Actor Networks and the Division of Knowledge in the University.

This paper discusses the current division of knowledge at the college and university level, its historical roots, and the application of Actor Network Theory (ANT) to arrive at an explanation of the permanence of the current division of knowledge as well as what form a new division of knowledge might take. It finds fragmentation and disintegration characteristics of contemporary American higher education, divisions within the natural and social sciences, and a high level of irrelevance. The ANT perspective argues that today's division of knowledge reflects the historical development of diverse and often conflicting networks of people and things associated with various departments and disciplines. These networks consist not only of disciplinarians, professional associations, and diverse client groups, but also include a wide range of physical objects such as laboratories, specialized instruments, money, and libraries. It shows how in fields such as agronomy new divisions have emerged in recent years and argues that the only way to dissolve the barriers between disciplines is to build counter networks between and among disciplines. (Contains 20 references.) (MDM)