The role of documents in the U.S.

Abstract

Purpose – How documents pour l’action organize and bind US society. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – Manuel Zacklad’s concept of documents pour l’action are examined as highly embedded social objects using cultural anthropology and the robotics concept of stigmergy. Pragmatic literacy as opposed to scholarly or recreational literacy is used to inform the discussion. Findings –Documents pour l’action are more than memory devices that explain or describe. They function within highly structured social contexts to organize and bind US society. Research limitations/implications – Research on documents has been limited to their role as memory devices. Documents pour l’action are deeply embedded social objects. A new focus on pragmatic literacy could create many breakthroughs in the understanding of documents generally. Originality/value – This is the first study of the role of documents as a binding force in a society, particularly with an understanding of how they can be understood through stigmergy.