The Social and Academic Standing of the Information Systems Discipline: General Theory Considered as Cultural Capital

摘要

Bourdieu’s concepts of social fields and social power provide a theoretical basis for arguing that the information systems (IS) field is engaged in an ongoing struggle with other disciplines for prestige and support. While IS has produced a considerable amount of high quality theory and research, it is by no means clear that this is understood by either the academy or the general public. It is argued that the discipline’s profile could be raised by the development and promulgation of a general theory of IS, similar in scope to the general theories found in other disciplines such as sociology. The political and cultural value of developing such a theory is discussed, as are a range of issues it is recommended that it should address.