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SoT_Syllabus_Spring24.pdf | Filip Vostal, D.Phil. | |
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The course gives an introduction of theories and approaches that are central for researching the interplay between society, science and technology. The course is designed for students with IR and security studies background (but not exclusively so) who are challenged to think more critically about what counts as technology and why, and how science and technology intervene in and with the wider world. Drawing on sociological (but also on anthropological, historical and philosophical) insights, we will explore major debates and perspectives in Science & Technology Studies (STS), such as Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and Social Construction of Technological Systems (SCOT). We will focus both on how science & technology co-shape social dynamics, but also on how society, as it were, gets inside science & technology. Hence we will examine the transformative power of science & technology to arrange and rearrange contemporary societies. But we will also ask: is it possible that the very design of technologies and the nature of scientific knowledge claims embody assumptions about the nature of society (i.e. how does culture, gender, ideological presuppositions, implicit theories about society enter into the very design of technologies, technological systems and scientific knowledge claims?). The latter part of the course is specifically designed to provide opportunity for reflections and discussions of perspectives, theories, concepts and examples in sociology of science & technology that are related to IR and security studies.
Last update: Vostal Filip, D.Phil. (24.10.2022)
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After completing the course, students shall be able to · understand major theories and approaches that articulate the relationship between society, science and technology · develop critical and reflexive mindset in relation to technological artefacts, technosystems and scientific knowledge claims · productively “import” insights from science & technology studies to security studies Last update: Vostal Filip, D.Phil. (26.10.2019)
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Please refer to syllabus for a detailed list of required and additional readings for each session. Last update: Vostal Filip, D.Phil. (16.09.2019)
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Structure of the course
1. INTRODUCTION, OR ‘DEFETISHIZING TECHNOLOGIES’ (17/2) Introduction to seminar. Expectations, requirements, agenda, structure of each session. Why is Sociology of Science & Technology important? Technological mindset, technological fetish. Why we can’t think (about) technologies without thinking about historical development of science (studies). Why we cannot think about society without taking into account technologies. Technological determinism and/vs. social constructivism. Readings: Heilbroner RL (2009) ‘Do Machines Make History?’ In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 97-106 (first published in 1967). Hughes TP (2009). ‘Technological Momentum’. In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 141-150 (first published in 1994).
2. ON ‘SCIENCE STUDIES’ (2/3) We will trace origins & development of science studies from the mid 20th century onwards. Collins’s piece is very useful in this sense – he advances a brief and very comprehensive history of ‘science studies’ (and how they turned into STS) and divides its history into three major waves. Yearley then asks provocative questions ‘just what makes science special?’ (i.e. in relation to other human pursuits). We will also discuss two fundamental conceptual – and to a very large extent conflictual – ‘programmes’ in science studies: the so called strong programme and empirical relativism. Readings: Collins H (2014) Are we all Scientific Experts Now? Cambridge: Polity, pp. 17-48. Yearley S (2005) Making Sense of Science: Understanding the Social Study of Science. London: Sage, pp. 1-20 & 21-39.
3. OPENING THE BLACK BOX OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES (STS) (9/3) Introduction to Science & Technology Studies (STS). Whats, whys, hows. We will discuss the basic contours of STS, its distinctive character in the web of the social sciences. We’ll also examine whether STS as can be treated as a method of inquiry as John Law suggests. Video & Readings: Watch discussion between Pinch, Kaiser, Picon, Wienner available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9o2B47CArw Law J (2017) ‘STS as a Method’. In The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies (fourth edition) edited by U Felt et al. Boston, MA: MIT Press, pp. 31-58.
4. INSIDE TECHNOLOGIES (16/3) In this seminar, we will focus on two very influential streams within STS that have (already in the late 1970s) opened-up the question how ‘the social’ co-shapes technologies, technosystems and scientific knowledge claims and how then technologies, technosystems and scientific knowledge claims co-shape ‘the social’. Firstly, we will focus on what MacKenzie & Wajcman call ‘the social shaping of technology’ and secondly, and relatedly, we will discuss the field of Social Construction of Technological Systems (SCOT) that was substantial intellectual inspiration for the previous approach. Readings: Bjiker WE, Hughes TP & Pinch TJ (1987). ‘Introduction.’ In The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, edited by WE Bijker, TP Hughes & TJ Pinch, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 3-9. Pinch TJ & Bijker WE (1987). ‘The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts: Or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology Might Benefit Each Other’. In The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, edited by WE Bijker, TP Hughes & TJ Pinch, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 11-44. McKenzie D & Wajcman J (1985). ‘Introductory Essay: The Social Shaping of Technology’. In The Social Shaping of Technology (first edition) edited by D MacKenzie & J Wajcman. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, pp. 2-26.
5. ASSOCIATIONS, ASSEMBLAGES, SYMMETRIES (23/3) Continuing in a rather chronological fashion, in this seminar, we will focus on, in many ways controversial, Actor-Network Theory (ANT) that equips nonhuman entities with agency and on the its central principle of symmetry. We will engage with the work of Latour, perhaps the key ANT representative, and his notion of socio-technical/technological assemblages. We will also look at Pickering notion of ‘mangle’ and ‘dance of agency’, which is not dissimilar from ANT. Readings: Latour B (2005) Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-17. Latour B (2009) ‘Where Are the Missing Masses? The Sociology of a Few Mundane Artifacts.’ In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 151-180 (first published in 1992). Michael M (2017) Actor-Network Theory: Trials, Trails and Translations. London: Sage, pp. 3 –6; 10 – 22. Pickering A (1995). The Mangle of Practice: Time, Agency & Science. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 1-34.
