SOCI 2035Carleton University course
syllabus (pdf) InstructorAnne Galloway ThemesScience and technology as culture and practice - from the laboratories of high energy physicists to street uses of mobile technologies. AssignmentsStudents will be evaluated on a major research project, a film essay and class participation. |
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introduction to the sociology of
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** FOR THE WINTER 2006 COURSE WEBSITE CLICK HERE **Our daily lives are so intimately intertwined with science and technology that we often overlook the precise ways in which science and society interact to shape our worlds. Although often assumed to be separate from the rest of society, scientific knowledge and practice share much in common with other forms of culture, and can profitably be studied as a sociological enterprise. A critical and nuanced understanding of the ways scientists work and of how technologies are developed and used allows us to make informed decisions and take responsible actions on the social, political and ethical aspects of scientific and technological progress.This class will introduce students to literature in social and cultural studies of science and technology, while offering the opportunity to critically explore a variety of practices and issues affecting our daily lives. Specifically, students will come to understand how science and technology shape, and are shaped by, social and political interests. By studying both institutional and individual interactions, students will be able to apply this knowledge to their everyday lives, both present and future.Students are expected to come to class each week with the assigned readings completed in advance, and prepared to discuss the main arguments and how they relate to the course themes. Students will also be encouraged to participate in a number of in-class and online activities.
Required textCourse reader: SOCI 2035 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COURSEPACK
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