Conversation and Technology

In an era where our everyday interactions are ever more mediated by technology, Conversation and Technology examines the profound influence of digital devices on the way we communicate. Ian Hutchby explores a range of technological examples - from telephones and computerized expert systems to speech-based public enquiry systems and multi-user Internet environments - to consider whether technology is shaping our conversational practices or if our interactions are, in turn, reshaping the technology itself. Hutchby draws upon recent developments in conversation analysis, ethnomethodology, and the social construction of technology to build a compelling argument. Critiquing strands of sociological thinking that overemphasize societal control over technological evolution, he advocates for a nuanced understanding of the dynamic interplay between human communication and technological design. Enriched by detailed case studies, Conversation and Technology highlights how various technological tools can both condition and be conditioned by everyday conversational practices. This work offers fresh insights for readers interested in the intersections of communication, sociology, psychology, computer science, and management studies.