Science, Power and the Construction of Facts: Introduction to Science and Technology Studies Part 2

Full course description

Science is the system of knowledge production through which truths are constructed, and therefore is an incredibly powerful institution that requires critical examination. At the same time, significant contemporary movements of “alternative facts” and “post-truth politics” are underway. What is the relationship between these two phenomena, and how is power enacted through the establishment of “facts”? In order to understand the power that science enacts in its production of “facts” this course looks to the social, cultural, historical, political, and economic contexts through which science is practiced and scientific knowledge is circulated through society. With this focus on science, this course act as the follow-up of the Living in a Technological Culture course.

            In this second introduction in Science and Technology Studies (STS) we will take a closer look at the production and dissimination of technoscience outputs, and will study science in action in its immediate environment as well as in its role and position in society. To do so we zoom in on processes in which credible facts are established and published and its collaborative character. This also includes the integrity of science and in particular its grey areas.

            In addition to the immediate context in which scientific facts are created, the course also considers the broader socioeconomic and historical context in which science operates. This includes not only the commercialization of science and ownership issues (e.g., IPR and patenting), but also the politics of knowledge and the role of alternative facts. After all, (fake) facts involve promises and expectations related to our hopes and fears.

            Finally, you will gain insight into how the cultural-historical context influences not only the interpretation of facts through metaphors, but also what "science" is and the conditions for its knowledge production. In this way, we reveal the Western identity of the hegemonic conceptualization of science and discuss its relationship to social power structures. Aiming to establish an awareness and understanding of epistemic diversity, the course also pays attention to alternative knowledge systems and how to position them in relation to the Western knowledge system.

We enter the world of science through various case studies, such as Einstein's theory of relativity and gravitational waves. But don't worry, it's a Social Sciences and Humanities course, so you don't need physics skills. While some case studies are from the past, such as the knowledge systems of the Polynesian seafarers and the Gothic catherdral builders, other case studies are linked to more current topics, such as climate change, pandemics and mental disorders. Through discussions and analyses of these topics, the course aims to get you thinking critically about "common sense" views on the making and use of scientific claims. To get first-hand information, the course also includes a group interview with a scientist.