Placing Collaborative Circles within Fields

• In Event: 067 - Section on Science, Knowledge and Technology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 08. Interdisciplinary Research

Abstract

Small, audaciously creative groups are elemental motors of social change. Collaborative circles theory (CCT) provides the most detailed explanation of how such groups develop their creative work by identifying the social composition, informal roles, social dynamics, and stages of group development that catalyze small group creativity. Conversely, CCT does not adequately appreciate that circles are nested in different strategic action fields (SAFs) that shape circles and the social processes through which they produce their work. We refine CCT by integrating it with elements of strategic action fields theory and research in the sociologies of art, science, politics, and philosophy. Work in these areas strongly suggests that there exists a family of closely related but analytically distinguishable collaborative circles operating in different fields. It further suggests that important but as yet under theorized dimensions of strategic action fields - attention space, the law of small numbers, mutual dependence, task uncertainty, gatekeeping, and geographical contexts – can shape a circle’s composition, informal roles, social dynamics, and developmental stages. We thus formulate an amended definition of collaborative circles that better captures the range of variability exhibited in the phenomenon. Applying our reconceptualization to ideal type collaborative circles in art and science, we develop a set of propositions explaining how and why art circles and science circles differ in the social processes by which they originate their work.

Authors

• Ugo Corte, Uppsala University

• John Nathaniel Parker, Arizona State University