Time & Venue
Friday 2pm – 6pm (beginning on Friday 22/02/2019).
Universität St. Gallen, Room 22-007, Höhenweg 14, 9000 St. Gallen.

Course Description
Science and technology studies investigate the impact of science and technology on society, economics and culture, as well as the ways in which the latter shape the development of science and technology. This seminar provides in an overview on the main topics in science and technology studies (Kuhnian theory of scientific revolutions, strong programme, actor-network theory, ethical aspects of technology, public understanding of science and technology) with a special focus on the institutional role of science and technology in modern society.

Course Structure
Seminar sessions are held weekly on Fridays from 2-6pm. The first three sessions of the semester will be dedicated to the introduction of basic concepts of STS. During the rest of the semester, the following topics will be discussed: 1) Kuhnian theory of scientific revolutions, 2) strong programme, 3) actor-network theory, 4) science and technology in society (ideally 2 sessions per topic).
No special requirements are needed. Since the course is held in English it is expected that students are prepared to read literature in English. Plenary discussions will be held in English. It is expected that students are willing to engage in group work. Although regular attendence is not a formal credit point requirement, active participation in the seminar sessions is strongly recommended.

Contact
Dr. Karim Bschir
karim.bschir@unisg.ch
www.karimbschir.org

Course Evaluation Results
TechnologienTechnologies__Introduction_to_Science_and_Technology_Studies.pdf