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Interdisciplinary Study of Science, Technology, and Society: Challenges and Perspectives

Explore the cultural politics of knowledge construction and how society influences scientific research in a multicultural world. Delve into the implications of diverse perspectives on science, technology, and power dynamics.

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Interdisciplinary Study of Science, Technology, and Society: Challenges and Perspectives

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  1. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD THE CULTURAL POLITICS OF FACTS & ARTIFACTS BY DAVID J. HESS

  2. David J. Hess • Anthropologist • Faculty development grant from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute • “STS” – interdisciplinary study of science, technology and society

  3. Combinations, Contrasts, and Complexities • Generalist • Wide in scope • Cross-cutting • Dynamic and flexible Culture Power Politics Society

  4. What is Knowledge? • “…finding patterns in observations and then organizing the observations into explanations..” negotiated Knowledge is a socially shaped process constructed re-constructed

  5. Ways of knowing …. • Philosophical and Historical Debate Are there similarities in the way the human mind organizes the world? Is there an inherently structured world? or

  6. Things to think about …… • Do different cultures have different sciences and technologies or is “science and technology” socially neutral and above and beyond culture? • In what ways is scientific knowledge “socially constructed” and in what ways is it not? How can this concept be made both useful and meaningful? • Can you think of ways that the absence of historically excluded groups (e.g., women, underrepresented ethnic groups, the poor) shape the content of scientific knowledge? • Is there discrimination in science? If so, what should be done about it? • In what ways can society influence the course of scientific research?

  7. Science: knowledge about the natural world Technology: knowledge about how to create effects via artifacts Social Constructivism:made up of decisions, observations, generalizations, theories and methodology Cultural Relativism:interpreting the meaning of science & technology relative to the understanding of local communities Techno “totemism”:identification of social groups with natural phenomena or cultural objects Definitions and Concepts

  8. What does X mean to Y? What is the social significance of Science and/or Technology to: Class Race Gender Nationality Context = possibilities for alternate theories

  9. “International” Science? E I N S T E I N Pasteur Galileo Aristotle Newton Copernicus Mendel Watson and Crick DARWIN

  10. Temporal Cultures • Epistemes – assumptions about knowledge, method and theory that in any given time period are shared across disciplines (Foucault, 1986) • Paradigms – scientific frameworks that can undergo dramatic shifts (Kuhn, 1970)

  11. Scientific Revolution vs Scientific Evolution • 1600-1800’s • “Modern science” – is it historically ethnocentric? • Philosophy • Religion • Capitalism • Colonialism • Counter-culturalism

  12. How does science gain authority to direct truth practices? • Actor-network theory • Institutional influence • Public controversy • Religion • User Acceptance

  13. The Scientific and Technical Communities • Intercultural communication: Concepts of “self” Body language Conversation style Hierarchy/Equality relationships

  14. “Non-Western” Knowledge Systems • “New World” vs “Old World” societies • Indigenous people • Boomerang effect/Pluralism and convergence • Accupuncture • Ayurvedic • Reiki • Shamanism • Tai-chi • Yoga

  15. The good, the bad and the ugly … • Extraction – Settlement-Domination • Knowledge and Power • Grassroots resistance and development

  16. Earned Doctorates for U.S. Citizens in the Physical Sciences

  17. Multicultural Education Recruitment and Retention of the underrepresented Curriculum reform Diversification of knowledge, design and practice

  18. New Frontiers • How are new technologies affecting fundamental cultural categories such as life, death, and kinship? (i.e. stem cell research, human genome project) • Does the Internet promise to increase or decrease social inequalities, and how might changes in the technology reduce or exacerbate this effect?

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