Diffracting the “Quantum” and the “Social”: Meeting the Universe Halfway in Social Science

Abstract

The “quantum” label has become a desirable brand in social studies, with notable prominence being given to Karen Barad’s agential realism, as presented in her book Meeting the Universe Halfway. This article provides an overview of the key ideas in the book, exemplifying the ways these ideas may help us “do inquiry” in the social sciences. By drawing from Barad’s writing and making comparisons with other social thinking with quantum elements, we can demonstrate the potential for productive and insightful avenues of investigation across interdisciplinary areas, particularly through a consideration of diffractive approaches to inquiry.