230146 SE Studying socio-technical controversies (2014S)

Many scientific facts and technologies arise amidst open controversies. All of them are born out of uncertainties and multiple realities. No techno-scienctific matter is forever stable and incontestable. The course will focus on research and analytical strategies of studying socio-technical controversies, instabilities and multiplicities. Drawing upon current lively controversies as well as ‘paradigmatic' cases established in the STS literature, it will deploy and discuss their epistemic, (sub)political, economic and sociological complexities. During the course research sensibilities will be developed for identifying actors, sites, ethics, strategies and (side-)effects of stabilizing and destabilizing the socio-technical reality and for assuming the reflexive role of an STS researcher herself in these processes.

The course will include lecturing, reading and seminar discussions, and students' empirical teamwork on selected case studies.