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The Darker Qualities of Repair

Minna Ruckenstein

Science and Technology Studies2025https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.149448article
AJG 2
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

This article investigates the darker dimensions of repair, departing from STS scholarship that portrays repair as a productive force of learning and renewal. It focuses on moments when repair fails to generate insight or restore stability, examining the aftermath of the Apotti data management platform’s implementation in Finland. Drawing on documents outlining the platform’s aims and discussions with medical doctors, the analysis traces persistent disruptions and misalignments in clinical workflows. The study identifies three forms of darker repair: corrective clicks, workflow fixes, and cosmetic repair. These manifestations reveal how efforts to renew technology can deepen and mask organisational tensions. Central to the analysis is the recognition that multiple, qualitatively different repair processes are simultaneously at play. Research into the darker qualities of repair provides an evaluative lens to identify and anticipate the breakages and dissatisfaction accompanying data-driven reforms, suggesting that such issues can be detected before they become permanently irreparable.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.149448

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@article{minna2025,
  title        = {{The Darker Qualities of Repair}},
  author       = {Minna Ruckenstein},
  journal      = {Science and Technology Studies},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.149448},
}

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The Darker Qualities of Repair

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.