Undergraduate Course: Controversies in Medicine, Technology and the Environment (STIS10009)
Course Outline
School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | The course offers a range of analytical tools to address controversies, broadly understood as any instance of disagreement around scientific, technological, medical or environmental issues. Students will be exposed to different methods that will enable them to better understand how the actors involved in the controversies and their arguments evolve over time. By introducing historical, sociological, philosophical and political science perspectives, we seek to help students overcome simplistic views of controversies as easily solvable debates between truth and falsehood. We also present controversies as involving actors outside the scientific community and reflect on normative agendas for not only studying but also critically intervening in controversies. Each method will be illustrated with concrete examples from the literature on Science and Technology Studies. At the end of each session, students will be able to test the methodologies by collaboratively analysing a real-world controversy, for instance the cloning of Dolly the sheep. |
Course description |
Each week introduces a different set of analytical tools for examining controversies, illustrated by empirical cases. Approaches for studying controversies include actor network theory, historical epistemology, citation analysis, feminist theories of science and technology, discourse analysis, and philosophical perspectives on modelling. Case studies include ecofeminism, the Challenger launch decision and climate modelling, among others.
The course is taught through lectures followed by practical symposia. Students are required to complete one-to-three concise readings per week in advance of the lecture. Lectures provide students with a rich background to the readings (i.e. they do not duplicate the readings) and broaden students¿ repertoire of empirical cases. Discussion of the readings enables a deeper understanding of both the conceptual tools and empirical cases.
During the practical symposia, students will apply the analytical tools they learn each week to analyse a real-world controversy, starting with the creation of the first cloned mammal: Dolly the sheep. They are encouraged to engage with the controversy, including adopting competing perspectives in order to develop their critical skills and ability to convey complex ideas to an informed audience.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the principal theories and concepts used to analyse controversies
- Review the work of Science and Technology Studies scholars on scientific, technological, medical and environmental controversies
- Use at least two of the methodologies/analytical approaches to a controversy of their choice
- Critically evaluate and consolidate knowledge in their chosen controversy
- Convey the above to an informed, non-academic audience
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | Controversies; Medicine; Sociology; Science and Technology Studies; Policy; Public Engagement |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr James Lowe
Tel: (0131 6)50 2842
Email: James.Lowe@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Katarzyna Pietrzak
Tel: (0131 6)51 3162
Email: K.Pietrzak@ed.ac.uk |
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