STS and Affective Publics on SNS

Are we “social justice warriors”?

Abstract

　 After the Great East Japan Earthquake, the reputation of STS has fallen into the ground because its act fell short of netizens’ expectations. In other words, STS was labeled a “social justice warrior”, deriving harm to society by its excessive demand for political correctness. What was wrong, and what should STS do on ongoing and upcoming arguments in spreading the horizon of ICT? Based on the socio-scientific arguments that had occurred on Twitter after the disaster, this paper will first discuss the current state of social networking services, regarded today as an incubating device for partisanship rather than deliberation. Furthermore, the value of affect, which had been disregarded in comparison of rationality, would be reexamined. In future, it is expected this article would open for collaborative dialogue on divided SNS.