Achtung! Das Lehrangebot ist noch nicht vollständig und wird bis Semesterbeginn laufend ergänzt.
233042 SE Chip Society and Global Politics (2026S)
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung
Labels
An/Abmeldung
Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").
- Anmeldung von Mo 02.02.2026 09:00 bis So 22.02.2026 23:59
- Abmeldung bis Di 09.06.2026 09:00
Details
max. 25 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch
Lehrende
Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert
The lecturer will be Sharon KU (https://environment.virginia.edu/expert/sharon-ku).
- Montag 08.06. 12:30 - 14:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Dienstag 09.06. 11:30 - 13:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Donnerstag 11.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Freitag 12.06. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Montag 15.06. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Dienstag 16.06. 15:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Freitag 19.06. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Montag 22.06. 11:30 - 14:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Mittwoch 24.06. 14:15 - 17:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
Information
Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung
Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel
To pass the seminar, students are expected to complete the following tasks:
1. Class presentation 30%: You will give a 10–12 minute presentation, addressing: 1) The core argument of the project; 2) How the case rethinks dominant narratives of technology and innovation; 3) One unresolved question or tension for collective discussion.
2. Discussant 20%: You are expected to act as the discussant for two peers, to help sharpen the argument through constructive and conceptually grounded feedback.
3. Final research project 50 %: The final paper asks you to critically analyze Europe’s current pursuit of chip sovereignty in light of the historical, political, and socio-technical dynamics discussed throughout the course. Rather than predicting whether Europe “will” or “will not” succeed, the goal is to examine under what conditions such a project appears viable, contested, or contradictory, and what assumptions it relies upon. Your paper must explicitly engage with at least three of the analytical lenses developed in the course.
1. Class presentation 30%: You will give a 10–12 minute presentation, addressing: 1) The core argument of the project; 2) How the case rethinks dominant narratives of technology and innovation; 3) One unresolved question or tension for collective discussion.
2. Discussant 20%: You are expected to act as the discussant for two peers, to help sharpen the argument through constructive and conceptually grounded feedback.
3. Final research project 50 %: The final paper asks you to critically analyze Europe’s current pursuit of chip sovereignty in light of the historical, political, and socio-technical dynamics discussed throughout the course. Rather than predicting whether Europe “will” or “will not” succeed, the goal is to examine under what conditions such a project appears viable, contested, or contradictory, and what assumptions it relies upon. Your paper must explicitly engage with at least three of the analytical lenses developed in the course.
Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.
Class presentation, 30%, assessed individually, feedback on request
Discussion, 20%, assessed individually, feedback on request
Final paper, 50%, assessed individually, feedback by lecturerMinimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the
attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic
work may also be considered in the course assessment.
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. For more important information on grading, please see the handout.Attendance
Please note: If you miss the first session of the course unexcused, you will be automatically de-registered. Presence and participation is compulsory (both for the seminar units & for the tutorials stated) - for details, see course regulation in the handout.Guidelines for the use of AI tools
If students use AI (e.g., Chat GPT or similar software) as a supporting tool in their assignments, this should be acknowledged openly and clearly, so that the instructor is aware of where and to what extent the AI tool was used. For details, see regulation in the handout.
Class presentation, 30%, assessed individually, feedback on request
Discussion, 20%, assessed individually, feedback on request
Final paper, 50%, assessed individually, feedback by lecturerMinimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the
attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic
work may also be considered in the course assessment.
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. For more important information on grading, please see the handout.Attendance
Please note: If you miss the first session of the course unexcused, you will be automatically de-registered. Presence and participation is compulsory (both for the seminar units & for the tutorials stated) - for details, see course regulation in the handout.Guidelines for the use of AI tools
If students use AI (e.g., Chat GPT or similar software) as a supporting tool in their assignments, this should be acknowledged openly and clearly, so that the instructor is aware of where and to what extent the AI tool was used. For details, see regulation in the handout.
Prüfungsstoff
n.a.
Literatur
Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis
Letzte Änderung: Di 05.05.2026 08:27
Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS), political economy, and global history, the course examines how semiconductor design, fabrication, and supply chains are embedded in power relations, institutional arrangements, labor regimes, environmental extraction, and geopolitical conflict. Central attention is given to how “precision” and technological scaling—most notably through Moore’s Law—function as political and economic imaginaries that organize investment, research agendas, and spatial concentration, while obscuring structural inequalities.
The course traces semiconductor trajectories from Cold War scientific laboratories in the United States to manufacturing regimes in East Asia, global production networks, and urban formations such as Silicon Valley and other “silicon” cities. Through comparative case studies from the United States, Asia, Europe, and Africa, students analyze supply chain governance, pricing and value extraction, labor, skills, and affective work, as well as the social and environmental costs of chip production. The seminar culminates in an examination of contemporary debates over technological sovereignty, industrial policy, and the geopolitics of microchips, situating semiconductors as a key site for understanding the politics of global technological order.
Aims:
The course aims to help students develop a critical understanding of semiconductor production beyond technical or policy narratives. Students will learn to analyze microchips through concepts such as precision, labor, scalability, urbanism, and geopolitics, and to compare technological development across regions. By the end of the course, students will be able to question dominant innovation myths and produce conceptually grounded, historically informed analyses of global technology systems.
Methods:
This is a discussion-based seminar combining close reading, comparative analysis, and student-led inquiry. Classes are organized around guided discussion of key texts, short presentations, and collective debate. Students will complete a research-based final paper and participate as discussants for their peers, learning how to give and receive constructive, concept-driven feedback. The emphasis is on analytical thinking, dialogue, and connecting theory to real-world technological questions.