ANTH 320 - Introduction to Science & Technology Studies

The discipline of Science & Technology Studies (STS) is a relatively new, but vibrant field that unites scientists and non-scientists in the critical inquiry of how science operates, both historically and presently, in Western and non-Western cultures. STS as a field bridges disciplines that do not normally have natural or comfortable contacts, such as sociology and science, anthropology and technology, and social/political theory and science. This course will ground students in the history of scientific thought, the premises of scientific method(s) and modes of exploration, and the rationales for seeing science and technology as areas worthy of investigation through a sociocultural lens. Students will gain critical tools for understanding how science works and examining science/technology as cultural practices. Students will also be grounded in the ethical, political, and cultural impacts that science and technology have had in cultures around the world. Through individual or paired projects, students will gain proficiency in the premises, cultural value, and issues around a scientific discipline, as well as the tools for situating scientific practice within larger sociocultural contexts.

3 credits