'he
atid
atrd now ethology
etholog,v have proved impossible.
impossible. The contract,
contract, however,
however. is
is
merely a specic
specific instance olla
ol'a more general
general phenomenon, that ol'
translation.
translation.'; By translation we understand all the negotiations,
negotiations,
intrigues, calculations,
calculations. acts
acts of
ol persuasion
persuasi<ln and violencef
violence.t thanks to
which
which an
lbrce takes,
ar) actor or lorce
takes, or causes
causes to be
conlrred on itself,
be conlerred
itsell,
'()ur
authority
authority to speak
speak or act on l)Cll21lil0ll8.O[l'lCI
be hall'ol'another actor or lorcez
ftrrce:8()ur
'you
'do
interests
interests are the same,
same', do what lI want,
want', you cannot succeed
without
succeedwithout
going
us', s/he is
through me.
me'. Whenever
!\'henever an actor speaks
speaks of
ol''us',
is trans_
transeoing through
lating
lating other actors into a single will, ollwhich
ol'which s/he
s/hc becomes
becomcs spirit and
begins to act for
lbr several,
several, no longer
lorrqer for
lbr one alone.
spokesman. S/he begins
alone.
'I'he
S/he becomes
grows. The social
becomes stronger.
social contract displays
displays in
stronger. S/he grows.
legal terms, at societys
society's very beginnings,
beginnings, in a once-and-for-all,
oncc-and-lirr-all, all-ornothing
l)othine ceremony,
cerenrony, what processes
processes of
ol translation display in an
empirical
reversible way, in multiple,
empirical and a reversible
multiple, detailed,
detailed, everyday
everyday
'l'he
negotiations. The contract need
need only be
replaced by processes
be replaced
processesol
ol'
translation
Leviathar.r will begin
begin to grow,
translation and the Leviathan
restorins to
srow! thus restoring
Hobbes's
H o b b e s ' s solution
s o l u t i o n all
a l l its
i t s originality.
originality.
-l'he
The aim ol
this article is
ol'this
is to show what sociology
sociology becomes
becomes ill
il we
- provided we replace
maintain
rnaintain Hobbess
Hobbes's central hypothesis
hypothesis
replace the
contract
ol'translation. How
How can
contract by a general law olltranslation.
can we describe
describe society,
society,
it
il' our
our aim is
is the analysis
analysis of
ol' the construction olidillierences
ol'dillrences in size
size
between micromicro- and macro-actors?
macro-actorsi
'l'he
The methodological
methodological constraints we impose for
fbr describing the
Leviathan
Leviathan should not be
\\'e should miss the point
be misunderstood. We
ooint

I
280

Latour
and B. Lalour
Callon and
NI.
M. Callon

Uriserewing
Llnscrewing the
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan 281
281
'individuals'

'institutions';

a n d institutions;
b c t w e e n individuals and
i l u , e distinguish
d i s t i n g u i s h between
completely,
c o m p l e t e l v , il'we
artd
ol'psychology,
sphere
the
within
lll
fir.st
the
that
il we stipposed
supposecl that
ill
rst lell within the sphere oiipsychology, and
attd
macro-actors and
ol'course
Thereare
are ol
historv.r' There
ol'ecolromic history.
seconcl()li6COI1OI'I1l(
the
course macro-actors
tlre second
by
about by
is brought
brought about
them is
between them
dillrence between
but the dillerence
micro-actors,
micro-actors. but
elude
will
that will
ol'networks
constructions ol
relations and the constructions
power
networks that
elude
power
'analvsis
than or
r
bigge
are
macro-actors
priori
that
a
e
presum
we
il'
analysis
presume priori that macro-actors are bigger than
or
-I'hcse
translation
and translation
relations and
power relations
,r-,i...r-u.tors. These power
t,, micro-actors.
superior
supe.i,r. to
srange
his strange
in his
Hobbcs in
ltrllow Hobbes
il'wc
t'learlv il
rcappear more clearly
processes
processes reappear
we lollow
not
does
lsomorphic does not
isomorphic'r" lsomorphic
are isomorphic.
actors are
assumption
sru-ptio,, that all actors
no
way
priori
is
there is no way
a
that apriori
but that
samesize
size but
ihut all actors have the same
mean
there
-.u,., that
struggle"fhe
long struggle.
ol'a long
consequence olia
the consequence
is the
since it is
size since
clecide the size
to decide
The
'I'wo
netw()rks' Two
as networks.
a('tors as
consider actors
is to
to consider
understand this is
wal' to understand
best way
to a
limited to
is almost
almost limited
otte is
althouqh one
shape although
same shape
mav have the same
networks
a
lletworks may
likc
exactlv like rhe
country, exactly
the country,
o'u'erthe
all over
extends all
other extends
ancl the other
point
the
point and
ol'all
personificati()n oliall
the personication
and the
others and
thc others
t.an be one among the
sovereign
s,rve.cigl can
'l'he
shop;
cobbler's
the
than the cobblers shop;
no larger
larse r than
is no
financier's ollice is
othrs. The iianciers
the others.
world.
n o r his
h i s world.
o l ' t i i c n d s nor
n e t w o r k ollriends
h i s network
h i s culture.
c u l t u r e , his
b r a i n , his
h i s brain.
i s his
n e i t h e r is
neither
'l'l-re
.rncrely'a matr; the lbrmer is, as we sav.a'great nrnn'.
i s mercly' a man; the lormer is. as we say. a great man.
l a t t e r is
The latter
'l'oo
street
- just like
in the
the street
man in
or the
the man
politicians or
like politicians
s<lciologistsjust
olien sociologists
Too olten
are
thev
whetht'r
on whether they are
- change
depending on
oJ' analysis
anaisis depending
their framework
change their

Jramework of
tackling
t a t . k l i r l eaa macro-actor
m a ( . r O - a ( . l oorr ( a) I a
micro-actor,
m i t . r o - a c t tthe
l r . t lLeviathan
t e L e r ' i a t l or
l a t at . lsocial
ras<lt.ial
liamethe frameBy changing
changing the
roles. By
indi'n'idual roles.
culture or individual
interaction,
interaction. the culture
power
the power
confirm the
they conrm
way they
is under way
while this is
work
work ol'
ol'analysis
analysis while
'r'ae victis'.
rs
the
the
lose
giving the losers the vac victis,
winner and giving
givine aid to the winner
relations,
re lations, giving
'l'his
- as the contributors to this
urgcnt
bccome urgent
This problem
as the contributors to this
problem has become
mcroexanline macropresent examine
at present
sociologists at
r-rosociologists
because no
volume
suggest because
Volume suggest
argusanle
the
and
tools and the same argusame tools
micro-actors using the same
actors and micro-actors
'l'hel
i1
le'el
are
dillrelces
that there
there are dillerences in level
lbr granted that
ments.
melts. They take it tor
analysis,
macro-sociological
and macro-sociological analysis,
analysis and
between micro-sociological analysis
synthesis.rr
in a
a broad
broad synthesis."
the m in
reconcile them
want to reconcile
mav still want
the]- may
though
though they
loot.
wrong loot.
on
t.he
olien
too
are too olien on the wrong
sociologists are
lt
It seems
seems to us that sociologists
the
anticipate
they
exist,
really
do
believins that macro-actors really do exist, they anticipate the
Either,
L,ither, believing
()r
else
visorous'rr
grow
rnore
to grow more vigorous. Or else
bv helping them to
strellgth by
actors
actors strength
evetr
llot even
will not
and will
exist' and
do exist,
reallv do
thev really
existence, once they
tl-reirexistence.
they
thev deny
denl, their
'lhcsc
but
a
l
t
e
r
l
l
:
r
t
c
t
w
o
t h e m . r : r These two alternate but
s t r , r d v them."
r i g h t to
t o study
t h c right
allow
u s the
a l l o w us
acceptthe
presupposition:
the
same
lionr the same presupposition: the acceptsymmetrical
s\.mmetrical errors stem from
As
size. As
ol'cqual size.
or olequal
ol'dillrent or
be olidillicrent
gi,n'enlact
lct that actors can be
as a given
ance as
with
lced
again
once
we
are
.eject this presupposition, we are once again laced with
*:e reject
as we
soon as
ol
means ol
by means
except by
atrother except
than another
is bigger than
Hobbes's paradox: no actor is
Hobbesis

a transaction (a translation) which must

musr be
be examined
examined. We
\\'e show
show in
in
this
t h i s article
a r t i c l e that
t h a t ill
i l ' oone
n e remains
r e m a i n s laithltil
l a i t h l u l to
t o Hobbess
H o b b e s ' s paradox
p a r a d o x , one
one
.
.
7
at
oids the symmetrical
avoids
svmmetrical errors and understands how the
the Leviathan
grows.
all
Inn section
section 2 we attempt
attempt to resolve
resolve the lollowing
lirllowing paradox;
paradox: 11
il'all
actors F116
are ilslomorphic
isomorphic and none is
is by nature bigger or smaller than
than
<.iI1yO'(1I.
ow is
any other. Ihow
is it that they eventually end up as
as macrg-agtoys
macro-acrors or
or
individuals?
section
3
we
shall
examine
how
actors
individuals? In
In section 3
actors wax
wax and
and wane
wane,
d_ lhow
~
and
the methods we propose
propose enable
enable us
us to lollow
ltrllow
an
10W_lhe
them through
their
variations
in
size,
without
having
to
alter
the
framework
their variations
size, without
the Iiamework for
lirr
.
I
,
_
.

_
_
_
analysis.
conclusion, we consider in more detail
apd
ySis Lastly, in the conclusion,
the role
ool'sociolosists
sot iologists in such variations in relative size.
size.

Baboons, or
or the
the impossible
impossible Leviathan
Baboons,
Leviathan

us leave
leave H0bbess
Hobbes's myth
Let us
myth ol'the Leviathan
Leviathan and take
take another myth:

the impossible Monkey-Leviathan

building up
Monkev-Leviathan or
or the
rhe ditculty
dilhculty of
ol'building
up

I
1
J

macro-actors
nracro-actors in a herd
believed that society only
b<'-irlieved

ol
baboons living
'4 Hobbgg
ol'baboons
livine in the
the wild
wild.rr
Hobbes
'I'his
emerged
with
man.
""
This
was
believed
emersed with man.r:'
believed for
lrr

time, utll
until gatherings
gatherings of
of'animals
observed closely
closely enough
ifa long
Oflg lllglt
animals were observed

-._..-

or it to become
ecome clear that theories
lbr
theories about the emergence
emergence oiisocietigg
ol'societies
were pertinent
the
Canidae,
pe rtinent lor
lbr primates, ants,
ants,
Clanidae, as
as well as
lirr men
as for
men.
'disordered'
- eating,
This
brute beasts
This disordered herd of
ol'brute
beasts
earing, mating,
matin, howling,
howting,
- surely
plaving and ghting
playing
fighting one another
anorher in a chaos
chaos olihair
ol'hair and fangs
lngs
surely
'state
tallies closely
by
Hobbes
closely with
with the state oli
ol' nature
nature' postulated
postulared by Hobbes.
'poor,
\\'ithout
any doubt.
doubt at all the life
lil oiia
o1'a baboon is
is poor,
A
gllzut anly
nasty,
nasty, brutish
anddSshclrt'.r"
This image oi
ol'total
enabled a contrast to be
an
OFII
This
total disorder enabled
made,
rightt from
liom the beginning, between
between human
human society
ma
.6. _ Fig
society and
bestiality,
bestialitl', between social
social order
orde r and chaos.
chaos. At
At least
least this
this is
is how
how animals
animals
were imagined
we\re
imagined belioregpeople
beltrre people actually went
wenr and studied them.
them.
N lien, belore
\\'hen,
belbre the becond
Second World
World War, but more intensively
inrensively since
since
the 13505
1950s, People
people began
began to
to study
study baboons,
baboons, each
each observer
observer reconrecon[h
structed Hobbess
Hobbes's Leviathan
Leviathan on his own account."
account.rT The
The baboons
baboons n0
no
'Ihey
longer
lonser ll\'_
live in disordered bands.
bands. They started living in
in rigid
rigid cohorts
cohorts
where the
lmales and
the lcmales
and lllir
their Voung
are surrounded
surrounded by
voung are
b_vdominant
donrinant males
males
where
organized
orsarrized according
accordins to a strict
srict hierarchy. In the
the 197/Os,
1970s,the
image ofa
the image
ol'a
pyramid-shaped
pvramid-shaped society
society olimonkeys
ol'monkeys has
has gradually
eradually come to
ro be
be used
used as
as
a loil
lbil tor
human societies
lbr human
societies which
which have
have been
been said to
ro be
be more
more flexible
flexible.

_.._.- ._.

Z82
282

and B. Latour
M. Callon and
M.

has thus
thus
ol'primates has
the study
study oliprimates
years, the
over 30 years,
lreer
{reer and more complex. Over
a
then
observed, then a
was observed,
chaos was
bestial chaos
first, bestial
test: rst,
projective test:
as a projective
been used as
reto
obliged
been obliged to rehave been
Baboons have
system. Baboons
totalitarian system.
rigid,
rigid, almost totalitarian
to
all to
against all
war ofall
of all against
the war
from the
move from
ro move
Leviathan and to
structure
stiucture the Leviathan
obedience.
absolute obedience.
gradually
have gradually
monkeys have
the monkeys
closer to the
observers closer
Despite this, observers
'I'he
have
indeed
do
baboons do indeed have
Leviathan. The baboons
dillrent Leviathan.
out a dierent
worked out
worked
does
animal
it.
one
in
possible in it. One animal does
is equally possible
organization:
organization: not everything is
groom
or
cover
not
does not cover or groom
just any other; an animal
animal does
close to just
not go close
just at
animals
random; animals
at random;
aside just
it move
move aside
does it
another
uno.. by chance; nor does
is never
never
organization
this organization is
However, this
go just where they wish. However,
cannot
cannot gojust
have
rs
observe
As
the
system. As the observers have
rigid
rigid enough to constitute an integrated system.
have
ol'dominance
hierarchies olidominance have
the hierarchies
their baboons better, the
know their
come
.o*. to know
ol'the
in
the
case
least
at
dissolvins at least in the case of the
finally dissolving
flexible, nally
become more exible,
to
seen to
has been
been seen
it has
rarer: it
become rarer:
has become
agpressivenesshas
Primary aggressiveness
males.r8
males.
" Primary
groups
ol'
the
finally
until
socialized until nally the groups oli
be consistently channelled and socialized
'civil'. 'I'he lmous elementary
baboons have become surprisingly civil. The famous elementary
- eating, copulating,
all
against all
ol'all
which luel the war oi
impulses which
all against
eating, copulating,
be constantly
constantly
to be
observed
been observed to
have been
reproduction have
domination,
domination, reproduction
interactions.
ol'social
plav
by the
the play oi social interactions.
suspended, halted and dillracted by
in
live in
the baboons
baboons live
Now the
either. Now
system either.
but no rigid system
chaos, but
is no chaos,
There
Thre is
ln
addition
flexible.
is
o1'which
but none oiiwhich is flexible. ln addition
is rigid, but
o1'which is
units,
unirs, none oiiwhich
a1d
clal and
lmilv, clan
the family,
are the
links, are
sgcial links,
age, social
a1d age,
sex and
ol'size, sex
to dillerences
dillrences oiisize,
customs.
and
traditiotls
to
due
evcn habits due to traditions and customs.
friendship
lriendship networks, or even
into play
all come
come into
they all
since they
defined since
is clearly dened
Plav
cateqories is
None
ol'these categories
None ol'these
()bservers
the
constru(-t
now
again.
together, and can break apart again. ()bservers now construct the
was
than
stronger
much
is
texture
whose
as one
society as
baboon
texture is much stronger than was
baboor-r society
but
beasts. but
brutc beasts.
of' brute
chaos of
it aa chaos
who thought it
those who
imagined
imagined by those
thought'
obscn'ers
postwar
flexible than
innitely
observers thought.
infinitely more exible
so
and yet
ve t so
so exible
flexible and
time so
the same
same time
bc at the
ol'baboons to be
For
societv olibaboons
F or a society
morc
atrd
adr,'anced:
be
had
to
hypothesis
ant amazing
amazins.
close-knit,
had to be advanced: more and
close-knit, an
in
monkcvs in
the monkeys
on the
bestowed on
to be
be bestowed
skills had to
social skills
more
extensir,'esocial
more extensive
ceaselcssll'
and
accomplish
repair,
to
order
repair, accomplish and ceaselessly
order to make them competent
societ\"r"
complex society.
tlf'such a complex
lbric olisuch
thc fabric
consolidate the
"
(rgcd
has been
been lorged
that has
society' that
new
in
the
not
easv
is
lil is
A
easy
new society
baboon's life
A babooiis
cthnomethodb.vethnomethodrevcaled by
lil as
as revealed
less dilcult
dillicult than our lile
is no less
lor
lbr it and is
is
who is
is
who. who
who
dcternrine
crxrstantlv
must
ological
constantly determine who is who,
oloeical works. He
alrd
lirllows,
who
group
and
the
leads
who
inlrir_rr,
wl.ro inferior, who leads the group and who lollows, and
ancl who
superior
superior and
him are
arc
help him
he has
has to
to help
all he
pass. And
Atrd all
him pass.
lct him
-.rr, stand back to let
who
*ho must

