Kranzberg‘s laws of technology

Melvin Kranzberg's six laws of technology:

1. Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral.
2. Invention is the mother of necessity.
3. Technology comes in packages, big and small.
4. Although technology might be a prime element in many public issues, nontechnical factors take precedence in technology-policy decisions.
5. All history is relevant, but the history of technology is the most relevant.
6. Technology is a very human activity – and so is the history of technology.

Melvin Kranzberg (1986) Technology and History: “Kranzberg’s Laws”, Technology and Culture, Vol 27, No 3, p.544-560.

Social Constructionism

1. Naming, labelling
2. Labels are categorised
3. Values attributed to the categories
4. Categories arranged into a hierarchy
5. This sequence is reflected in policies - government policies reinforce/reproduce these dominant labels
6. Layers are applied to the layers, e.g. gender relationships are laid on top of the "best" family structure model

Further factors to consider:

1. Power - who has the power to determine that his definition/label is the dominant one?
2. Where (and from whom) do contestations to the dominant definition emerge?