230161 SE The politics of buzzwords at the interface of science, technology and society (2012W)

Emerging technologies such as genomics, nanotechnology, and converging technologies are surrounded by a constellation of fashionable stereotyped phrases such as 'responsible innovation', 'green technology' etc. Buzzwords of this kind are used ad libitum by science policy makers, industrial companies in their ads, by scientists when they submit their research proposals, and by science mediators. They certainly contribute to the hype and the economy of promise that characterize emerging technologies. However are they to be considered as mere ornaments of science communication discourse? What are their functions and impacts?

The purpose of this seminar is to consider such buzzwords as parts and parcels of the dynamic process of technological innovation. Through a critical analysis of a few case studies taken from a variety of technological domains (green chemistry, personnalized medicine, cloud computing etc.) we will try to identify the various functions of buzzwords. The aim is to assess not only what they do and promote but also what they hide or occult. In other words, the ultimate goals are not only to deconstruct the promises of buzzwords but to understand how they create new socio-technical networks.