Introduction to Science and Technology Studies

The first part of this course introduces students to the development and current breadth of the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). The second focuses on two dominant and related traditions within this: (1) a family of approaches, entitled Actor Network Theory (ANT), useful for thinking about the complex relations between technoscience, society, and the non-human environment; (2) the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) tradition, which examines ways in which technology is embedded in and shapes its social context. We conclude by applying these approaches to student research and to issues related to the diffusion, uptake, and shaping of technologies in developing countries.

Students in the course can obtain a detailed syllabus and course materials from the instructor.