{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T22:20:20Z","timestamp":1759962020351,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,24]],"date-time":"2012-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1330041600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,24]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to introduce an interpretive approach to examining the relation between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the good life, based on Michael Walzer's view of (connected) social criticism.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Through a discussion of Michael Walzer's view of social criticism, an interpretive approach to normative analysis of ICTs and the good life is introduced. The paper also offers an additional argument for the indispensability of prudential appraisals of ICTs in normative analysis of ICTs and the good life, which in turn strengthens the basis for the Walzerian approach proposed in the paper.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>It is argued that an interpretive approach to normative analysis of ICTs and the good life, i.e. the Walzerian approach, is as viable as \u2013 if not superior to \u2013 a theory\u2010driven approach. It is also argued that actual appraisals of ICTs and the good life must be taken into account in the normative analysis.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>It is only recently that \u201cthe good life\u201d has become more visible in normative analysis of ICTs. This paper continues this relatively new line of research and proposes an alternative approach \u2013 as opposed to a theory\u2010driven approach \u2013 to this research programme.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/14779961211210630","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,25]],"date-time":"2012-02-25T07:26:09Z","timestamp":1330154769000},"page":"19-35","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["A Walzerian approach to ICTs and the good life"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Pak\u2010Hang","family":"Wong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022022020041177100_b1","unstructured":"Barry, B. (1990), \u201cSocial criticism and political philosophy\u201d, Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 360\u201073."},{"key":"key2022022020041177100_b2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Birnbacher, D. 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