(Inscrewing the
Unscrewing
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan

283
2tlll

luzzv sets
sets whose logic is
is tashioned
lshioned to evaluate hundreds olielements.
luZZy
ol'elements.
Each time it is
.lL21Cll.[llTi
is necessary,
necessary, as
as the ethnomethodologists say,
say, to repair
indexicality.
indexicality. \\'ho
\\'ho is
is calling? \\'hat
\\'hat is
is it intending
intending to say?
say? No marks, no
()l'course,
costumes, no discreet
course, many signs,
discreet signs.
signs. Of
signs, growls
erowls and hints
exist, but none oithem
ol'them is
is unambiguous enough. Only
Only the context will
tell, but simplifying
simplilying and evaluating the context
conrexr is
is a constant
consranr
headache. Hence the strange
headache.
stranse impression these
these animals give today.
today.
Living
Living as
as they do in the heart olithe
ol'the bush,
bush, all they should be thinking
thinking
about is
is eating and mating. But all they care
about
care about is
is to stabilize
stabilize their
relations, or, as
as Hobbes would
would say,
say, durably
durably to attach bodies
bodies with
with
bodies.
bodies. ,\s much
much as
as we do they
thev build up a society
society which is
is their
surroundings,
surroundings, shelter,
shelter, task,
task, luxury, game
destiny.
same and destiny.
'I'he
'social
To
To simplify
simplily we might
might say
say that baboons
baboons are social animals.
animals'. The
'social'
'socius',
word
sequi,
word social derives,
derives, we know, from
lrom 'socius, which is
is akin to
to'sequi',
to follow.
all to lollow.
fbllow. First
F irst ol
ol'all
lbllow, then to lorm
ltrrm an alliance
alliance or to enlist,
enlist.
then to have something in common.
common, to share.
share. Several
Several act like a single
sinsle
entity, the social
entity,
social link is
is there.
there. Baboons
Baboons are social
social like all social
social
animals
animals in the sense
sense that they lollow
lbllow each
each other, enrol each
each other,
lorm
Itrrm alliances,
alliances, share certain links and territories. But they are social,
social,
too,
too, in that they can maintain
maintain and fortify
fbrtily their alliances,
alliances, links and
partitions only
partitions
onlv with
with the tools
tools and procedures
procedures that ethnomethodolo'I-hey
gists
gists grant
grant us to repair indexicality. They are constantly
constanrly stabilizing
the links between bodies
bodies by acting on other bodies?"
bodies.2o
Only
Only among
among the baboons are the living
living bodies
bodies alone,
alone, as
as Hobbes
requires, at the same
same time the Form
Form and the Matter
Matter olithe
ol'the Leviathan.
But
There is
But what
what happens when this is
is the case?
case?'I'here
is no Leviathan. \/Ve
We
must
the baboons
must now lormulate
lbrmulate the central question:
question: it
if'the
baboons realize
realize
Hobbess
Hobbes's conditions and oller
ollr us
us the spectacle
spectacle ofa
ol'a society
society made with
with
no solid Leviathan
Leviathan or durable
durable macro-actor, how are
are the solid,
solid. durable
macro-actors
macro-actors which
which we see
lbrming everywhere in human
see forming
human societies,
societies,
actually
actually constructed?
Hobbes
Hobbes thought
thought the Leviathan
Leviathan could be built
built with bodies,
bodies, but
bur then
rhen
he was only talking
talking about baboons.
baboons. His Leviathan could never have
have
been built
bodies had been
the social
built ii
il'bodies
been the Form and
and Matter
Matter of
ol'the
social body.
Although
in
order
to
stabilize
society
everyone

monkeys
as
Although
order
society everyone
as well as
as
- need to bring
men
into
play
associations
that
last
longer
bring into play
that last longer than
than the
the
interactions
interactions that jbrmed
them, the
the strategies and resources
resources may vary
Jrmed them,
between
ofbaboons
or
ol'men.
For
instance,
betwee n societies
societies ol'baboons
instance, instead
instead oliacting
ol'acting
straight
of
colleagues,
parents
and
friends,
straight upon the bodies
bodies ol' colleagues, parents
fiiends, like

284
28+

and B. Latour
XVI.
M. Callon
CaLtonand

in
materials in
less variable materials
might turn
tLrrn to more solid and less
baboons, one might
"'ariable
colleagues,
bodies ofour
ol'our colleagues,
wav upon the bodies
order
ordel to act in a more durable way
to
is strong
strone enough
enough to
ol'nature , no one is
state ofnature,
I1 the state
lriends. ln
a1d friends.
parents
parenl.s and
ol
the state
state of
translbrm the
il'you
coalition.!r But if
el'erv coalition.
hold out against every
hold
you transform
with walls
walls
you can
can with
much as
as you
as much
alliances as
urrsettled alliances
replacing unsettled
nature, replacing
re"'erattd reverand tattoos
tattoos atid
with uniforms
unilirrms atid
thc ranks with
contracts. the
written contracts,
and
and written
obtain aa
you will
will obtain
signs, then you
names and signs,
with names
lriendships with
sible friendships
'His
a close
close
with a
as with
uP together
together as
scales are his pride, shut up
Leviathan:
Ler''iathan: His scales
them.
between them.
at'rother that no air can come between
is so
so near to another
seal.
seal. One
One is
'l'hel'are
be
they cannot
cannot be
joined one to another;
an<>ther;they stick together that they
They arejoined
l
5
l
7
)
.
{
l
:
sundered
+1:
15-17).
s u n d e r c d ' (_]ob
lJob
in
can, in
is obtained when a micro-actor can,
size is
A
,,\ difference
dil}rence in relative size
number ofdurable
o|'durable
greatest number
errlist the greatest
also enlist
bodics. also
enlistins bodies.
addition
addition to enlisting
greatness and
the
making the
longevitv making
atld longevity
crcatcs greatness
she thus creates
materials. He or she
dillrol'the differThe secret
secret ofthe
others small and provisional in comparison. The
what
in what
lies precisely
precisely in
ence
etrce between micro-actors and macro-actors lies
to say
say
omit to
consider. The primatologists omit
neglects to consider.
analvsis often
olen neglects
analysis
disposababoons do not have at their disposal
the ir world, the baboons
that. to stabilize their
that,
H<-rbbes
observer. Hobbes
bv the observer.
manipulated by
human instruments manipulated
any
o[ the human
anv ofthe
the
liighten the
omits
sav that no promise, however solemn, could frighten
onrits to say
that
to say
sav that
obey. He omits to
lrce them to obey.
enoush to force
contractit)g parties enough
contracting
ltrrmidable and the contract solemn are the
what
sovereign formidable
what makes the sovereign
well-equippcd armies that surround
tht well-equipped
ht speaks,
which he
spcaks, the
palace from
liom which
him.e2'I-he
serve him.
equipment that serve
recordirrs equipment
him,
The
him, the scribes
scribes and the recording
lct that
analyses the fact
lbrget to include in their analyses
ethnomethodologists
ethnomethodologists forget
is partially
partially removed by a
societies is
human societies
ambiguity
context in human
ambiguity of
ol'context
ol'which
objects of
gamut of
regulatiotls. walls and objects
whole
which they
ol' tools,
tools, regulations,
whole gamut
leaves
analysis leaves
what their analysis
\\'e must now gather up what
analyse only
only a part. We
which
enlist
strategies which enlist
same method the strategies
with the same
out
out and examine with
laws, organizoreanizlclings, laws,
techniques, feelings,
discourses, techniques,
bodies. materials, discourses,
or
with the social/technical,
social/technical, or
subject with
ol'dividin54 the subject
ations. lnstead
Instead ofdividing
we
micro/macro dichotomies, we
with the micro/macro
with
human/animal. or with
with the human/animal,
consider only
gradientsofresistivity
of resistiuitltand consider
will
ltrr the analysis gradients
will only
orrly retain
retain for
sortsofmaterials.
oJ'materials.
oJ'difl'erent sorts
durabiLity ofdifjerent
relatiue solidity
soliditl and durability
the
the variations
aariations in relative
is
set ofpractices
ol'practices is
durability, a set
ol'dillrent durability,
By
Bv associating materials ofidifleretit
need
and
stable
some become
become stable
wav that some
such a way
placed in a hierarchy
need
hierart'hy in such
'grow'. ln order to build
Onlv thus can one grow. ln
no longer
build
longcr be
be considered.
conside red. Only
relationships,
morethan relationships,
little more
is necessary
necessary to enrol a little
the Leviathan
Leviathan it is
grows
relanumber
ol- relawith the number of
An actor grows with
lriendships. An
alliances and friendships.

Unscrewing
Unscreuing the
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan 285
tions he or she
put, as
she can put.
as we say.
sa,v,in black boxes.
boxes. A black box contains
that which
which no longer
lonser needs
needs to be reconsidered,
reconsidered, those
those things whose
whose
'fhe
contents have become
The
more elements
become a matter
matter ofindilference.
ol'indillrence.
elements
- modes
one cati
c-anplace in black boxes
boxes
modes ofthoughts,
ol'thoughts, habits, forces
Ibrces and
- the broader
objects
broader the construction one can raise.
raise. Ofcourse,
Ol'course, black
- as
boxes never remain
remain fully
lully closed
closed or properly fastened
lstened
as it is
is partic- but macro-actors can
ularly
ularly the case
case among
among the baboons
baboons
can do as
as if
they
thev were closed
closed and dark. Although,
Althoueh, as
as ethnomethodologists
ethnomethodologists have
shown, we are all constantly struggling for
closing leaky black boxes,
ltrr closing
boxes,
macro-actors,
macro-actors, to say the least,
least, do not have to negotiate with
with equal
equal
-fhev
l!tl7Z5tl}'
intensitlt everything.
everythins. They can go on and count
count on a force
tbrce while
while
negotiating
negotiating for
lr another. lfthey
Il'they were not successful
successlulat that, they could
not simplify
simplily the social
social world.
world. ln
In mechanical terms,
terms, they could not
m:rke a machine, that is
make
is hide the continued exercise
exercise ofa
ol'a will
will to give
eive
the impression of
forces that move by themselves.
ol'ltrrces
ln logical terms,
themsel','es.ln
terms,
they
thev could not make chains ofarguments,
ol'arsuments, that is
is stabilize
stabilize discussion
discussion
of
certain premises to allow
ol'certain
all<lw deductions or establish
establish order between
between
different
d i l l b r e n t elements.
el e m e n t s .
I l the
l|'
t h e expression
e x p r c s s i o n ' black
b l a c k box"
l > o x ' iiss too
t o o rigid
r i g i d to
t o describe
d e s c r i b e the
t h e forces
I'orces
which
boxes. and keep
which shut ollithe
oll'the stacks
stacks of
of'boxes,
keep them hermetically sealed
sealed
and obscure, another metaphor
metaphor is
is possible,
possible, one Hobbes might
might have
used had he read Waddington.
\\'addington.r'i ln the
momenrs offertilization,
rhe rst
first moments
ol'lrtilization,
all cells
cells are alike. But soon
soon an epigeiietic
epieenetic landscape
landscape takes
takes form
lbrm where
courses
courses are cut out which tend to be
be irreversible;
irreversible; these
these are called
called
'chreods'. 'l-hen
chreods.
Then cellular differentiation
dillrentiation begins.
beqins. Whether
Whether we speak
speak of
ol'
black boxes
asymboxes or chreods,
chreods, we are dealing with
with the creation of
ol'asymmetries. Let us
us then imagine a body where differentiation
dillrentiation is
is never
fully
lullv irreversible,
irrer,'ersible, where each
each cell
cell attempts to compel the others
others to
become irreversibly
irreversibly specialized,
specialized, and where many organs are permanently
nently claiming
claiming to be the head ofthe
ol'the programme.
programme. lfwe
If we imagine such
a monrter
the Leviathans
monsterwe shall have a fairly
firly clear idea of
ol'the
Leviathan's body,
which
which we cati
can at any moment
moment see
growing before
seegrowing
be(brc our very eyes.
eyes.
The
1'he paradox
paradox with
with which
which we ended
has now been
ended the introduction
introduction has
been
resolved.
ofdiflerent
rcsolved. We
\\'e end up with
with actors
act<-rrs
of'dillre nt size
size even
even though
thoush they are
all isomorphic,
is<lmorphic, because
because some
some have been
been able to put into black boxes
boxes
'l'he
more elements durably
durably to alter their relative size.
size. The question
quesrion of
of'
tiietliod
method is
is also resolved.
resolved. How
How can we examine macro-actors and
micro-actors,
nricro-actors, we were wondering, without
without conrming
confirming differences
dillrences in
size?
size? Reply:
Reph': by
bv directing
directine our attention not to the social
social but towards

I
286
286

Unscreiuing
Unscreuing the
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan

and B. Latour
Lalour
ful. Callon
M.
Callonand
'l'hat

asymmetries. That
which an actor creates
creates lasting asymmetries.
the processes
processes by which
associationswhich are
are sometimes
sometimes
lead to associations
among
these processes
processessome
some lead
among these
'social' (associations
some ofthe
ol'the others
others are
ol'bodies). and that some
called social (associations
ofbodies).
'technical' (associations
need not
nol
ol'materials),
sometimes called technical (associations of materials), need
put
in
what
be
between
can
lurther.
Only
the
dillrences
concern us
us further. Only
differences between
can be
now
negotiations
are
lbr
Iuture
what
remain
open
black
black boxes
boxes and what
for future negotiations are
relevant for
ltrr us.
us.
olseated on top of
To
To summarize, macro-actors are micro-actors seated
larser, nor
Iror more complex
They are
are neither larger,
many
many (leaky) black boxes.
boxes. They
size and, as
as
of the same
same size
than
than micro-actors; on the contrary, they are of
\\'e are
arc able.
able.
micro-a('tors. We
than micro-actors.
lct simpler thati
we shall see,
see, they are in fact
since we know that
is structured, since
now, to consider how the Leviathan is
ol-the masters,
masters, or to
impressed by the relative size
size ofthe
need to be impressed
we do not need
liightened by the darkness
darkness ofthe
of'the black boxes.
boxes.
be frightened

