Undergraduate Course: Technology in Society (STIS08002)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Technology in Society provides an introduction to one of the fastest-growing and most vibrant areas of academic inquiry the Social Study of Science and Technology. This is an area in which Edinburgh has longstanding strengths and which the course draws upon. 'Technology' is seen as one of the distinguishing characteristics of modern societies. The promotion of new technologies figures centrally in economic and industrial policy. In recent years there has been extensive debate and public discussion about the social implications of particular technologies for work, for the quality of life, for health and the environment. But what is technology? How does it arise? How does it affect us? Technology in Society explores these issues.
The overall aim of the course is to examine some of the different ways of analysing and understanding technology in society. It explores both the consequences of technical innovation for society and the ways technology is itself shaped by cultural, economic, political and organisational factors. We introduce a range of analytic perspectives on Technology in Society - drawing upon history, economics, and the sociologies of work, gender and science & technology themselves. We explore these issues in various settings - at work and in everyday life and in developing as well as developed countries. In the second part of the course students apply these perspectives to particular technologies or issues, working together in student-centred learning. Technology in Society reflects the interdisciplinary traditions of social studies of science. It is intended to appeal to students taking either social science or natural science programmes. |
| Course description |
1. Introduction: What is Technology
This introductory week explores the changing ways of thinking about technology. Technological issues are now central to many areas of economic and social policy. The traditional association of 'technology' with 'progress' has given way to a more critical perspective that addresses the promotion and control of technology. It shows how these concerns are reflected in the technology studies field, and in the coverage of this course.
2. Social Explanations of Technology
This week lays out the basic concepts that underpin social explanations of technology. Reviews various different attempts by sociologists to analyse what we describe as the social shaping of particular technological developments.
3. Economic Explanations of Technology: Lock in and technology entrenchment
In this week we examine economic explanations and particularly the emerging evolutionary economic account. We will explore the foundations and historical development of evolutionary economics and analyses its contribution to the study of innovation.
This draws attention to the processes of ¿lock-in¿ with technology. Lock-in is particularly marked where there are substantial returns to past investment.
4. Technology Design and the User
In this week we critically examine frameworks developed to analyse the relationship user and technological design. Contemporary technology suppliers have developed sophisticated mechanisms for understanding their potential user markets. We explore these in relation to the contrasting cases of corporate information systems and online computer games with millions of customers.
5. Promise, Performativity and Technological Futures
How do visions and expectations of technological futures attract resources and help create as well as shape futures? How are competing claims assessed?
6. Technology and Developing Countries
Technologies developed in Western economies have often proved too costly or difficult to implement in developing country settings - leading some to suggest that we need to build appropriate technologies for the 3rd World.
However the rapid worldwide uptake of the mobile phone and its use as a platform eg for payment systems may open up new ways of achieving technology for development.
7. Gender and Technology
Women, like men, encounter technologies daily. Yet, women are largely absent from high technology occupations responsible for the development and design of new technologies. This session considers the historical and contemporary reasons for this state of affairs. It explores the strong demarcations between 'women's jobs' and 'men's jobs' and the idea that particular work skills and technologies are gendered in quite material ways. This session also introduces some basic concepts for the analysis of gender.
Student Learning Experience:
Social Studies of Science and Technology is a highly empirical field. This course is designed to help you develop a critical analysis of the mutual relationship between technology and society, exploring the ways in which technology is itself shaped by social and other factors as well as the effects of technology on society.
In the second half of the course, groups of students will identify and investigate particular technologies and issues of concern to them. Reports of this student-led research will be submitted as the main assessed piece of work
This is an introductory course in the subject; it does not presume prior knowledge and there are no prerequisites. It is designed to be an attractive course for Science and Social Science students alike. It is recognised as a relevant course for those wanting to pursue a specialism in Sociology or Social Anthropology.
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Develop a critical analysis of the mutual relationship between technology and society, exploring the ways in which technology is itself shaped by social and other factors as well as the effects of technology on society.
2. The student will become familiar with, and develop a critical understanding of, the main approaches to the socio-economic analysis of technology, and the ways in which these theories have been deployed to analyse various technological innovations in different settings (including industrial production, technology in the home, contraception, information technology, biotechnology and defence technologies, environmental technologies.
3. Exploring the ways in which technology is itself shaped by social and other factors
4. Exploring the effects of technology on society
5. Develop a critical understanding of, the main approaches to the socio-economic analysis of technology
6. Become familiar with, and develop a critical understanding of, the ways in which these theories have been deployed to analyse various technological innovations in different settings (including technology at work and in the home, information technology, biomedicine and defence technologies,
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Available to all first and second year students |
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:
- Develop a critical analysis of the mutual relationship between technology and society, exploring the ways in which technology is itself shaped by social and other factors as well as the effects of technology on society. The student will become familiar with, and develop a critical understanding of, the main approaches to the socio-economic analysis of technology, and the ways in which these theories have been deployed to analyse various technological innovations in different settings (including industrial production, technology in the home, contraception, information technology, biotechnology and defence technologies, environmental technologies.
- Exploring the ways in which technology is itself shaped by social and other factors
- Exploring the effects of technology on society
- Develop a critical understanding of, the main approaches to the socio-economic analysis of technology
- Become familiar with, and develop a critical understanding of, the ways in which these theories have been deployed to analyse various technological innovations in different settings (including technology at work and in the home, information technology, biomedicine and defence technologies,
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Vasileios Galanos
Tel:
Email: vgalanos@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ian McClory
Tel: (0131 6)50 3932
Email: Ian.McClory@ed.ac.uk |
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