Metric Culture: Ontologies of Self-Tracking Practices

Description

Data and metrics play an unmistakably powerful role in today’s society. Over the years, their use has expanded to cover almost every sphere of everyday life. This book provides a critical investigation into what we can call a “metric culture” in which practices of self-tracking and quantification have become more popular than ever before. Front Cover Metric Culture: Ontologies of Self-Tracking Practices Copyright Page Acknowledgements Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors About the Authors Chapter 1 Introduction: Metric Culture and the Over-examined Life References Chapter 2 Performance Management and the Audited Self Introduction Performance Indicators and the Rise of NPM From Managing Professionals to Controlling Populations: Metrics and Biopower Quantifying and Rating Oneself: Surveillance or Empowerment? Measuring Performance in China: Citizenship and Social Credit Conclusions References Chapter 3 The Digitisation of Welfare: A Strategy towards Improving Citizens’ Self-care and Co-management of Welfare Introduction Health Technologies, ePregnancy and Bio-citizenship Research Methodology Digitisation as a Dispositive Methods Analysis Digital Solutions to Welfare Problems Arguments for Digitisation The Appointment of Responsibility of Actions Regarding the Process of Digitisation Descriptions of Ideal Practices and Citizenship Regarding the Digitisation of Welfare Discussion The Schism between Technologies as Empowering and Technocratic Governing New Civic Virtues in the Digital Era New Health: Digital Health Concluding Reflections References Chapter 4 ‘A Much Better Person’: The Agential Capacities of Self-tracking Practices Introduction Details of Our Study Overall Self-tracking Practices Agential Capacities Self-improvement Exerting Control Identifying Patterns and Achieving Goals Discussion References Chapter 5 Resonating Self-tracking Practices? Empirical Insights into Theoretical Reflections on a ‘Sociology of Resonance’ Introduction Rosa’s View on Resonance and Self-tracking Empirical Results on Mundane Practices of Self-tracking Methodological Approach: Analytical Graph of World Relationships Case I: Project or Goal-driven Self-tracking Case II: Playful Self-tracking Case III: Failing Self-tracking Case IV: Digital Diary Resonant and Mute Self-tracking Practices Conclusions References Chapter 6 The 1-Person Laboratory of the Quantified Self Community Introduction QS: A Perspective from the Inside Inside the 1PL Exemplifying the 1PL Instrumentation, Methodological Setup and Operating the 1PL Reflections on the 1PL Personal Discovery as Empowering Practice Beyond the 1PL Methods and Procedures Search for Evidence on the Scale of the Individual Person Requisite Competencies Knowledge Sharing Conclusion References Chapter 7 Embodiment and Agency through Self-tracking Practices of People Living with Diabetes Introduction Methodology Self-monitoring Blood Glucose Levels through CGM and FGM Systems The Development of Self-awareness and Reflexivity Embodied Actions Surveillance Underpinning the Use of CGM and FGM Tactics Enacting Micro-powers Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 8 Doing Calories: The Practices of Dieting Using Calorie Counting App MyFitnessPal Introduction Exploring Practices of Eating and Dieting Understanding Practices of Dieting through STS Perspective Methods How Calorie Counting Is Done Practical Temporality Practical Precision Practical Adjustments Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 9 Sleep App Discourses: A Cultural Perspective Introduction Critical Marketing Theory Sleep, Sleep App and Digital Health Discourses Discourse Analysis Data Analysis Discussion Conclusion References Chapter 10 Academic Metrics and Positioning Strategies Introduction Transformation of the Sector: Judgement of Quality Changes within Institutions: Promotion and Hiring Individual Strategies: Presentation of Self Conclusion References Chapter 11 Real-time Grade Books and the Quantified Student Neoliberalism in Everyday Life Being Digitally Engaged Conclusion References Chapter 12 A Quantified Self Report Card: Ethical Considerations of Privacy as Commodity Introduction Human Data Commons Foundation’s 2017 Quantified Self Report Card Research Methodology: Evaluating Readability Research Results: Categorical Comparisons Research Analysis: Balancing Differences Ontological Fatigue: A Personal Narrative Shift Power and Privacy in the Datasphere 2018 HDC Quantified Self Report Card: Encouraging Industry Best Practices References Chapter 13 The Limits of Ratio: An Analysis of NPM in Sweden Using Nicholas of Cusa’s Understanding of Reason Introduction Nicholas of Cusa Not-knowing Ratio Intellectus Contemporary Society of Ratio NPM in Sweden Concept Imperialism Empaperment Remote Controlling Public Services Conclusion References Index