Essay in teratology
Essay

as
leave Hobbess
barbarous, juridical Leviathan. as
In this section,
section, we leave
Hobbes's barbarous,juridical
In

'bush
amons
Leviathan we saw in action among
as the bush and savannah
savannah' Leviathan
well as
ol'the
huge, mythical
lbllow up one detail of
the baboons. We shall follow
the huge,

- ElecElecwhich two actors

actors monster
modern context:
monster in a modern
context: the way in which
- varied
( E D F ) and
v a r i e d their
t h e i r relative
r e l a t i v e dimendimentricity
o l ' FFrance
r a n c e (EDF)
Renault
t r i c i t y of
a n d Renault
durine
between them during
sions in the course
ol'a struggle that took place between
course ofa
the
1970s.!{
t h e 19705.2
'I-o
(macro/micro; human/animal;
human/animal;
To replace the usual divisions (macro/micro;
need
which we have shown to be unprotable,
unprolitable, we need
social/technical),
social/technical), which
above.
with the methodological principles stated
stated above.
terms in keeping with
'actor'?
itsell,
V\'hat
is an actor? Any
bends space
space around itself,
\4'hat is
Any element which bends
translates their
the il will
wilL
makes other elemetits
up()n itselfand
itsell'and translates
elements dependent upon
set of
ol'
into
its own. An
An actor makes
makes changes
chanses in the set
into a language of
ol'its
the
elements and concepts
used to describe
describe the social
social and the
concepts habitually
habitually used
natural
belongs to the past,
past, and ofwhat
ol'what the
natural worlds. By stating what
what belongs
alter,
comes after,
future
defining what
what comes
comes before
belbre and what comes
luture consists,
<'onsists,by dening
imposes
drawing up chronologies,
chronologies, it imposes
by building
bv drawing
building up balance sheets,
sheets,by
sizesand
its own
defines space
space and its organization, sizes
own space
space and time. It denes
ol-the game
measures, values and standards,
rules ofthe
their
standards, the stakes
stakes and rules
same
their measures,
- the very
nrore

itsell. Or
else it allows another, more
verv existence
ol'the game itself.
Or else
existence ofthe
lr what is
is
This struggle
struggle for
powerful
powerlul than itself,
itsell, to lay them down. This

28/
287

essential
essential has
has often
olien been
been described
described but few
[w have tried to nd
find out how
how
an actor cati
can make these
these asymmetries
asvmmetries last,
last, can lay down a temporality
temporality
and a space
is imposed on the others.
space that is
others. And
And yet the answer to this
question
q u e s t i o n is
i s in
i n principle
p r i n c i p l e quite
q u i t e simple:
s i m p l e : by
b y capturing
c a p t u r i n g more
m o r e durable
durable
elements which
which are substituted for
lrrthe provisional differences
dillrences in
in level
level
s/he has
has managed to establish.
establish. \'\'eak,
\\'eak, reversible
reversible interactions,
interacrions. are
are
replaced by strong interactions. Before,
Belbre, the elements
elements dominated by
the actor could escape
escape in any direction, but now this is
is no longer
possible.
p o s s i b l e . lnstead
I n s t e a d of
o l ' sswarms
w a r m s of
o l ' ppossibilities,
o s s i b i l i t i e s , we
w e nd
f i n d lines
l i n e s of
o l ' lforce,
brce,
obligatory
obligatory passing points, directions and deductions.
deductions.2:,
3.1
3. I

Electricity
Electricitl of
of France
France and Renault:
Renault : hybrids
hlbrids and chimera
chimera

L e t us
Let
u s take
t a k e the
t h e case
c a s e of
E l e c t r i c i t . vofFrance
o l ' tthe
h e Electricity
( E D F ) which,
o l ' F r a n c e (EDF)
w h i c h , in
i n the
the
early
earlv 19705,
1970s, was struggling
struseline to launch an electric
electric vehicle.
vehicle. EDF
EDF'
ventures out onto a terrain that is
is new to it, with
with the aim ofbringing
ol bringing
the ideal electric vehicle into existence.
existence. lt
It does
does this by redening
redefining the
the
totality
totalitv ofa
ol'a world
world from
lrom which
which it will
will cut out what is
is natural and what
what
is technical. EDF
is
EDF places
places the evolution
ev'olution of
ol' industrial societies
socieries as
as a
whole
whole in a black box and enrols
enrols it for
ltrr its own advantage.
advanrage. According
According to
ro
the ideologists
ideologists within
within this public enterprise,
enterprise, the all-out consumption
consumprion
characteristic
characteristic ofthe
of'the postwar years
years is
is doomed. Henceforth,
Hencelbrth, the
the direcdirectioii
future production
tion of
ol'luture
production must take
take into consideration
consideration mans
man's happihappiness
n e s s and
a n d the
q u a l i t y oflife.
t h e quality
W i t h this
o l ' l i l . \/Vith
v i s i o n ofour
t h i s vision
o l ' o u r future
l u t u r e societies,
s o c i e t i e s the
t, h e
ideologists
ideologists deduce that the petrol-driven car
car - which best
best symbolizes
svmbolizes
- must
the successes
successesand deadlocks ofgrowth
ol'srowth for
lbr its own sake
sake
musr now
now be
be
'ineluctdoomed.
doomed. EDF
EDF proposes
proposes to draw
draw the conclusions
conclusions from
lrom this
this ineluctable' social
social and economic
et:onomic evolution, gradually
gradually replacing
replacing the
the internal
internal
combustion
combustion engine
ensine with
with its electric
electric vehicle.
r.,ehicle.
Having
Havins dened
defined the evolution ofthe
ol'the social
social world, EDF
EDF next
next deterdetermines evolution
techniques, this
evolution of
ol'techniques,
rhis being carefully
carelLlly distinguished
distinguished from
liom
that of
the social
ol'the
social world:
world: a new black box that is
is indisputable
indisputable and
and
ineluctable.
ir.reluctable.EDF
E,DF chooses
chooses to consider
consider the VEL
VEL (Electric
(E,lectricVehicle) as
as a
a
problem
problem concerned with
with generators.
generators. Once these
these premises
premises have been
been
- which it
laid down, EDF
EDF marks out possible
possible choices
choices
it evocatively
evocatively
'char.rnels'.
- with
calls channels. Associated
.\ssociated always ineluctably
with each
each channel
channel
are a set
set of
ol procedures,
procedures, a set
set oflaboratories
ol'laboratories and industrialists and
and
- a chronology.
most important
important ofall
ol'all
chronoloey. Lead accumulators, providing
providing
they are properly
properly developed
developed by this or that
rhat rm,
firrn, could
could be
be used
used until
until

288
2ttti

and B. Latour
M. Callon
Callon atid
A/I.

accumulators
ol'zin<-nickel accumulators
years ofzinc-nickel
will be the years
l9tt2-90 will
I982;
vears 1982-90
l!)132;the years
luel cells
cells
onwards, fuel
1990 onwards,
liom 1990
circulation generator; from
zinc-air circulation
and
and the zitic-air
up of
ol'
made up
are made
ol'choices
sequences of
lLrr use.
use. These sequences
will
choices are
will be
bc ready for
EDF's
gleaned by
bv EDFs
contexts, gleaned
dillrent contexts,
liom different
elemenrs taken from
scattered
scattcred elements
From
available. From
they are
are available.
ideologists wherever they
and ideologists
leaders atid
engineers,
engineers, leaders
reguand reguo1'channels
network of
EDF creates
creates a network
these
channels and
thcse scattered parts EDF
lated sequences.
scquences.
fated
overall
between overall
connections between
making parallel connections
with making
Not
Not content
ctontent with
to translate
translate
begins to
EDF begins
channels, EDF
development and technical channels,
social development
lil to
to
cannot fail
industrialists cannot
which industrialists
ipto simple language the products which
into
cannot
and consumers
consumers cannot
which clients and
needs which
wallt to produce, and the needs
want
that of
ol'
lead accumulators,
accumulators, that
lbr lead
ltrreseesa huge market for
lel. EDF
FIDF foresees
fil to feel.
fail
be preprelil to
to be
cannot fail
Zinc accumulators cannot
vehicles. Zinc
light
light commercial
commercial vehicles.
cotrquer
to conquer
certain to
are certain
luel cells
cells are
taxis, whilst fuel
elcctric taxis,
lbr use
use in electric
lrred for
ferred
whole .
as a whole.
market as
private car market
the
thc private
channels,
ol'organizing
dint of
years, and by dint
fw years.
ol'aa few
space of
In the space
organizing channels,
deep
the deep
to translate
translate the
begins to
EDI' begins
and developments, EDF
branches atid
ol'a
and aptitudes
aptitudes ofa
needs and
the needs
desires,
clesires. the technical knowledge and the
up aa
building up
by building
a reality
reality by
F-DF thus structures a
ol'actors. EDF
number ofactors.
large
larse number
carelully
each carefully
black box,
box, each
each black
which each
orqanizarional chart in which
gigantic
eieantic organizational
'l'he
islets
o1'arrows.The islets
set ofarrows.
boxes by aa set
is linked to other boxes
islet, is
demarcated
demarcated islet,
l'eviathan
is the
the Leviathan
Thus is
are shut off,
ol], and the arrows are unequivocal. Thus
'l'he
be able
able
will be
you will
what you
tells you
vou what you want, what
structured.
structured. The actor tells
yt-ruwill
will
what you
it, what
will do it,
which order you will
years, in which
l0 or I5
l5 years,
to do
ir, l()
clo in 5,
reaLll
And you
be capable.
capable. And
will be
ol'what
possess, and of
be glad to possess,
what you will
2ou really
with all
all
her with
him or
or her
help him
will help
with the actor and will
identilV with
this,,vou
believe
you identify
belieuethis,
hc
level
or
i1
dillrenccs in level he or
thc differences
bl the
yorlr strength.
your
strclsth. irresistibly attracted by
ol'words
an exchange
exchange of words
as an
described as
!\'hat Hobbes described
created. What
she has created.
more subtly
subtly
described more
warlre should be described
ol'universal warfare
during
cluring a period ofuniversal
what
I
know,
what I know, what lI
what I want, what
says what
in the following
fllowing way: an actor says
is social
social
what is
impossible, what
what impossible,
possible and what
is possible
what is
can do,
clo, marks out what
ol'
cmergence
and the
the emergence of
and what
what technical, their parallel developments and
I
possibly
could
How could I possibly
vans. How
lbr zinc taxis and electric mail vans.
a market
market for
correct
is the
the correct
that is
what I want, when that
is exactly what
resist
resist when that is
wishes?
unlbrmulated wishes?
translation
of'my unformulated
trar.rslation ofmy
in
up in
is built
built up
Leviathan is
thc Leviathan
llDF clearly displays how the
An
r\n actor
acror like EDF
e
l
e
m
e
n
i
t
s
e
l
l
'
i
n
t
o
e
a
c
h
j u r i d i c . r l l y . lt
l t itisiiiuates
i n s i n u a t e s itselfinto each element,t ,
n o t juridically.
practice
a n d not
p r a c t i c e and
nature
o[ nature
realm of
the realm
is from the
what is
between what
distir.rction between
making
makins no distinction
ol
realm
is
li<-rm
the
what
luel cell), what is from the realm of
ol'grids in the fuel
(catalysis, texture ofgrids

(Jnscreutingthe
Unscrewing
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan ._H|
:fll(l
the economy (cost ol'cars yvith
:Tl11Zri?[)?Hgug)stap1fjcj,;s
with an internal
internal combustion engine,
enqirrt., Ill!
rlrr.
market lrr buses) and what comes li'om the realm ol'culturt (rrrlr;r,

life,
l i l , Homo
H o m o automobilis
a u t o m o b i l i s , fitfartgfiqesllroin
l a r o l ' p o l l u t i o n[hIr6a'lm
) . I t t i e s tOi
o gCulumi
e t h e r a l(urlmu
l rlrr.sr.
scattered elements intoia
uh1'OIh)i they
ht [ms
t0gt'her'
an ilmw
into a chain
chain I-io
in which
are all indiss.t.iirlrlr
linked. One
0 thro
C just
' I Cy
c)ne is forced
lrrcedto
to go
throughB [T1
the m
as Tic
i|a Tl
line1n(i1SSmml,ll
of reas.rrirrg
was being
g
ug
cmjust
as llapplied.
a
him
ieiismmig
unlblded,, aa ssysrem
developed
,, unfolded
ystem
developed
or a law
his chain
appried.ofT
T'his
t.lr^irr
or sequence traces a chreod or a set ol-chreods which thus definc tlrr.
margi' lbr manoeu're enjoved bv the othcr actors, their positi.rrs.
desires
Oi Crwill
?S*
posmom
desires,
knowledge
a'dd a
abilities.
_ , knowled
ge ati
ilities. W,
\/\
hat6 they
wantmar
and
able
what
will
and be
be
ablc to
t,
do is
gradually
is channelled.
chan'elled. Thus
Thus the EDF, like
like every
every Leviathan,
Leviathan, gradualry
'fhe
deposits interactions. There
re now
'ow exists
exists something
something resembling
resemblinu
cotiteiits,
cor)tents, and something
something resembling aa container,
container, the
the Contents
contents uia
fluicl
()ur wills
atid
a'd the container
container stable.
stable. Our
wills ow
flow into
into the
the EDFs
EDF's canals
canals and
and
ne tworks. lve rush gig/1z::r;lls;-ilhe
towards the electric
electric enginejust
engine iust as
:;;lV:STi<(:;v:1\'rt?iSFl[1}S1fg
as the river water
rushes towards _ the Seine alons
stone and
a;d concrete
g the stone
.on..",. pipes
pipes designed
designed
(lontrary to
hydraulic engineers.
by the hydraulic
ensineers. (lontrary
to what
what Hobbes
Hobbes states
states, thanks
thanks
to this preliminary
prelimi'ary mineralization,
mineralization, certain
certain actors
actors became
became the
the ,Form
Form of
ol'
the Leviathans
Leviathan's body
bodv and certain others
others its
its Matter.
Matter.
And ye t, 1t5l::l<;hilr:'ev:1li:1e2:jdy
as we have already stated,
stated, an actor is
is never alone,
cv:\r';i7lh%;
alone, despite
despite
everything
In Ofwmsoigs
vain does it saturate the social
history
and itthehas.
St-ate
social world, totalize
tottize
history
be alone
al.ne since
_ and the_ state ol'wills,, it can never be
since all
alr the actors
actors
are isomorphic
isomorphic and those
those it
it enrols
enrols can
can desert
desert it.
it. One
One actor,
actor, for
for
example, had its role redened
this vast
redefi.ed by
by EDF
EDF in
in the
the course
course of
ol'this
vast
connecting-up of
connecting-up
necessities. Renault, which
ol'necessities.
which then
then produced
produced petrolpetrol_
driven
driven cars,
cars, seemed
seemed to have a
a brilliant
brilliant future
luture ahead
ahead ofit,
of it, and
and symbolsymbol_
ized industrial
industrial success
success in France.
F'rance. EDF
EDF changed
changed its
its destiny,
destiny, taking
taking
away its luture. Now enault
Renault symbolizes
symbolizes industries doomedgbecause
:;tVli)yl(:()frl1l;:;gOlr\llow
doomed because
ol'city congestion,
i
, po
ution and the future
industrial societies.
pollution
Iuture of
ol'industrial
societies. It
It
- (ike
- make changes
Irlliust
must gow
now
like the others
changes in
in its
its intended
intended production
production.

