230164 SE Visiting "the laboratories" of social sciences: research contexts, methods and questions (2009W)

This seminar offers glances at the plurality of contemporary social scientific cultures and their respective methodological and discursive practices. We will visit several scientific institutions, meet with scientists in their working environments and get insights into the conditions and requirements of knowledge production: What do scientists do? How do they do it? And how can we as STS researchers study their practices? After each excursion the opportunity to reflect and discuss is given in respective units. As this is not a reading seminar, participants will have to prepare specific questions for each excursion. Students are encouraged to use new media formats when documenting their on site visits.

The two seminars (230 163, Science Cultures: A closer look at research-in-the-making and 230 164, Visiting "the laboratories" of social sciences: research contexts, methods and questions) have a joint beginning and end. The seminar starts with an introduction to the concept of "science cultures" and the importance of place and locality for science. Depending on prior knowledge and/or interest, students then focus on the natural sciences (230 163) or the social sciences (230 164). It is possible and recommended to participate in one of the excursions of the other course, to explore similarities and differences of the observed fields, maybe even to defy the conventions of the traditional divide into natural sciences on one hand and social sciences and humanities on the other hand.