6. HYBRIDS, CYBORGS & FRANKENSTEINS (30/3) In this seminar, we will loosely follow-up ANT approach by discussing the influential ‘cyborg manifesto’ by Haraway. We will also look at the question as to whether or not the very nature of social reality is hybrid. However, most interestingly perhaps, we will discuss the iconic novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly and how the story itself relates to themes discussed in this course. Specifically then, by engaging with Shelly’s Frankenstein we will open up the relationship between technologies and ethics. Readings & Film: Haraway DJ (1999) ‘Modest_Witness@Second_ Millenium.’ In The Social Shaping of Technology (second edition) edited by D MacKenzie & J Wajcman. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 41-49 (first published in 1997). Watch Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein (1994) by Kenneth Branagh (https://youtu.be/doR7qniJ9ZY)
7. NON-HUMANS WITH POLITICS? (6/4) Drawing on the two previous sessions, we will re-open the question of whether or not nonhuman entities (such as bridges) do have not only agency but politics by focusing on influential and controversial essay by Winner. Readings: Winner L (1999) ‘Do Artifacts Have Politics?’ In The Social Shaping of Technology (second edition) edited by D MacKenzie & J Wajcman. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 28-40 (first published in 1980). Guston DH, Finn E & Robert Frankenstein. Annotated for Scientists, Engineers, and Creators of all Kinds. Edited by. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. xxiii-xxxv, 201-251 (optionally 271-273) – THIS PIECE OF READING ASSUMES THAT YOU HAVE WATCHED BRANAGH’S FILM!
8. STS & SOCIAL CRITIQUE (20/4) So far, it might have seemed that sociology of science & technology is an uncritical enterprise (and such point has been raised many times!). In fact, there is a minor current within STS that heavily draws on critical theory (especially that of the Frankfurt School) and advances a critical theory of technology. Readings: Feenberg A (2017) ‘A Critical Theory of Technology’. In The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies (fourth edition) edited by U Felt et al. Boston, MA: MIT Press, pp. 635-663
9. CONSTRUCTING AND DISSEMINATING MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES (27/4) The cases of military cockpit design & ‘globalization of AK-47’ will serve us as specific examples illustrating human imprint in technological design and use. Following-up one of the major tropes of the course we will look at how socio-cultural values penetrate into construction, design and engineering. Readings: Osborne T (2014). ‘The AK-47 as a Material Global Artefact’. In Globalization in Practice edited by N Thrift et al, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 246-248. Weber RN (1999) ‘Manufacturing Gender in Military Cockpit Design’. In The Social Shaping of Technology (second edition) edited by D MacKenzie & J Wajcman. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 372-381 (first published in 1997).
10. STS, KNOWLEDGE & SECURITY (4/5) In this, somewhat experimental seminar, we will enter into a rather uncharted territory where STS should ideally meet security studies. We will discuss a handful of existing texts and their further potential of embedding STS into security studies. Readings: Monahan T (2009) ‘Questioning Surveillance and Security’. In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 537-563 (first published 2006). Schneier B (2009) ‘Security Trade-Offs are Subjective’ and ‘Technology Creates Security Imbalances.’ In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 515-536 (two excerpts from Scheneier’s book Beyond Fear, first published 2003). Vogel KM et al (2017) ‘Knowledge and Security’. In The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies (fourth edition) edited by U Felt et al. Boston, MA: MIT Press, pp. 973-1001 (this text includes very useful references).
11. TECHNOLOGY, EXPERTISE, RESPONSIBILITY (11/5) We will look into some fresh texts that deal between various ethical and democratic concerns vis-à-vis technologies and technological systems. Particularly we will focus on issues related to environment broadly conceived. Furthermore, we will look into the question of compatibility between democracy and (design, construction, use & unintended effects) technologies and how and if technologies can or should be governed. Readings: Jasanoff S (2017) ‘Science and Democracy’. In The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies (fourth edition) edited by U Felt et al. Boston, MA: MIT Press, pp. 259-287. Chapman G (2009) ‘Shaping Technology for the “Good Life”: The Technological Imperative versus the Social Imperative. In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 445-458 (first published in 2004)
12. VISIONS OF TECHNOLOGICAL FUTURE (18/5) In this session, we will look into the future, how STS deals with technological futures, imaginaries, visions, expectations, anticipations and with what is sometimes in popular discourse labeled “grand challenges”. Readings: Dyson FJ (2009) ‘Technology and Social Justice’. In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 5-12 (first published 2004). Foster EM (2009) ‘The Machine Stops’. In Technology and Society: Building Our Sociotechnical Future, edited by DG Johnson & JM Wetmore, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 13-36 (first published 1909). Last update: Vostal Filip, D.Phil. (17.09.2020)
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