1i.silieilf.tirfffi.Tiais?ilichrods Wm his "** "'

ow Renault
enau t would
Now
would like to make the
the chassis
chassis for
ltrr the
the electric
electric vehicles
vehicles
'I'his
planned
planned by EDF.
EDF. This modest role
role suits
suits the
the company
company well,
well, and
and
:Vok;:isIt;cI>giliisv\::nvySfia_t
corresponds to what it cannot but
but want.
want. Bo
So Renault
Renault goes
goes along
along with
with
what EDF
just like the rest
_ gwants,, just
France, moving
rest of
ol'F'rance,
movins towards
towards an
an
all-electric
a l l - e l c c t r i cfuture.
luture.
50
So far
lr we have not said
said whether
whether for
lbr EDF
EDF' this
this is
is a
a question
question of
ol'
something dreamed
dreamed up by engineers,
somlllllig
engineers, or a reality. In fact
fact no
no one
one can
can
make this distinction
distinction aa priori,
priori, for
Itrr it
it is
is the
rhe very
very basis
basis of
of the
the struggle
struggle
'real'.
between the actors.
actors. The
The electric
electric vehicle
vehicle is
is thus
thus real. The
The actors
actors that
thar
EDF
EDF has approached
approached and mobilized
mobilized to
to play
play the
the role
role ofa
of a rm
firm foundafounda-

290
290

Unscrewing
thebig
Unscrewingthe
big Leviathan
Leuialhan 29l
291

Latour
B' I-1130'"
Callonand
M. Callon
and B-

he differences
differences
.
_
~
d 1. them
by
thus
adhere to tthe
I in
tht adhere
by EDF has
thementerprise
designed lbr
ponl
giblic
laid out. But
now
something
tion - dlfiSClll"lt(;1c
.
But now something

has.laid out'
which the public e*'ttptitt
level
'r,pp.tt
what we havebeenseekingto
ut'dtt"u''d what
hel;u'us understand
*r,ich;ill
lfvepe/i/1s
which
will
help
we that
have
seeking
t0
relative
how
is
ap
,
- ~ - chapter'
h
' been
how
relative
ol'this
btgit;i;
the beginning
since the
explain
of
this chaPtr l at ls
explain since
changed'
are charEig1(:.Renault
dimensions
dirpensitpns
are
will disappear as an
autonomous
-disappear as an autonomous
years'
ew years _ time Renault will _
_ _ d
i;n a; few
no
has no
d, and
nd has
it, is doomed'
ptt'ol engine,
tht petrol
gngine' it
wittr the
Together with
actor. Together
is
oome
a
i
h
which
- unless the landscape
tttiuitils
iL activities
."otit'ltutt its
'
b
unless the landscaP@can
whlC_
butt to reorientate
option
this
be remodelled' But .
itself can
t'"""a itselfcan
V be
befiore
Option
fore atJnd around
remodelled. But C9-Y1 Khls
EDF projects b
is unable to fight its way
Renault
years
ft*
t'i
tnt
During
EDT
pIfg]T\ililI1eg
the rst few years Renault is unable to ght
e done?
on
.
- way
be
private
the its
_
,
- '
_ Everyone agrees
privl
asreesthat the
EoE;'s predlcllons
tr,J EDF
ftedictions' Evervone
;;;;" against the
back
doomed.
is doomedcar is
sociologistsagree' no one
opened?As all sailZgffgiggjilefvlisigg
be oPnet:1?O/lscilrl
box be
black box
this black
can this
How can
How
be reversed?
car any to'e' How_ can the situation
private .a\/_mY@want aa Prime
will want
will
.
.
Se
in.the scenarioof an enterprtse
Wno .u.t reeal technitul ig"o'u'lte
[n
and distributiono{'electricity?
monop"i, ()tpt;a"ttion
w
ic has
as a monopo
T
, .is that Renault
,
which
will
possibleconcl,usion
nty Posslblc
in" only
circrrmstancesthe
thesecircumstances
these
Conduslon lshthat
Rfnddgiraiwtil
tludup:t: tnt
o"t.tun
bt't one
bt;i;;t as best
must begin
one must
lil, and one
fail,
can to adaP [Of
C l:
new 1,1o::1lt'
Fm
has no wlsh to orsRerrault has
yet
And
car. And yet Renault
theimal car.
'
he thermal
no wish to'dlS
the
or,r. *ittout
itself
indivisible' itself
and indivisible,
one wlthout
t
' autonomous
tonomous and
remain
wants to remaiginaiutechnical
Renault
aPP_@r;
[mum Ohm
industrial
apPear; Renaultlwantshto
industrial
the
and technicalluture of
deciding what will Ut int 'otiut
Re.naultwould dearly like to
ntrnft associates'* firhfli)/Caisociates
dCUljdn%Vvhhf[FvlV)1TT
ii
would
wor
a ED!
J
Renault
_
. . dearlY lll
- O
world.. What
the work ol'undermining the edifice'
Ulgi"t
t<t"uittf
So
dissociate.
dissociate.So Renault begins the Work Oi uniirmijllorzvgctahnlfgnifitli
g'o""d' seeksallies'How can Renault
-ukt"li'to"
*utt', makcs
th. walls
probesthe
- become
the
Probes
up 'S,5'.d.
a careful
ms 1- 1
become the
- if it S-mks
is not
*iit _*tiut will
t'tt'o" what
lr'ru, ction
'on
trans{'orm into
transform
if it is not care Du as we Sa
On
say'
(trrceEDF to remain'
it force
can it
How can
rgality
tomorrow? How
LDF to remain, as we y.
ol.tomorrow?
reality of
board'?
drawing board?
the
the drawing
want a thermal car any more' And
would want
one would
no one
that no
stated that
EDF stated
a [l16!:'iI\?.l car aigl
lbr cars is growing all
prices'l:Tu"O
it'-petrol
ir,tttu"' in
ygt,
petrol prices,
deman or cars
t
despite increases
yet, despite
links together*-1^I:ot*
EDF links
which LDF
elements'which
'
These
together in a Strong
These two elements,
the time.
Oil prices can rlse conpractice' Oil
in Pfacllca
dissociablein
prove dissociable
ihe
umffon , Prove
Priccs
can use Coninterac
.
interaction,
concurrentlywith the fight against
cars' concurrently
lor cars,
demand for
with demand
currently
at/ith thpsiigglrcjlfz-Exit
currently with
hopesrise once more'
congestion'Re.nault's
citv congestion.
with city
and with
pollution and
Renault s opels I now
Ow the
;;ii;,;;;
want
they wan;
desiresdiflerently:
,o,rurJu,..oi.u*.,
beginsto
and it begins
translate COY\SUll'\!'.ClCSllS Cllif["Illy.fIl
D Zlwrcd
altered
is
luture
the
As a result
price'As
any price.
at any
lur at
-l'he
ptiuute car
traditionul private
'fhee Lgldriilzut
the
a resulgth
The
the traditional
word is out'
market'
ttttutul
no
has
t;ar
tltctric car has no natural market.
the electric
again:the
yet
6 W e
Sal-ne
as
yet again:
are not the sameas
Leviathan are
the EDF Leviathan
by the
intltpteted by
as interpreted
natural laws
no
d mands
laws as
'I'he
nature' demands
cnsum.r, Uy his or her very
lbr Renault.
that the
acceleration
comfbrt and
'pt"a' comfort
to speed,
t"g"ta to
*lt'n regard
performances
an acce
perlt,rmance, with

Wiwici

wil FiTlJdT.FZZZTTLZi~.il@i'iili'1n

electric
EDFs premises
electric car
car will never
never approach.
approach.Already
Already one
one of
ol'EDF's
premiseshas
has
been
been upset,
upset, aa difference
dillrence in level
levelattened
flattenedout or lled
filled in and
and one
one ofthe
ol'the
black
black boxes
openedand
and profaned.
prolned.Renault
boxesopened
Renaultbecomes
becomesbolder.
bolder.If
If EDFs
EDF's
interpretation
social evolution
irrterpretationof
ol-social
evolutioncan
can be
be thrown
out ofjoint, perhaps
thrown out
perhaps
the
electrochemistry? Perhaps
the same
same is
is true
true of its
its knowledge
knowledgeof
ol'electrochemistry?
Perhapsthe
the
technical
technicaldemands
demandscould
could be
be altered?
altered?
Renault sets
Renault
dissociating the
on the
long task
setsout on
the long
task of
ol'dissociating
the associations
associations
made by EDF.
EDF. Each
Each interaction
interactionis
made
is tested,
tested,every
every calculation
calculationredone,
redone,
every black
box opened.
every
black box
opened. The engineers
engineersare
are requestioned,
requestioned,the
the laborlaborrevisited, the
atories revisited,
the records
records re-examined,
re-examined, the
the state
atories
electrostate of electrochemistry called
into question.
question.EDF had
had chosen
chemistry
called into
chosento
to simplify
simplily certain
certain
incorporatemasses
inlbrmation and
and to incorporate
massesofgures
information
ol'figureswhich
which Renault
Renault now
now
As aa consequence
considers
considers Contradictory.
contradictory. As
consequencethe
the chronology
chronology is
is disdisturbed. For EDF the
the internal
internal combustion
combustionengine
turbed.
engine was
was aa dead-end.
dead-end.
Renault discovers
discoversthat,
that, by using
perlctedso
Renault
usingelectronics,
electronics,it can
can be
be perfected
as
so as
ltrr several
be unbeatable
unbeatable for
severaldecades.
decades.Conversely,
had mento be
Conversely,EDF had
menchannelswith regard
regard to
zinc accumulators.
tioned channels
to zinc
accumulators.Renault
Renaultdoes
doesthe
the
tioned
getsanother
sums
the
sums again,
again, assesses
assesses
the estimates,
estimates,gets
anotherexpert
cxpertopinion
opinion from
tiom
the
the experts,
experts,and
and shelves
the zinc
zinc accumulator
shelvesthe
accumulatortechnically
technicallyso
so that,
that, at
the
verv best,
would be
Iw tip-lorries
the very
best,it would
be suitable
suitableto
to equip
equipaa few
tip-lorriesmuch
nruchlater
later
than
EDF. Similarly,
than planned
planned by
by EDF.
Similarly, what
what EDF called
called the
luel cell
cell
the fuel
'channel' was for
channel
being the
was lbr Renault
Renault aa cul-de-sac.
Insteadof
ol'being
cul-de-sac.Instead
the chreod
chreod
through
which flowed
through which
flowed the
the wills
wills ofthe
ol'the engineers,
engineers,it becamejust
rut.
became.justaa rut.
lnto
Into it fell
lll only
laboratorieswhich
onlv those
thoselaboratories
which backed
backedthe
the wrong
wrong technical
technical
revolution
hopesin
in the
revolutionand
and placed
placedall
all their
their hopes
the study
study ofcatalysis.
of catalysis.Like
Like the
the
(lhina which
rivers
rivers in China
which sometimes
sometimessuddenly
suddenly change
change their
their course,
course,
demands
and technical
technical channels
channelsare
industrial
demarrdsand
are thus
thus diverted.
diverted.The industrial
was
society
was
running
towards
towards
an
all-electric
future.
Iuture.
Now
it
continues
society
an all-electric
Now continues
its
its majestic
majesticcourse
towardsthe
privatecar
an improved
coursetowards
the private
car with an
improvedthermal
thermal
engine.
grows larger
larger its
its future
looks more
engine. As Renault grows
t-uturelooks
more rosy
rosy than
ever
than it ever
seemed
proportion.Instead
lnstead
seemedbefore
belbrethis
this confrontation.
conliontation.EDI
F,DFshrinks
shrinksin
in proportion.
ofdening
ol'definingtransport
transport and
and reducing
reducingRenault
roleofsubordinate,
Renaultto
to the
the role
ol'subordinate,
EDF has
retire
from
the
eld,
withdraw
its
troops
has had
had to
its
to retire lrom the field, withdraw
troopsand
and transtransform
out
ofan
engineers
dream.
Itrrm the
was building
the world which
which it was
out
buildins
ol'an ensineer'sdream.

3.2
3.2

rulesofsociologieal
oJ'sociological
The
method
Therules
method

This confrontation
conliontation clearly
clearly displays
how the
Leviathan is
is structured,
displayshow
the Leviathan
structured,
making
priori distinction
making no
no aa priori
the
distinction between
betweenthe
the size
sizeofactors,
betweenthe
ol'actors,between

'292
292

(Jnscrewing
Unscrewing
the
thebig
big Leviathan
Leuiathan 293
293

and B. Latour
M. Callon and
M.

'we shall
summed
summed up:
up: we
shall have
haveaa fuel
luel cell
years'.The Leviathan
cell in
in 15
l5 years.
Leviathanonce
once
more:
more: we
we have
hal'e made
made a contract,
contract, but
but aa third party
party appears
appears who
who
respects nothing and
respects
and steals
li'om us_
steals from
us.both.
both. The baboons
baboonsonce
once more:
more:
yelps,this
Sara
Sara yelps,
this attracts
attractsher
tithful friend
her faithful
friend Brian.
Brian. He is
is now
now enrolled,
enrolled,
hegapproachels
he approachesand
and supplants
supplantsBeth.
Beth. The nut
nut falls
flls to
ground and
to the
the ground
and
Brian grabs
grabs it.
it. The LDF
EDF once
once more:
more: the
rhe Renault
Renault engineers
engineersread
read
'Therewill be
through
There
through the
the literature
literatureagain
againand
and alter
alter their
their conclusions:
conclusions:
be
'the
no
no fuel
luel cell
cell in 15
years.'All
l5 years.
r\ll this
this is
is still
still the war ofall
ol'all against
againstall
all'. Who
Who
will win
win U1
in the
theend?
en The one
one who
who is
is able
able to
to stabilize
stabilizeaa particular
parricular state
stareof
of'
power
relations by associating
po\4,er relations
associating the
the largest
largest number of
ol' irreversibly
irreversibly
'associate'?
linked
We
linked elements.
elements.\Vhat
What do we
we mean
meanby
by associate?
return again
We return
againto
ro
the Leviathan. Two
Two actors
actors can
can only be
be made
indissociableifthey
made indissociable
if they are
are
one.
one. For this
this their
their wills
wills must
must become
becomeequivalent.
equivalent.He or she
shewho
who holds
holds
the
the equivalences
equivalencesholds
holds the
the secret
secretof power.
power. Through
Through the
the interplay
interplayof
equivalences,
equivalences,hitherto
hitherto scattered
scatteredelements
elementscan
can be
be incorporated
incorporatedinto
into aa
whole,
whole, and
and thus
thus help
help to
to stabilize
stabilizeother
other elements.
elements.

