The Facets of Sociomateriality: A Systematic Mapping of Emerging Concepts and Definitions

Abstract

Sociomateriality is gaining momentum and is by now characterized as a research stream in the information system field. Although some definitions emerged, there is still uncertainty about how to conceptually and analytically address sociomateriality. The debate ranges from understanding sociomateriality as just a fancy word for technology to treating it as a de-facto theory of the human-technology relationship. To bring the field forward, a common basic understanding of what sociomateriality entails is needed. In this paper we set out to contribute to such an understanding. We do this by conducting a systematic mapping study of emerging concepts and definitions in the current empirical body of literature on sociomateriality. Our analysis finds three key resulting facets: mutuality (what is a sociomaterial assemblage?), performativity (how does it perform?), and multidimensionality (When and where does it perform?). Our findings outline how sociomaterial studies analytically and methodologically address performativity spanning across time and space.