Gabriel tarde and the end of the social

Abstract

In order to contribute to this volume on the ‘social in question’, I could have talked about what is known as ‘actor network theory’, or ANT, a deliberate attempt to terminate the use of the word ‘social’ in social theory and to replace it with the word ‘association’.1 But I have decided to share with readers the good news that ANT actually has a forefather, namely Gabriel Tarde, and that, far from being a marginalized orphan in social theory, our pet theory benefits from a respectable pedigree.