continsenti
what contingent,
and what
is necessary
necessaryand
what is
between what
a1d the unreal, between
real and
in these
these
inv'olved in
is involved
Everything is
social. Everything
between the technical and the social.
the
are structured:
structured: the
which Leviathans are
struggles through which
primordial
primordial struggles
ol
evolution of
the evolution
system, the
social system,
ol- the social
ol'techniques,
state of
techniques, the nature of
As
as
soon as
itsell' As soon
logics itself.
actors and logics
ol the actors
history,
history', the dimensions of
priori
is an
an aa priori
there is
that there
assumptiolr that
a,uoidsthe assumption
sociological language avoids
lundaas
the
revealed as the fundaare revealed
actors, these
these combats are
distinction
distinction between actors,
is
analysis is
Sociological analysis
underlying the Leviathan. Sociological
principle underlying
mental principle
mental
and
dissociassociations and dissocilllows the associations
since it follows
nevertheless
ne\,ertheless involved, since
b)' the
the actors.
actors'
produced by
they are
are produced
lbllows them wherever they
but it follows
atioiis,
ations, but
millions
of.
comprisirrg millions of
The
The actors can bond together in a block comprising
o1'sand,
with
iron, with grains
erains of sand,
with iron,
alliances with
individuals,
individuals, they can enter alliances
importance,
is oflittle
ol'little importance,
this is
All this
allcts. All
neurons, words, opinions and affects.
they themthemas
lreedom
same freedom as they
with the same
ltrllowed with
providing
providing they can be followed
give
preceil'we
Leviathan if we give preceanalyse the Leviathan
We cannot analyse
practise. \/Ve
selves
selves practise.
ol'men
associationsofmen
fbr example associations
ol'association, for
dence to a certain type ofassociation,
ol'
size of
specific
a
or
neurons' or a specic size
with neurons,
with iron, neurons with
wittr men, iron with
with
a//
examines
it
when
produ<'tive when it examines all
is only lively and productive
Sociologv is
lctors. Sociology
factors.
them'
makethem.
who make
as the
lhe actors
aclorswho
daring as
thesome
samedaring
Leastthe
associations
with at least
associations
indeed
just
are indeed
there
described, there are
have
conflicts we havejust
primordial conicts
ln
described,
In the primordial
ol'our
interest
The
only
lilr a while. The only interest of
least for
losers at least
winners
our
wintrers and losers
the
and
measured
to
be
these variations to be measured and the
enables these
is that it enables
method
method is
they
that
so
strongly
stress so strongly that they
is why
why we stress
1'his is
winners
winners to be designated. This
similar
using similar
with using
dealt with
same way, and dealt
must
must be looked at in the same
in
all
their
the
actors
to
lbllow
us
will enable
enable us
what concept will
concepts.
follow the actors in all their
concepts. What
victories
and
their
and
to
explain
dissociations
associations
their victories and
associations and dissociations
ol-everv
necessities
the
beliel-in
admitting beliefin the necessities ofevery
without our admitting
though without
defeats,
delats, though
stronger
becomes stronger
have seen,
seeu, becomes
as we have
An actor, as
which they
thev claim? An
kind
kind which
ol'
number
a
large
associate
can
firmly
she
to the extent that he or she
rmly associate a large number of
- and, of
elements
as possible
possible elements
as speedily
speedily as
dissociate as
ol'course,
elements
course, dissociate
to break
break
in
power
the
resides
thus
actors. Strength
strength
othe r actors.
enrolled by other
resides in the power to
is
lzlervention'
strength
generallv'
Nlore generally,
together'26 More
off
and to bind
is intervention,
bind together?"
oll'and
has so
convincingly
so convincingly
as Serres has
interesl, as
and interest,
interpretatio|t and
interruption,
intenuptiort, interpretation
intervene '
to intervene.
is
able
or
she
lr
as
he
so
in
is strong
An actor is
shown.
so far as he or she is able to
shown.!7 An
want
You want
Leviathan:
to
the
go
back
us
Let
is intervention?
what is
But
us
to the Leviathan: You
But what
baboons:
the
return
to
us
Let
contract.
make
a
us
[. Let us
so do l.
peace,
us return to the baboons:
peace, so
her place
place and
and
her, takes
takes her
aPPears,supplants her,
Sara is
is eating a nut. Beth appears,
luel
cell'
the
is
studying
laboratory
a
EDF:
Let us
return to
her nut. Let
is
the fuel cell.
us return
'I'he
and
simplified and
questioned, their knowledge simplied
The engineers
engineers are questioned,

3.3

'Noneis
None

is soerce
soflrce that
thatdare
darestir him
himup:
up: who
whothen
thenis
is able
ableto
tostand
standbefore
beforeme?
me?'
(Job:41,10)
(job:
41,10)

By comparison
the
comparisonwith the
the Leviathan
Leviathanrevealed
revealedby
by the
thesociologist,
sociologist,
theone
one

Hobbes
Hobbes describes
describesis
is aa pleasant
pleasantidealization:
idealization:
Art goes
goesyet
yet further,
lirrther, imitating
imitating that
that Rational
Rationaland
and most
most excellent
excellent
work ofNature,
ol'Natu re,man.
man.For by
by Art is
is created
createdthat
that great
great
LE_VIATHAN
LEVIATHAN called
calledaa Commonwealth,
Commonwealth,or aa State
Statewhich
which is
is but
but an
an
articial
Man;
though
ofgreater
stature
and
strength
than
the
artificial
though of grearerstarureand strengrhthan the
Natural,
Natural, for
Ibr whose
whoseprotection
protectionand
and defence
defenceit was
was intended;
intended;and
and in
in
which the
Sovereignty
is
an
Articial
Soul,
as
giving
life
and
the Sovereigntyis an Artificial Soul,asgiving life and motion
motion
to the
the whole body;
the Magistrates
body; the
Magistratesand
and other ofcers
ofEcersofjudicature
ofJudicature
and
Execution,
articialjoints.
joints.2E
Execution,
and
artificial
For the
the Leviathan
Leviathan is
is aa body,
body, itselfdesigned
itselfdesignedin the
the image
imageofa machine
machine.
- and
'1f'here
here is
structural
principle

an
engineers
is aa single
single structural principle an engineer'splan
plan and 3a
homogeneous
the
whole,
that
of
an
homogeneous metaphor which orders
orders the whole,
an autoautomaton.
Leviathan
is
far
more
monstrous
than
this
maton. The true
Leviathan
true
is far more monstrousthan this. Is
Is the
the
Leviathan
Leviathan a machine?
machine? It is,
is, but what
what is
is aa machine
machine without
without an
an
operator?
operator? Nothing more
more than
than a broken-down
broken-downheap
heap of
iron. So
of iron.
So the
the
metaphor
the automaton
metaphor of
of'the
automaton is
is not
not valid.
valid. If
If the
the machine
machine can
can move
move!
7

294
294

M. Callon
Lalour
Callonand
and B. Latour

move on
to
must be
living thing.
thing. Let
Let us
us move
on to
build and
repair itself,
itsell, it must
be a living
and repair
biology,
but there
are many
many
machineonce
onceagain,
again, but
thereare
What is
is a body?
body?A machine
biology. \/Vhat
- Iiom WlllCl';
which
data-processing
kinds:
'lrom
hydraulic, cybernetic,
cybernetic,data-processing
kinds: thermal,
thermal, hydraulic,
is a set
the
Shall we
we say
say nally
finally that it is
set ool'
is again
again absent.
absent. Shall
the operator is
we comparehit
compare it
interactions?C-an
Clan we
physical interactions?
chemical
chemical exchanges
exchangesand
and physical
.
.
9
field oft
system?In
ln the
the eld
of'the
with
e
with the
interest ofa
market or an exchange
exchangesystem.
the interest
of a market
again with Chcmlcal
chemical
Once again
is it comparable?
comparable? Once
economy
economy with what is
may be
compared with aa eldof
field of
interactions.
interactions. And these
thesein their turn may
be compared
its essentia
is such
monster that its
forces.The Leviathan
Leviathan is
such a monster
essential
struggling forces.
we usually
great metaphors
metaphorswe
usually
any of the
the great
being
being cannot
cannot be
be stabilized
stabilizedin any
war.
market, code,
code,body,
body, and
and war.
employ.
It is
is at the
sametime
time machine,
machine,market,
employ. It
the same
machine, sometimes
operlrces are
are transmitted
as in a machine,
sometimesoperSometimes,
Sometimes, forces
transmitted as
ledbacks.
the same
as cybernetic
cyberneticleedbacks.
ating charts
placein the
sameway as
charts come
come into place
But
there is
is a contract,
sometimesautomatic
automatictranslation.
translation.But
Sometimes
Sometimesthere
contract,sometimes
ol'
whole set
using only
only one
one ol
never describe
the whole
set of elements
elementsusing
one
one can
can never
describethe
we jump
caseof Aristotles
Aristotle's categories,
categories,we
these
these metaphors.
metaphors. As in the
the case
whenever we
we try to
to express
express the
the
from
Iiom one
another whenever
one metaphor to another
meaning of one
one of them.
them.
yet another
way. This is
is because,
because,as
as
is the
Leviathan in yet
anotherway.
Monstrous
Monstrous is
the Leviathan
interlocked
is not just one
Leviathan but many,
many, interlocked
we have
oneLeviathan
have seen,
sen, there
there is
represent the
one claiming to represenththe
one
one into another
another like chimera,
chimera, each
each one
reality
reality of all,
programmeof the
the whole.
whole. Sometimes
Sometimessome
someoft
of them
can
all, the
the programme
manage
they seem
e
manage to distort the
the others
so horribly that for a while they
seemtthe
others so
only soul
Leviathan is
is monstrous
monstrous too
too
artificial body.
body. The Leviathan
soul in this articial
the bodies
ideal,
because
Hobbes built it using
contractsand
and the
bodiesol
of .lCl(?3l
becauseHobbes
usingonly
only contracts
men.
actors
by
associating
supposedly
naked, men. But since
sincethe
the actors triumph
triumph by associating
supposedlynaked,
with
is
with themselves
the bodies
bodies ol men,
men, the
the result
result is
themselvesother elements
elementsthan the
terrifying. Steel
hardened habits
habits float
float on
on
Steel plates,
plates, palaces,
palaces,rituals
rituals and hardened
the surface
gelatinous mass
mass which functions
functions at the
the
viscous-likegelatinous
surface ofa
of a viscous-like
same
machine, the
the exchanges
same time like the
the mechanism
mechanism of a machine,
exchangesin aa
market and the
teleprinter. Sometimes
whole elements
elements
the clattering of a teleprinter.
Sometimeswhole
from factory
redissolvedand
factory or technical
are redissolved
and dismembered
dismembered
technical systems
systemsare
by forces
then in turn
never previously
previously seen
seen in action.
action. Theselforces
These forcesthen
forces never
produce
produce a rough outline of a chimera
immediately hasten
hasten
chimera that others
others immediately
to dismember.
on
his
dunghill,
nor
the
teratologists
in
nor
the
teratologists
Neither _]ob
his
dunghill,
dismember. Neither
Job
their laboratories
I
have observed
dreadful monsters.
monsters.
laboratories have
observedsuch
such dreadful
Impossible
this primordial combat
combat which
Impossible not to be
be terried
terrified by this
concerns
history and
concerns everything
everything that political philosophy,
philosophy, h15l0rY
and 50010108)
sociology
consider
description. Impossible
Impossible not to
to
consider indisputable frameworks
frameworks for description.

Unrcrewing
the
L,nscrewing
thebig
big Leviathan
Leuiathan Z95
295
be
be terried
terrified likewise
likewise by the
the flood
flood of
of speeches
speechesLeviathans
Leviathans make
make about
about
themselves.
allow
themselves.On
on some
some days
days and
and with
with some
some people
peoprethey
they ailow themthemselves
selves to be
be sounded
sounded or dismantled
dismantled (depending
(depending whether
whether they
they choose
choose
that day
day to be
be body
body or machine).
machine). Sometimes
Sometimesthey
they sham
sham dead
dead or
or
pretend
pretend to
to be
be aa ruin (metaphor
(metaphor ofa
of'a building),
building), aa corpse
corpse(biological
(biological
metaphor),
industrial
metaphor), or aa huge
huge heap
heap ofiron
ol'iron from
liom some
some museum
museumof
ol.industrial
archeology.
archeology.At other
other times
times they
they are
are inscrutable
inscrurabreand
and delight
delight in
in admitadmitting themselves
themselvesmonstrous
monstrousand
and unknowable.
unknowable.The
The next
next moment
oment they
they
change
changeand,
and, depending
dependingon
on their
their audience,
audience,stretch
stretchout
out on
on aa couch
couchand
and
whisper
whisper their
their most
most secret
secretthoughts
thoughtsor,
or, crouching
crouchingin
in the
the shadows
shadowsofthe
of the
confessional,
confssional,admit their
their faults
lults and
and repent
repentofbeing
ol'beingso
so big
big or
or so
so small,
small,
so
so hard
hard or so
so soft,
soli, so
so old
old or so
so new.
new.We
we cannot
cannoteven
eve. state
statethat
that they
theyare
are
in aa continuous
continuous state
state of
of metamorphoses,
metamorphoses,for
lbr they
they only
only change
change in
in
patches
patchesand
and vary
vary in size
sizeslowly,
slowly,being
beingencumbered
encumberedand
and weighed
weieheddown
Jowrr
with the
the enormous
enormous technical
technicaldevices
devicesthey
they have
have secreted
secretedin
i' order
o.d., to
t,,
gro_wand to restrict
grow
precisely
this
power
to
metamorphose.
restrict preciselythis power to metamorphose.
'I-hese
These imbricated
imbricated Leviathans
I.eviathansmore
more resemble
resembreaa never-ending
never-endingbuildbuildiiig-site
i'e-site in some
great
metropolis.
There
is
no
overall
some great metropolis.There is no overail architect
architect to
to
guide
guide it,
it, and
and no
no design,
design,however
howeverunreected.
unreflected.Each
Eachtown
tow. hall
hall and
and each
each
promotor,
promotor' each
each king
king and
and each
eachvisionary
visionaryclaim
claim to
to possess
possessthe
the overall
overall
plan
understand
the
meaning
ofthe
story.
Whole
districts
plan and
and to
to understandthe meaningol'the story. Whole districtsare
are
laid
overall
laid out and
a'd roads
roadsopened
openedup
up on
on the
the basis
basisofthese
or-these
o'eralr plans,
plans,which
which
other
other struggles
strugglesand
and other
other wills
wills soon
soonrestrict
restricrto
to the
the egoistic
egoisticand
and specic
specific
expression
a
period
or
an
individual.
Constantly

expression of
ol' a period or an individual. constantly - but
but never
never
everywhere
the
- streets
e'erywhere at the
the same
sametime
time
streetsare
are opened,
opened,houses
housesrazed
razedto
to the
ground,
over.
Districts
previously
thought
outground, watercourses
watercoursescovered
covered.ver. Districltspreviousll,thousht outof-date
ol-date or dangerous
dangerous arc
arc rehabilitated;
rehabilitated; other
other modern
modern buildings
buitdings
become
fashion,
and
are
destroyed.
We
become out of
fshion,
ol'
and are crestroyed.we ght
fight about
about what
what
constitutes
constitutesour heritage,
heritage,about
about methods
methodsoftransport
ol'transportand
and itineraries
itinerariesto
to
be
be followed.
lbllowed. Consumers
consumers die
die and
and are
are replaced
replacedby
by others,
others,circuits
circuits by
by
degrees
degreescompel
compel their
their recognition,
recognition,enabling
enablinginformation
inlbrmation to
to run
run along
alone
the
there
one
retires
within
oneself,
accepting
the wires.
wires. Here
Here and
and thereone retireswithin oneseil,acceptingthe
the fate
tati
decided
decidedby
by others.
others.Or
or else
elseone
oneagrees
asreesto
to dene
clefineoneselfas
o.esell'asan
a. individual
individual
actor
actor who will alter
alter nothing
nothing more
more than
than the
thc partitions
partitionsin
in the
the apartment
apartme't
or the
bedroom.
At
other
times
actors
the wallpaper
wallpaper in the
the bedroom. At other times u.,o., who
*ho had
hu.l
always
had
always
been
dened
as
always dened
defined themselves
themselvesand
and had always been defi.ed as micromicroactors
a.tors ally
ally themselves
themselvestogether
tosetheraround
around aa threatened
threate.eddistrict,
district, march
march
to
dissident
architects.
By
their
to the
the town
town hall
hall and
arrd enrol
e.rol disside.t art'hitects.tsy their action
actio' they
thev
manage
nlanage to have
har''eaa radial
radial road
road diverted
divertedor
or aa tower
tower that
that aa macro-actor
macro-actor

