The socio-material pragmatics of e-governance mobilization

E-governance, with reference to the relationship between the individual and the state, develops in dense networks of human and technological actors. However, mobilization of information technology in e-governance is not a straightforward instantiation of such ambitions but rather a tinkering process in which actors and their interests are combined and transformed. In this paper we examine this idea by investigating the development of a Swedish national public healthcare portal representing a complex, multilevel, and political environment. In this endeavour, the principle of symmetry from Actor-Network Theory and an event-based approach in the analysis play important roles. We show that the development process involves envisioning the future (even if vaguely), implementing concrete ideas about technological functionality and platforms, reconciling diverse interests, prioritizing and framing political concerns and breakdowns, and working toward realization of abstract goals. In this process, the technological actors play a role as important as that of the human actors. The paper concludes that e-governance relationships emerge that rest upon socio-material pragmatics influenced by political transformations that are often unanticipated.

► We examine the gradual formation of the e-governance relationship.
► The development of a national healthcare portal serves as the case study environment.
► The development process involves a multitude of phases or events.
► The technological actors play a role as important as that of the human actors.
► E-governance rests upon socio-material pragmatics with unanticipated transformations.