Research that empowers responsibility: Reconciling human agency with materiality

Despite the virtues of an emphasis on materiality in Journalism Studies, such an approach risks dis-empowering journalists as agents of change in the evolution of their profession. The principles of actor-network theory offer an opportunity to reconnect studies that are sensitive to the role of technology in the newsroom with the agency of the human actors that use it. By exposing the contingent nature of news practices, researchers can encourage journalists to take responsibility on the configuration of their work and the technical tools they use. The article proposes as well a collective discussion about the normative position of researchers and their engagement with fostering social change in the media industry.