?
Z96
296

and B. Latour
M. Callon
Callon and
M.
'trou

des
caseofthe
o( the famous
lmous trou des
as in the case
down. Or
Or again,
aeain, as
had built
built pulled down.
projects, in
lrward 600 alternative projects,
Paris, they put
put forward
Halles
Halles' in central Paris,
'fown
Hall had already conParis Town Hall
addition
addition to the hundreds the Paris
just like in the French
A tiny actor becomes
becomes a macro-actor, just
sidered. A
'The
knocks over the
nursery
nursery rhyme: The cat knocks over the pot, the pot knocks
house,
knocks over the house,
table, the table knocks over the room, the room knocks
Paris: Paris,
Paris,
knocks over Paris:
street knocks
street, the street
the house knocks over the street,
is small,
who is
is big and who is
know who
has fallen!
lllenl' We
lVe cannot know
Paris, Paris has
is cold.
The effect
ellct of
ol'
is hot and who is
cold. The
who is
is soft,
who is
is hard and who
soli, who
who
who is
these black boxes
boxes that
which suddenly start to wag and these
tongues which
these
these tongues
with the beauty
is a city, uncountable Leviathans with
suddenly
suddenly snap shut is
o1'thc circles
ol'hell.
beast or ofthe
circles ofhell.
of
the beast
ol'the
with
indeed a paradise by comparison with
Leviathan was indeed
Hobbesls
Hobbes's Leviathan
is a
lbr the baboons"
baboons' Leviathan,
Leviathan. it is
here. As for
what
what we have described here.
beaut.v of
ol'the
still-wild
unadulterated society
society amid the beauty
ol'the
dream
the unadulterated
the still-wild
dream of
are, that we inhabit and that we
The monster that we are,
savannah. The
ll'Weber
quite dillerent
song. If
sings a quite
dillrent song.
fashion
Weber and his intellectual
Ishion sings
'disenchanted',
was becoming disenchanted,
lund that this monster was
descendants lound
intimidated by techtechbe intimidated
themselves to be
because they allowed themselves
this was because
'I'his

niques and macro-actors. This is what we shall now show.

Leviathan
the sociologist
sociologist Leviathan
Conclusion:
the
Conclusion:

what they
In
grow we must enrol other wills by translating what
In order
order to grow
of them
reilying this translation in such a way that none ofthem
want
want and by reifying
resrictcd
process
ollonger.
Hobbes
this
can desire anything
restricted
process of
anything else
else any longer.
'political representation'. The
what
we
now
call
translation
political representation. The
translation to what
person of
ol'the
sovereign who
recapitu.lated in the person
scattered wills are recapitulated
the sovereign
(brce
has
ol'law
be
whose
word
want, and whose word has force of law and cannot be
says
what we want,
says what
'political
long
now
yet
it
is
very
time
since
And
contradicted.
is a
since political
contradicted. And
of the
desires of
sufhcient to translate the desires
representation
representation' was alone suicient
science
ofeconomics
also
claims
Alier political
political science,
science,the science
multitude.
also
multitude. After
say not only what
what the
colfers, and to be able to say
to sound loins and colfers,
Leviathan
also
making
desire,
goods, services
and
people
making
up
the
Leviathan
desire,
but also
services
interested
worth.
what
they
are
worth.
In
this
article
we
are
not
interested
in
political
In
what
latecomers, the sociointerested in the latecomers,
socioscience
economics. We are interested
science or economics.
- using polls, quantitative
quantitative and qualitative
qualitative
logists,
logists, who
who also translate
- not only what
what they are worth,
actors want, not only what
surveys
what the actors

(Jnscrewingthe
Unserewing
the big
bis Leviathan
Leuiathan 297

but
but also what
whal they
thel are.
are. On
On the basis
basis ofscattered
of scattered information,
ir.rlbrmation, replies
replies to
to
questionnaires, anecdotes,
anecdotes, statistics
statistics and feelings,
lelings, the sociologist
sociologist
interprets, sounds out, incorporates and states
states what
what the actors
actors are
are
(classes, categories,
(classes,
cateeories, groups, cultures,
cultures, etc.),
etc.), what they want, what
what
interests them and how they live.
live. Self-designated
Seldesisnated and self-appointed,
selappointed,
spokesmen of
the people,
o1'the
people, they have,
have, for
lbr more than a century now,
now,
taken over from
liom Hobbesls
Hobbes's sovereign:
sovereign: the voice
voice that speaks
speaks in
in the
mask
the mask
is
i s their
t h e i r own.
own.
4.1
1.1

The
The sociologist
sociologist Leviathan
Leuiathan

We
the political Leviathan
!\'e have followed
ltrllowed through
through the creation
crearion of
ol-the
Leviathan on
on
the basis
basis ofa
of a contract, the formation
lbrmation of
of the monkey-Leviathan
monkey-Leviathan and,
last, the construction
constructior.rofthe
ol-the monster-Leviathan.
monster-Leviathan. Now
Now we shall
shall see
seehow
how
the sociologist-Leviathan
sociologist-Leviathan is
is built. We can already state
state as
as a
a matter of
of
principle
principle that
that Leviathans
Leviathans formed
ltrrmed like sociologies
sociologies or sociologies
sociologies like
like

Leviathans.
[,eviathans.
So what
what do sociologists
sociologists do?
do? Some
Some say
say that
rhar there
there is
is a social
social system.
system.
'I-his
This interpretation
the social
interpretation of
ol'the
social credits
credits translation processes
processeswith
with a
a

coherence that they

thev lack.
lack. To
To state
state that there
there is
is a system
system is
is to
to make
make an
an

'systematizes'and
actor
actor grow
grow by disarming
disarming the forces
lbrces which he
he or she
she systematizes and
'unifies'.
unies. Of
Of course,
course, as
as we have seen,
seen, the Leviathans
Le','iathan's arithmetic
arithmetic is
is
very special:
special: each
each system,
system, each
each totality is
is added
addedto the
the others
others without
without
retrenching
retrenching itself,
itsell, thereby producing
producing the hybrid
hybrid monster
monster with
with a
a
thousand
thousand heads
heads and a thousand systems.
systems. What
What else
else does
does the
the sociosociologist do?
do? He
He or she
she interprets the Leviathan, saying for example
example that
that
it is
is a cybernetic machine. So
So all associations
associations between
between actors
actors are
are
described as
an articial
as circuits of
ol'an
artificial intelligence,
intelligence, and translations
rranslations are
are
'integrations'.
seen
seen as
as integrations. Here again the Leviathan
Leviathan is
is built
built up
up by
by this
this
type ofdescription:
ol'description: it is
is proud to be
be a machine and immediately,
immediately, like
like
any
machine,
starts
to
transmit
forces
and
motions
in
any
transmit forces
in a
a mechanical
mechanical
()1-course
way. Of
course this interpretation
interpretation is
is added to all
all the
the others
others and
and
struggles against them. For the Leviathan
is

sometimes
and
Leviathan is sometimes and in
in some
some
- a traditional
places
places
traditional and not a cybernetic
cyberne tic machine,
machine , likewise
likewise a
a body,
body, a
a
market,
Since
all
interpretations
act
upon
market, a text, a game, etc.
etc. Since
act upon it
it
simultaneously,
performing and
simultaneously,
and transforming forces
fbrces according
according to
ro
whether
bodies
or
markets,
the
whether they are machines, codes,
codes, bodies
markets, the result
result is
is this
this
same monster again, at one and the same
same time machine, beast,
god,
beast, god,
word
town.
What
else
can
sociologists
do?
They
can
word and
and town. What else
sociolosists do? They can say,
say. for
ficr

T
298

M.
M. Callon and
and B. Latour

Unrcrewing
[Jnscreuing the
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan 299
2gg

'restrict

example, that they restrict themselves

social'.
themselves to the study of the social.
'reality
levels' leaving aside,
aside, for
Ibr
They
They then divide
divide the Leviathan
Leviathan into reality levels
political,
technical
and
aspects
example, the economic,
cultural aspects in
'social'.
what
is
The
boxes that
order
order to restrict themselves
themselves to what is social. The black boxes
no
lctors
thus
and
contain
sealed
sociologist
contain these
sealed up
sociologist can open
these factors are
the
The
Leviathans
purr with
with
them
eld.
purr
them without
without stepping outside
field. The
from
whilst
relief, for their
structure
disappears
from
view,
whilst
they
allow
their
allow
their
their structure
(see the
as we know (see
the EDF),
EDF), no
social parts to be sounded. Ofcourse,
Of course, as
associations as
as a whole will
will be
actor
actor is
is so powerful
powerlirl that
that its decisions
decisions and associations
The other actors,
actors,
nally
finally and denitely
definitely considered
considered as
as technical reality. The
helped by sociologists,
sociologists, push back and trace anew the boundaries
The result is
is
is technical, economic,
social. The
between what
what is
economic, cultural
cultural and social.
about by conflicting
conflictine teams
that
that here again
again the Leviathans
Leviathans are hacked about
with scars
Frankenstein. What
What
of
of sociologists, and are covered with
scars like Frankenstein.
workine to
Like everyone else,
else, they never stop working
else do sociologists
sociologists do? Like
They tape the recollections
recollections of
of'aa
who acts
acts and who
who speaks.
speaks. They
dene
define who

workman,
workman, a prostitute
prostitute or an old Mexican; they interview; they hand
subject under the sun;
out open and closed
closed questionnaires
questionnaires on every subject
masses.Each time they
they unceasingly sound out the opinions ofthe
of the masses.
translbrming and
interpret
interpret their
their surveys they inform the Leviathan, transforming
define a group,
performing
perlirrming it. Each time they construct a unity, dene
sroup,
attribute
identity, a will
will or a project?
project;2eeach
attribute an identity,
each time they explain what
is
Hobbcs used
is happening,
happening, the sociologist,
author - as
as Hobbes
trsed
sociologist, sovereign
sovereign and author
- add to the struggling Leviathans new identities,
the term -
identities, denitions
definitions
and wills which
hicle away or
which enable other authors to grow or shrink, hide
reveal themselves,
themselves, expand or contract.
Like
Like all the others, and for
lbr the same
reason, sociologists
sociologistswork on the
same reason,
Leviathan.
ol' the Leviathan
Leviathan
Leviathan. Their
Their work
work is
is to dene
define the nature of
whether
one, what
what they
whether it is
is unique
unique or whether there are more than one,
want
This specic
want and how they transform
translbrm themselves
themselves and evolve.
evolve. This
specific
'metadiscourse'is no metadiscourse to speak
task is
is in no way
way unusual. There
There is
speak
- about
sociologists
archaically
about the Leviathan. Every time they write sociologists
archaically
- expand, like
- or do not
grow
grow or shrink, become macro-actors
Lazarsfeld,
or shrink to a restricted
multinational.;r{)or
restricted
Lazarslld, to the scale
scale ofa
ol'a multinatioiialjl
sector of
the market. What
What makes
makes them grow
shrink? The
The other
o{'the
srow or shrink?
lbrces they translate
less
actors whose interests,
interests, desires
desires and forces
translate more or less
successfully,
with whom
whom they ally or quarrel. Depending on the
successfully, and with
period, the strategies,
strategies, the institutions and the demands.
demands. the sociosociologists
what everyone
is saying
logist's work
work can expand until
becomes what
everyone is
until it becomes

about the Leviathan,

about
Leviathan, or. shrink to what three PhD students
students think
think
about themselves
about
themselves in some
some British university. The
The sociologists
sociologists'
laneuage has
language
has no privileged relationship with
with the Leviathan. They
T'hey act
act
upon it. Suppose
Suppose they
thev state
state that the Leviathan
Leviathan is
is unique
unique and
and systemsvstematic, suppose
suppose they create
create cybernetic,
cybernetic, hierarchically integrated subsubsystems:
svstems: either this will
will be accepted,
accepted, or not, will
will spread,
spread, or
or not,
not, will
will be
be
- or will
used as
as resources
resources by others or
will not. The
The success
successofthis
ol'this denition
definition
of
the Leviathan
ol'the
Leviathan proves nothing
nothing about
a.bout the latters
latter's own
own nature.
nature. An
An
empire
Parsons, and that is
empire is born, that of
ol'Parsons,
is all. Conversely,
Clonversely,the
lct
the fact
that
that ethnomethodologists
ethnomethodologists might
might manage
manase to convince
convince their
their colleagues
colleagues
that
t h a t macro-actors
m a c r o - a c t o r s do
d o not
n o t exist
e x i s t proves
p r o v e s nothing
n o t h i n g about
a b o u t their
t h e i r nonnonexistence.
existence. Sociologists
Sociologists are neither better nor worse
worse than any
any other
other
actors. Neither
Neither are they more external
external nor more internal, more
more nor
nor
less scientic.
less
scientific."r Common,
Clommon. too
roo common.

