Apparatus and Actor-Network: The Case of International Architects and Contemporary Chinese Architecture

This thesis is developed by questioning the dichotomy of "part-whole" in traditional sociology and architectural studies. Specifically, these existing polarized studies mainly focused on the external "sociological explanation"1 at the macro level and the specific architectural design theory. By rethinking the relationship between the apparatus perspective and Actor-Network Theory, this research attempts to break the gap between the macro and micro levels and establish connections between the two. By investigating the specific cases of substantial architectural collaboration between China and foreign architects in the beginning of 21st century, this thesis deconstructs the operating logic of apparatus into specific narratives, and thus proved that apparatus can also become specific and have complex associations behind it. Furthermore, this thesis clarifies the distinction between state apparatus and architectural apparatus and explained why the government cannot fully control the latter. At the same time, this thesis hopes to arouse more thinking on the relationship between macro logic and specific narratives, and may expand it to a wider range of sociological fields.