Abstract

@font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536869121 1107305727 33554432 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-no-proof:yes;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-font-kerning:0pt; mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} In times when digital technology seems to be the solution to most of our problems, we present ´pataphysics to broaden the conceptual and methodological repertoire of Information Systems research. ´Pataphysics1, described as the science of imaginary solutions, offers a provocative and helpful lens for examining digital technologies today and in speculative futures by highlighting the absurd, the exceptions, the paradoxes, and the humorous sides of digital technologies and digitalized environments. We argue that the concept of ´pataphysics, and its sub-concepts: clinamen, anomaly, antinomy, and syzygy, can assist research in at least three ways.  First, ´pataphysics  and its sub-concepts can be sensitizing devices for studying digital technologies in new ways where tiny shifts, outliers, contradictions, and humour are encouraged and embraced. Second, the concepts are useful as idea generators for innovations where small deviations matter, exceptions are considered useful, contradictions and paradoxes are encouraged and allows for fun while mixing and matching different elements for (im)possible digital technologies. Lastly, the concepts can be used as add-ons to speculative and futurizing methods to enrich and extend how we think, consider, talk, and do research.  Together, they also enable critical reflection on how we conceive, design, implement, and use digital technologies.

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