4.2

How
to slip between
How to
betweentwo mistakes
mistakes

A macro-actor,
macro-actor, as
as we have seen,
seen, is
is a micro-actor seated
seated on
on black
black
boxes,
boxes, a force
lrce capable ofassociating
ol'associating so
rany other
so many
lrces that
other forces
that it
it acts
acts
'I'he
'singlc
like a single
man.
man'. The result is
is that
rhat a macro-actor
macro-acror is
is by
by denition
definition no
no

more dilcult
dilficult to examine than a micro-actor.
micro-acror. Growth
is only
Growth is
only possible
possible
if
il' one can associate
associate long lasting lorces
ltrrces with
with oneself
onesell' and
and thereby
therebl.
simplify
existence.
Hence
a
macro-actor
is
at
least
as
simplilv exis(ence. Hence
m a ( . r o - a c t o r i s a t l e a s t a s simple
s i m p l e as
a s aa
micro-actor
since
otherwise
it
could
not
have
become
bigger.
We
do
not
draw
micro-actor sinceotherzaise couldnot hauebecomebigger. M'e do not drar,r,
closer to social reality by descending
descendine to micro-negotiations
micro-neeotiations or
or by
by
rising
\\'e
must
leave
behind
the
preconrisir.re towards the macro-actors.
macro-actors.
leave behind the precor.r('eptions which
ceptions
w,hi<'hlead us
us to believe
believe that macro-actors
mac.ro-actorsarc
arc morc
nrorc complicomplicated than micro-actors. The
opposite
might
be
true
as
the
T'he opposite might be true as the example
example of
ol'
the baboons showed us.
us. A macro-actor can
can only
only grow
il'it simplies
simplifies
erow ifit
itself.
itsell. As it simplies
simplifies its existence,
existence,it simplies
simplifies the
the work
work ofthe
ol'the sociolosociologist. It is
gist.
to
send
tanks
into
Kabul
than
to
is no more dilcult
dilEcult
send tanks
Kabul than to dial
dial 999.
999. It
I t is
is
no more dilcult
than
the
secretary
who
takes
dilcult to describe Renault
Renault than the secretary who takes
telephone
telephone calls
calls at the Houston police
police station.
station. If
Il'itit were
were much
much more
more
'fhe
dilcult
move
and
Renault
would
not
exist.
d i l E c u l t the
t h e tanks
t a n k s would
w o u l d not
n o t m o v e a n d R e n a u l t w o u l d n o ( e x i s t .There
rc
would
would be no macro-actors.
macro-actors. By claiming
claimine that macro-actors
mat_-ro-actorsare
more
are more
complex
complex than
than micro-actors
micro-actors sociologists
sociolosists discourage
discourage analysis,
analvsis, and
hamand hamstring investigators.
the
secret
of
the
macro-actors
investigators. Aiid
And they prevent
prevent
secret ol-the macro-actors'
growth
growth from
liom being revealed: making
making operations
operarions childishly
childishly simple.
simple. The
1'he
king
(leaky)
black
kins is
is not only
only naked, he is
is a child playing with
with (leaky) black boxes.
boxes.

llllll
.l0o

.l1.
,ll. Callon
Callon and
and B. Latour
Latour

The
The other
<lther preconception, too often
olen shared
shared by sociologists,
sociologists, is
is that
that
individual
indir,'idual micro-negotiations
and
more
real
than
micro-negotiations are truer
rruer and more real than the
the
abstract, distant
the macro-actors.
distant structures of
macro-actors. Here
ol'the
Here again,
again, nothing
nothing
could be further
further from
lrom the truth
lbr almost every
truth for
every resource
resource is
is utilized
utilized in
irr
the huge task ofstructuring
Only
a
residue
is
ol'structuring macro-actors.
macro-acrors. Only a residue is left
leli for
lbr the
the
individuals.
individuals. \/Vhat
What the sociologist
sociologist too hastily studies
studies is
is the
the diminished,
diminished,
anaemic
skin
anaemic being, trying
trying hard to occupy the shrinking
shrinkine skin left
lelt to
to it.
it. ln
In aa
world
could
be
poorer
world already structured by
bv macro-actors,
macro-actors, nothing
nothing could be poorer
and more abstract than individual
indiv'idual social
social interaction. The
The dreamers
dreamers
who
the
who would
would like to restructure macro-actors on
on the basis
basis of
ol' the
the
individual
body
lor
they
individual will
will arrive
arrir.'e at an even
even more monstrous
monstrous body lr they must
must
leave
lcave out all the hard parts which
which have
have enabled
enabled the
the macro-actors
macro-actors to
to
simplill their lives
simplify
lives and to
ro take over all the space.
space.
4.3
4.5

More than a monster,

monster,a monster
monsterand a half
halJ'

What
!\'hat then is
is a sociologist?
sociolosist? Someone
Someone who studies
studies associations
associations and
and
'social'
dissociations, that is
is all, as
as the word
w,ord social itselfimplies.
itsell'implies. AssociAssocriations
atiorls between men? Not solely,
soleh'. since
si.ce for
lbr a
a long time
tinre now
now associations
associations
between men have been
been expanded and extended
extended through
through other
other allies:
allies:
words.
The sociologist
words, rituals, iron, wood, seeds
seedsand rain.
rain.'l'he
sociologist studies
studies all
all
associations,
associations, but
but in particular
particular the
translbrmation ofweak
the transformation
ol'weak interactions
interactions
into
i l l t o strong
s t r o n s ,ones
n e s and
a n d vice
v i c c 'versa.
e r s a . ' This
l ' h i s is
i s olispecial
o f s p e c i a linterest
i ' t e r e s t because
b e c a u s ehere
h er t :
the relative
the actors
re lative dimensions of
ol'the
actors are
are altered.
altered. When
lVhen we
we use
use the
the
word
w o r d ' sstudy
t u d y ' w ewe must
m u s t make
m a k e clear
c l e a r there
t h e r e is
i s of
o l ' ccourse
o u r s e no
n o suggestion
s u s g e s t i o nof
ol
knowledge.
knowledee. All
All information
inlbrmation is
is transformation,
translbrmatiorr, an
an emergency
emersency operoperation
ation on and in the Leviathans
Leviathan's body.
body.
hen
!\'hen we slip between
between two
two mistakes,
mistakes, we
we do
do not
not intend
intend to
to withdraw
withdraw
to some distant
distant planet. What
What is
is valid for
ltrr the
the others
others is
is valid
valid for
lbr us
us too.
roo.
We
!\'e too work
work on the Leviathan,
Leviathan, we
we too
roo aim
aim to
to sell
sell our
our concepts,
concepts, we
we too
too
seek
scek allies and associates
associates and
and decide
who it
decide who
it is
is we
we want
want to
to please
please or
or
displease.
displease. By taking for
lbr granted differences
dillrences in
in level
level and
and size
size between
berween
actors,
a ( ' t o r s , the
t h c sociologist
s o c i o l o g i s t ratifies
r a t i f i e s past,
p a s t , present
p r e s e n t and
a n d future
l u t u r e winners,
winners,
whoever
whoever they may be.
be. nding
finding favour
lr'our with
with the
the powerful
powerlul because
because they
thev
make
rnake them look reasonable.
reasonable. By
Bv agreeing
agreeine to
to restrict
restrict the
the study
stud,v of
ol'
associations
associations to the residual social,
social, the
the sociologist
sociologist afxes
alfixes seals
sealsonto
onto the
the
black
l>lack boxes,
guarantees that
boxes, and once again
asain guarantees
rhat the
the strong
strong will
will be
be secure
secure
- lled
and the cemeteries
cemeteries peaceful
peacelul
filled with
with lines
lines ofhermetically
ol'hermetically closed
closed
black boxes
boxes crawling
crawlins with
with worms.
worms.

Unscrewing
thzbig
big Leviathan
Leuiathan 301
301
Unscrewingthe
method boils
to
question of
ol' method
boils down
down to
then the
the question
sociologist then
For the
the sociologist
he
Hobbes
himsell,
she
sits
Like
onesell.
knowing
where
to
place
oneself.
Like
Hobbes
himself,
he
or
she
sits
know'ingwhere to place
just where
just at the
where forces
ficrcesare
are
is made,
made, just
where the
the contract
contract is
the point where
is
and
the
the
technical
social
between
the difference
dillerencebetween the technical and the social is
and the
translated,
translated,and
just
reversible
and
where
becomes
irreversible
where the
the irreversible becomes reversible and where
fought
where
l'ought out,
out,
energy
There, only aa tiny amount of energy
slopes.There,
reversetheir slopes.
the
the chreods
chreods reverse
its
from
information
about
of
is
necessary
to
drag
a
maximum
ofinformation
about
its
growth
from
is necessary
monster.
newborn
the
newborn
monster.
the
no longer
longer anyones
places are
are no
anyone's
choose these
these places
The sociologists
sociologistswho choose
dissect
the
corpses
of
Leviathans
need
no
longer
lackey
or
ward.
They
no
longer
need
dissect
the
corpses
ofLeviathans
lackey
great black
longer fear
lar the
the great
black boxes
boxes
no longer
rejected by others.
others. They no
already rejected
'social world' where they no more
whole of the
the social world
which dominate the
where they no more
the whole
woodentongues,
tongues,seeking
seeking
as vampires,
vampires,with wooden
like ghosts,
ghosts,cold
cold as
wander
wander like
'social' before
- are
- teratologists
are
sociologists
teratologists
coagulates.The sociologists
the
the social
belbre it coagulates.
where black
boxesopen
open up,
up, where
where
black boxes
placeswhere
light places,
places,the
the places
in the
the warm,
warm,light
lil; the
return to
to life;
the places
places
is reversed
reversedand
and techniques
techniquesreturn
the
irreversible is
the irreversible
is small,
what is
is large
large and
and what is
small,
as to
to what
give birth to
to uncertainty
uncertainty as
that
that give
place
They inhabit
inhabit the
the blessed
blessedplace
what technical.
what is
is social
and what
social and
technical.They
- Matter of the
the
voicesof authors
authors
translatedvoices
where the
and translated
where
the betrayed
betrayed and
- become
actor described
describedby
by
sovereignactor
voice of
ol'the
becomethe
the voice
social
the sovereign
social body
body
- the
socialbody.
bodv.
the Form ofthe
ol'the social
Hobbes
Hobbes

Notes
Notes
-I'.
( 165I ) (London:
(London: Pelican
Pelican Books,
Books, 1978),
l97B), p.
p. I85.
185.
I T. Hobbes,
Hobbes, The
TheLeviathan
Leuiathan(I651)
edition.
All
are from
li"omthat edition.
All quotations
ouotations are
2,2 lbid.,
218.
l b i d . ,p.
p.2
lli.
,l
3 lbid.,
p . 219.
l b i d . ,p.
219.
4+ lbid.,
I b i d . , p.
p . 227.
227.
55 Ibid.,p.2l7.
_
I b i d . ,p . 2 1 7 .
(loncept developed
(Paris:Ed.
III (Paris:
Ed.
Ia Traduction,
Traduction,
Herms
Serres,La
by Michel Serres,
6h (loncept
Hermes
III
developed by
sociologyby
bv M. Qallon
Clallon
appliedto
to sociology
de
197-t),and
and then
then applied
de Minuit,
Nlinuit, 197+),
'L' ()pratioii
()pration de
(ed.),lncidence
desrapport:
rapports
Roqueplo (ed.),
L'
Incidence des
de traduction,
traduction', in M. Roqueplo
(INRS,
(Paris: (INRS,
technique
ct technique
rociaux
scientique
(Paris:
scicntifqueet
soeiauxrur
sur le
le dveloppement
dueloppement
W75
I 9 7 r ). .
depuislafondation
lafondation
DasChose:
Choses
caches
victim ofR.
o[R. Girard, Des
77 Even)
caches
depuis
sacrificial victim
Even the sacricial
more solemn
solemnand
and cruel
cruel
du
( Paris: Grasset.
nothine but aa more
is nothing
Grasset. l978)_
I 97tt)' is
du monde
monde(Paris:
I t cannot
be made
made the
the
ol'ranslation. It
cannot be
caseoftranslation.
lorm
lbrm ofcontract
ol'contract and aa particular case
forms.
foundation
o1'theother forms.
fbundation ofthe
'actor'we mean, from
A.
the semiotic
semioticdenition
definition by A.liom now
now on,
on, the
8 By the
the term actor we mean,
'whatever
(Paris:Hachette,
1979):whatever
Hachette, 1979):
smiotique
Greimas
de
(Paris:
unit
desrniotique
Greimas in Dictionnaire
Dictionnaire

302

10
l0

ll
11
12
t2
l.)
13

14
l4

15
l5
16
l6
17
t7

18
l8
19
l9

20
20

M.
and B. Latour
M. Callon
Callonand

ofdiscourse
ol'discourseis
is invested
investedofa role,
role', like
like the
notion offorce,
the notion
of force,it is
is no
no way limited
to
t o 'human.
human'.
See
Seethe devastating
devastatingcriticism
criticism ofpsychoanalysis
ol'psychoanalysismade
made by G. Deleuze
Deleuzeand F.
F.
(Paris: Ed.
Guattari,
et
(Paris:
Guattari, LAnti-Oedipe,
L'Anti-Ocdipe, capitalisme
capitalisme
etschizophrnie
schiaophrnie
Ed. dc
Minuit,
de Minuit,
1972).
1972).For them there
there is
is no difference
differenceofsize
ofsize between
betweena childs
child's dreams
dreamsand
a conquerors
conqueror's empire
empire or between
betweenthe
the family
lamily lite
lil story
story and the
political
the political
'individual', so that in our
story.
story. The unconscious,
unconscious,anyway,
anyway, is
is not individual,
so
innermost dreams
dreams we still act
act inside
inside the
the whole
whole body politic and
and vice
vice versa.
versa.
On this point, like
like on most,
most, (1.
Cl. B.
B. Macpherson,
Macphe rson, The
ThePolitical
PolitiealTheory
Theoryof
oJ
Possessive
Individualisrm
Posscssiae
Indiuidualism:Hobbes
Hobbesto
to Locke
Locke(Oxford: Clarendon Press,
Press, 1962),
1962),
missed
missedHobbess
Hobbes'soriginality. It is
is not Marxism that helps
helps interpret
interpret what is
is
beneath
beneath Hobbess
Hobbes's theory;
theory; it is,
is, on the
the contrary,
contrary, the
the latter that
that might
explain
explain what is
is beneath
former.
beneath the
the former.
(this volume)
SeeR. Collins (this
(this volume).
See
volume) and P.
P. Bourdieu
Bourdieu (this
volume).
See
Seethe conclusion
conclusionofthis
ol'this chapter.
chapter.
For instance
in
instanceA. (licourel,
C)icourel,Method
Melhodand
andMeasurement
Measurement
in Sociology
(New York:
Sociolog(New
York:
Free
Free Press,
Press,1964),
1964),as
asan example
exampleofthe
requirementsthat tie
ol'the requirements
tie the
the obsen/ers
observer's
hands.
hands. Ethnomethodologists
Ethnome thodologistshave
have since
sincemuch
much increased
increasedthe
the constraints
constraints
on what can
can be
be said
said about society.
societv.
This part is
is based
basedon an ongoing
ongoingstudy
study on
on the
the sociology
sociologyofprimatology
ol'primatologyby
by
one
ol'us (B.L.). Most ofthis
one ofus
of this chapter
chapter is
is inspired
inspired by the
the work olShir1ey
ol'Shirley
Strum. She
Sheis
is in no way responsible
responsiblefor the
the awkward situation
we
situation in which we
put her baboons,
baboons, but only for
lor the
new and
revolutionary way
the new
and revolutionary
way she
she
'Life
understands
understands animal sociology,
sociology.For direct
direct references
referencessee
seeS.
S. Strum,
Strum, Life
with
May (1975),
with the Pumphous-Gang,
Pumphous-Gang', National
( 1975), pp.
NationalGeographic,
Geographic,
pp. 672-791;
672-79 I ;
'Interim Report on the Development ofa Tradition in a Troop o1'Olive
Interim
the Developmentof a Tradition
T'roop ol'Olive
'Agonistic Dominance in Male
Baboons,
187
(1975),pp.
Baboons',Science
Science
lB7 (1975),
pp. 755-7;
75F7; Agonistic
Dominance
- An Alternate View
Baboons
Baboons
(forthcoming). For an
View' (forthcoming).
an analysis
analysisofthe
ol'the link
between
between primatology and political
political philosophy,
philosophy, see
Donna Haraway,
Haraway,
seeDonna
'Animal Sociology
Animal
4/1
Sociologyand a Natural Economy
Economy ofthe
ol'the Body
Body Politic,
Politic', Signs,
Signs,4/l
(1978),
( I 978), pp.
pp. 21-60.
2 l-60.
Except
pt
225.
Except insects,
insects,ofcourse,
of'course,Hobbes,
Hobbes, The
TheLeviathan,
Leaiathan,
p.225.
1bid.,
I b i d . , p.
p . 186.
l86.
For two general
(New
generaf presentations,
presentations,see
(New
seeH. Kummer, Primate
PrimateSocieties
Societies
York: Aldine, 1973);
Behaviour
ofMonkeys
( London:
I 973); and
and T. Rowell,
Rowell, Social
SociaL
Behattiour
of Monkels(London:
Penguin,
a historical
Animal
Penguin,1972).
Fora
historicalbackground
1972).For
backgroundsee
seeDonna
Donna Haraway,
Haraway,'Animal
Sociology
Signs of
Sociologyand aa Natural Economy
Economy ofthe
ol'the Body
Body Politic,
Politic', and
and'Signs
ol'
().
Dominance:
Primate Societies,
Dominance : From a Physiology
Physiologyto a Cybernetics
Cyberneticsof
ol'Primate
Societies,(I,
R. Carpenter 1930-1970
(forthcoming).
l93O-1970' (forthcoming).
'Agonistic
-An Alternate
S.
S. Strum,
Strum, Agonistic Dominance
Dominancein Male Baboons
BaboonsAn
AlternateView.
View'.
'Social Organization of
This was
was already
already visible
visible in H. Kummer, Social
Organization of'
Hamadryas Baboons
(Chicago:Aldine,
Baboons' (Chicago:
Aldine, 1968),
l968), and very
very clear
clear in H.
'On
Kummer,
Kummer, On the
the Value oiSocial
ol'SocialRelationships
Relationshipsto
to Non-Human Primates.
Primates.
A Heuristic Scheme,
Science
Iryorrnation,
687707.
Scheme',Social
Social
( l97U),pp.
Science
ldormation,17
l7 (1978),
pp.687-707.
This is
is the
the case
caseeither in the
the sort
sort ofBourdieu
olBourdieu sociology
sociologythat Kummer
Kummer used
used
to describe
('On the
his baboons
describehis
baboons(On
the Value ofSocial
ofSocial Relationships),
Relationships'),or in the
the
sociobiological
sociobiologicalmyth of defence
delnceof investments.
investments.

