Nexuses of Performativity: Systemic Generalities, Infrastructures and Practical Ontologies

Proponents of the performative idiom in Science and Technology Studies take performances to be constitutive of technology relations. They challenge realist and humanist positions by emphasizing practical ontologies that also recognize the agency of non-human actors. This paper advances the performative agenda by introducing a novel analytical distinction between ‘systemic generalities’ and ‘systemic particularities’ in practical assemblages. Systemic generalities denote consistent patterns or characteristics, while systemic particularities refer to unique or contingent aspects. Through an exploration of a case study on infrastructure systems, the paper highlights the significance of systemic generalities to performativist STS and how infrastructures can be seen as nexuses of performativity rather than as contingent conjunctions.