Star and Griesemer are trying to distinguish their approach from the framework of “interresement” developed by Latour-Callon-Law. The primary way that they go about this is by emphasizing an “ecological” approach, with many Obligatory Points of Passage (OPPs), there in avoiding the idea that all scientific actors are “funneled” through one single OPP. See below
At the time of the collaboration being analyzed, the UC System was still in its infancy and was therefore seeking legitimation and prestige. The state was experiencing tremendous population growth and urban development, along with corresponding losses of local animals and habitats. The geopolitical boundary of the state of California was a pivotal “boundary object.” It set clear parameters for the project that all parties could identify with, though from quite different vantage points. The UC bureaucracy served as means of legitimization and preservation of data.
