ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the utility of Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a methodological approach for researching social problems. Drawing on examples of our implementation of ANT in our research on peer breast milk sharing and the work of other scholars, we explain how to conduct an ANT research project. We show how ANT’s emphasis on materiality influenced our research, requiring us to consider the material conditions (e.g., transportation, technology, natural environment) and material objects (breast pumps, breast milk) that shape contemporary breast milk sharing. We conclude with a discussion of how ANT may enhance the study of social problems.