Unscrewing
Llnscreuing the
the big Leviathan
Leuiathan

303

',\gonistic
ll llobbes,
p.
llolrlres, The
TheLeviathan,
Leuiathan,
p. 183,
lr human,
human,and
lti3, lor
and Strum,
Strum. Agonistic
- An
Dominance
| )orninance in Male
N{ale Baboons
Baboons
r\n Alternate
Alte rnate View,
View', lor
fr baboons.
baboons.
'1') ln
his lllyth
ofthe Machine
York: Harcourt, 1966),
lnhis
(NewYork:
Mllho.f'the
Machine(New
l96ti), Lewis
Lewis Mumlord
I\lumlrd
tries
tlit's to
to integrate
integrate dillerent
dillrent sorts
sortsolimaterials,
ol'materials,but he
he makes
makestwo major
major
mistakes:
nristakes:rst,
first, he
he sticks
metaphoroiithe
sticksto
to the
the metaphor
ol'the machine,
machine,instead
insteadof
of'
dissolving
it; second,
rlissol'u'ing
second,he
he takes
takeslor
lr granted
granted the
the size
sizeofthe
ol'the megamachine
mesamachine
instead
tracing its
The same
irrsteadof
its genealogy.
ol'tracing
samething
senealoev.'I'he
thins can
can be
be said
said ot'A.
of'4. LeroiLeroi(l<rurlrarr.
(iourhan,
La
Geste et laparole (Paris: Albin Michel, 1964),
although he tries
LaGesteetlaparole(Paris:r\lbinNlichel,
llXi-l),althouehhe
tries
very
vcr v-hard
hard to
to blur the
the limits
limits between
betweentechnics
technicsand
and culture,
culture,but
but favours,
fvours.
()nesort
iicvcrthclcss,
ncverthclcss.one
of divisionand
sort olidivision
and one
onesort
sort olideterminism.
o[ detcrminism.
->] : J5 (1.
( l. H. Waddington,
( London : Paladin,
\\'addin gton, Toolsfor
ToolsJ'orThought
Thought(London:
Paladin, 1977).
I 9 77).
21
: r Michel (lallon, De Problemes en problrnes: itinraire a un laboratoire universitaire
(;ORDES, 1978);
par laz/enture
(Paris:(IORDES,
saisi
technologique
(Paris:
and Rapport
.saisipar
l'auenture
technologique
l97ti);and
surle
RapportJur
le
ohicule
uhinlelectrique
(Paris: CORDES, 1978).
lectiqza(Paris:
1978).
J_l l.7) For
l'or more
more complete
complete descriptions,
dcscriptions,see
seeF.
F . Nietzsche,
Nie tzsche, The
(New
TheWill
lt'ill to
to Power
Power(New
(iarderr Press,
York: Garden
G. Deleuzc
Press, 1974);
197-l);Ci.
Deleuzcand
and F.
l'. Guattari,
Guattari, Mille Plateaux
Plateaux
(Paris: Ed.
(Paris:
prcis
L,d.de
Nlinuit, 1979);
prcisde
de Minuit,
1979);B.
ts. liatour,
Latour. lrrductions:
Irrduetions:
dePhilosophie
Philosophie
( Paris:Cheloteur.
(Paris:
Clhloteur,1981).
Mtl I ).
Hobbes, The
p. I50.
ll)
2(r Hobbes,
TheLeviathan,
Leuiathan,p.
l5O.
')7
(Paris Grasset,
)7 Michel
Nlichel Serres,
Serres,Le
Le Parasite
Parasite(Paris:
Grasset.1980).
1980).
p. 18.
22u
8 Hobbes,
Hobbes, The
TheLeviathan,
Lcuiathan,p.
18.
',,4cles
F or instance,
instance, see
29
29 For
seeLuc
l-uc Boltanski,
Boltanski,"l'axinomie
"l'axinomie sociale
socialect
et lutte
lutte de
de classe,
classe Actes
(
de
la
recherche
en
sciences
sociales,
29
(1979),
pp.
75-1
10.
de recherche
ensciences
socialrs,29 1979),
75-l 10.
'Paul
Jo Michael
Ill)
Nlichael Pollak,
Pollak,Paul Lazarsleld,
Lazarslld,une
Nlultinationalcdes
unc Multinationalc
desSciences
Sciences
Sociales,
en
sociales,
2:3 (( 1979),
recherche
Sociales',Actes
Actesde
dela
la recherche
ensciences
sciences
sociales,2ir
1979),pp.
pp. ~1:'>(i0.
{>{i0.
'l'hc
is
Iiril1 The lack
lack olidistinction
of'distinctionbetween
betweensolt
soli and
and hard
hard sciences
sciences
is shown
shownin
in B.
B.
Latour and
Life:
ofScientic
arrd S.
S. \\'oolgar,
\\'oolgar. Lahoratopi
Laboratory
TheSocial
LiJ: The
SocialConstruction
ConstructionoJ
ScienttJic
(London: Sage,
Facts
icls (London:
Saee,1979).
1979).
. l

in social theory
theory and
Advances
Advances in

methodology
methodology
microintegration of
of microToward
Toward an integration
macro-sociologies
and macro-sociologies
Editedby
by
Edited
andA. V.
V. Cicourel
Cicourel
K. Knorr-Cetina and

. @
Paul
Kegan Paul
Routledge
Routledge& Kegan
Henley
and Henley
Boston,
Boston,London and

Contents
Contents

publishzdin 1981
l98I
First
F'irstpublished
Ltd
I Kegan
Kegan Paul Ltd
by Routledge
by
RoutLedge9
USA
Mass. 02108,
02108, USA
9 Park Street,
Street,Boston,
Boston,Mass.
and
WCIE 7DD, and
LondonWCIE
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Strcel,London
39
StoreStreet,
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Road,
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Broadway
Broadway House,
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IEN
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l0 on
on 12
12 Baskerville
Baskemille by
Plzotoset
Photosetin 10
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T2pcsettingLtd, Bradjlord-on-Avon,
Kelly
Kelly Typesetting
pinted in the
of Amerita
lhc United
StatesofAmerica
Unitcd States
and printed
and
Krurr-Cetina
mauercopyright
copyighl
@ K. KnorrIntroductinnand
andeditorial
ediloial matter
Introduction
Cetina and
A. V.
I9Bl
V. Cicourel
Cicourel1981
Paul I981
I98l
KeganPaul
I Kegan
Contributions
Routledge59
Contibutions
@ Routledge
rcproducedin
ma2 be
bereproduced
No part ofthis
of th* book
bookmay
permissionfromthe
llu
aryform without
wilhoutpermissionfrom
publisher,exceptfor
of bieJ
tlu quotation
quotationofbrief
publisher,
exceptforthe
passagesin criticism
passages
citicism
Data
in Publication
PublicationData
Library of
Cataloging
of Congress
Congress
Catalogingin

Notes
Notes on
on contributors
contributors
Preface
Preface
macro-sociology:
macro-sociology:towards
towards a reconstruction
reconstructionof
of social
social

theory and methodology

methodology
Knorr-Cetina
K. KnorrCetina
Part 1I The
Part
of
The micro-foundations
micro-foundations
of social
knowledge
social knowledge
1I Notes
Notes on
on the
intesration ofmicrothe integration
of micro- and
and macro-levels
macro-levels
oi
analysis
ol'analysis
A. V.
V. Cicourel
Cicourel

22 Micro-translation asas aa theory-building

theory-building strategy
strategy

+9
5l
8l

R. Collins
Cotlins

33 Intermediate steps
stepsbetween
betweenmicro- and
and macromacro-

index.
Includes
Includesindex.
challenge
Thc micro-sociological
micro-sociologicalchallenge
Contents:
Conlents: The

integration:
integration: the
the case
caseofscreening
ofscreeninefor inherited
inherited
disorders
disorders
T.
T. Duster
Duster

AACM
O-7(UI.ISEA_1
ISBN
AACR2
ISBN 0-7100-0946-1
(pbk.)
ISBN
0-7tn-47-X (pbk.)
ISBN 071000947X

xi

Introduction:
fnoduction: The micro-sociological
micro-sociologicalchallenge
challengeof
of

andmethodology.
methodologlt.
in social
socialtheory
theoryand
Advances
Aduancesin

Knorr-Cetina-Noks
ofmacro-sociology
/ K. Knorr-Cetina
Notes
of macro-sociologt
macro-leuels
intcgrationofmicroof micro-and
andmacro-levels
on
theintegration
on the
- Micro-translation
Micro-rrarclation
V. Cicourel
Cicourel
ofanalysis
of analysis/ A. V.
- [etc.]
strategt
R. Collins
Collins~
as
a
theory-building
strategy
/ R.
as a thzory-building
letc.l
essa)s,
I.
I . Soci0logyMethodologyAddresses,
SociologrM ethndology-Addresses,essays,
essa1ts,
M icrosociologlt--Addresses, essays,
lectures.
2. Microsociology/lddresses,
lectures. 2.
essa2s,
Macrosociologlt-Addresses,
lectures.
essays,
3. Macrosociology-Addresses,
lcclures.3.
V.
Cicourel,A.
II. Cicourel,
lectures.
A. V.
Knorr-Cetinn,K. 11.
lectures.I. Knorr-Cetina,
B1-89s
30t
HM24./133
301
81-8695
HM24.A33

vll

Part
Part 2 Action
Action and
and structure:
structure: the cognitive
cognitive
organization
organization of
of symbolic
symbolic praie
practice
4 Philosophical
Philosophical aspects
aspectsof the
the micro-macro
micro-macro problem
problem
R.
R. Harr

r09

t37
139

vi

Contents
Contents
analysis
time-spaceanalysis
55 Agency,
Agency, institution and time-space
A. Giddens
Giddens

t6l

natural language
language
relativetruth in natural
and relative
6 Social
Socialritual and
G.
G. Fauconnier
Fauconnier

t75

of systems
reconstruction of
Toward a reconstruction
Part 3 Toward
Part
perspectives
perspectives
and the
theory and
the internal
77 Transformational theory
action systems
systems
environment of action
V.
V. Lidz
Lidz
interactionsystems
systems
law in
in interaction
about law
8B Communication
Communication about
N. Luhmann
Luhmann
macro-structures:
of societal
societal macro-structures:
The production
production of
Plrt 4 The
Part
of practice
practice
eiconomy of
of a political
aspects
aspects of
political economy
materialism
historical materialism
reconstructionof historical
9 Toward a reconstruction
j.
Haber/nos
Habermas
J.
macroactors macroLeviathan: how actors
10
the big Leviathan:
l0 Unscrewing the
them to
help them
and how sociologists
sociologistshelp
structure reality and
do so
so
Latour
M. Callon
Callonand B. Latour

Notes
Notes on contributors
contributors

203

205

234

257
259

.)f?

ll
and machines
machines
I I Men and
P. Bourdieu
Bourdieu

304

Index
Index ofnames
of names

319

Index
Index ofsubjects
ofsubjects

323

Pierre
des Hautes Etudes
PierreBourdieu
Bourdieuis
is Professor
ProfessorofSociology at the Ecole
Ecoledes
Etudes
en
He
began
his
career
en Sciences
SciencesSociales
Socialesin Paris.
Paris.
began his careeras
as an
an anthropoloanthropologist in Algeria (cf.
(c1. The
gist
Tlu Algerians
(1962), Outline
Algcians (1962),
Outlineof aa Theory
Tluoryof
of Practice
Practice
(1977), and
(1977),
(1979)).
Later,
he
turned
to
the
sociology
and Algeria
Algeria 1960
(1979)).
iln|
Larer, he rurned to rhe sociologyof
of
culture and education
1979) and
education (The
(Tlu In/zeritors
Inluritors ((lg7g)
and, La
La Distinction,
Distinction.
(English translation forthcoming)).
forthcoming)). From his
his widely diverse
diverse
empirical work on education,
literature,
education, intellectuals,
intellectuals,literature, art and
and power,
power,
particularly of the
particularly
the ruling class,
class, he
he developed
developeda systematic
systematictheory
theory of
of
,field,
the
the social
social world founded
founded upon the
the fundamental
fundamental concepts
conceptsof
of the
the eld
and
a n d the
t h e 'habitus.
habitus'.
Michel
Michel Callon
Callon originally
originally completed
completed his
his studies
studies as
as an
an Ingnieur
Ingnieur des
des
Mines
N1inesbefore
betbre turning to sociology
sociologyand
and economics.
economics.His
interest in
His interest
in the
the
policies
policies of great
great industrial enterprises
enterprisesled
led to his
his work on
on the
the modalimodalities
ties ofthe social
social construction
construction and
and success
successofscientic
ofscientificobjects,
objects,ofwhich
ofwhich
aa rst
ofthe
first translation
transfation into English
English appeared
appearedin the
the Sociology
Sociologlt
of theSciences
Scierces
Yearbook
ofScientific
(1980).
YearbookVol
Vol44 on The
TheSocial
SocialProcess
Process
of ScienttfcInvestigation
( 1980). He
Inuestigation
He is
is
currently
currently Maitre
Matre de
de Recherche
Recherche at the
rhe Centre
Centre de
de Sociologie
Sociologie dc
de
llnnovation
I'lnnovation at the
Ecole des
the Ecole
des Mines
Mines in Paris,
Paris, where
where he
he teaches
teaches
sociology
sociology ofscience
ol'scienceand
and technique.
technique.
Aaron
Victor Cicourel
Aaron Victor
Cicourelreceived
received his
his PhD in sociology
sociology from Cornell
Cornell
University. He has
the University
has taught at various
various branches
branches of
ol'the
University of
of
California for
lbr the
the past
past 21
years. He is
2l years.
is aa Professor
Profssorof
of Sociology
Sociologyin
in the
the
School
Medicine and
School of
ol-Medicine
and the
the Department
Deparrment of Sociology
Sociologyat the
the UniverUniversity of
California, San
ofCalifbrrnia,
San Diego.
Diego. Among his
his best
bestknown
known works
works are
are Method
Method
and
Measurementin
and Measurement
(1964), The
in Sociology
Sociologlt(1964),
Thc Social
SocialOrganization
Organilationofjuvenile
of Juuenile