This course introduces the Social Studies of Science and Technology, presenting the foundational theories and issues that allow for the analysis and understanding of the complex relationships between techno-scientific innovation and its social, political, and cultural context. The main objective of the course is to show that techno-scientific innovation is not the linear outcome of scientific and technological progress, but rather the product of continuous and open interactions among diverse social actors.
By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of the main theoretical approaches and conceptual frameworks in the sociology of technology (diffusion of innovations, technological determinism, agency of technological objects, interpretive flexibility, script) and will be able to analyze technological innovation not as a product or a "black box," but as a historically determined process, resulting from specific choices, strategies, and socio-technical imaginaries.
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Teaching combines lectures and in-class activities aimed at unpacking the course contents, following the learning by doing approach.
Examination will be based on an oral exam; the assessment focuses on the students’ knowledge, their critical approach and argumentative skills. The evaluation criteria include: completeness and relevance in the answers, the clarity of the argument, language skills, the ability to summarize and re-elaborate the questions raised, the grammatical and syntactic correctness, the richness of the exposition.
For students who have the Comunicazione della scienza e della tecnologia integrated teaching in their syllabus, the exams must be taken on the same day of the exam of the module “Science Communication”. The final mark is given by the average of the marks of the two tests and will be published in the students' digital portfolio.
The course is structured in two parts. The first will be dedicated to an in-depth exploration of the Social Studies of Science and Technology. Specifically, the following topics will be addressed:
During the second part, the presentation of recent case studies, particularly related to the participatory design of artificial intelligence, will allow for a deeper examination of the concepts of scientific citizenship, citizen science, and the various forms of public engagement or involvement in the different phases of technological innovation.
The teacher's communications to the students of the course will take place via email via the e-learning area, to which all students must therefore register. All students are required to periodically consult the e-learning area of the course and download the indicated materials. The program is valid for both attending and non-attending students. Erasmus students and students with PDP or PEI are invited to contact the teacher at the beginning of the courses.
