Caroline Robitaille
Papers
1
Total Citations
6
H-Index
1
About
Caroline Robitaille is a qualitative researcher whose work critically examines the intersections of drug use, technology, and human agency. Her most-cited paper, “This drug turned me into a robot”: an actor–network analysis of a web-based ethnographic study of psychostimulant use (2018, 6 citations), exemplifies her innovative methodological approach. In this study, Robitaille applies actor–network theory to analyze online ethnographic data, revealing how psychostimulant users describe their experiences of selfhood and control—often feeling mechanized or alienated by the substances they consume. Her contribution lies in bridging digital ethnography with science and technology studies (STS), offering a nuanced understanding of how drugs, bodies, and digital platforms co-produce user identities. Though her citation count is modest, her work is notable for its theoretical sophistication and its challenge to conventional biomedical narratives of addiction. By foregrounding the voices of users in online spaces, Robitaille demonstrates how web-based ethnography can capture the complex, often contradictory relationships people have with pharmaceuticals. Her research is especially valuable for scholars interested in qualitative methods, drug policy, and the sociology of technology.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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