STS Helsinki will host the working group ‘Science, technology and society’ at The Annual conference of the Westermarck Society 2020 in Rovaniemi 26–27 March 2020.The theme of the conference is community, and keynote speakers include John Clarke, Open University, Mia Liinason, University of Gothenburg, Nira Yuval-Davis, University of East London, Sanna Valkonen and Áile Aikio, University of Lapland, and Sigga-Marja Magga, University of Oulu.

Please send your abstract of maximum 300 words to the working group co-ordinators no later than 15 January. Edit: The deadline for abstracts has been extended until 31 January.

Science, technology and society

Co-ordinators:
Jose A. Cañada, University of Helsinki, jose.a.canada (at) helsinki.fi
Marianne Mäkelin, University of Helsinki, marianne.makelin (at) helsinki.fi
Vera Raivola, University of Eastern Finland, vera.raivola (at) veripalvelu.fi

Science and Technology Studies (STS) is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines the interaction between society, science, and technology. STS pays attention to how different fields, such as law, politics, and everyday life, become intertwined with science and technology. This is relevant when thinking about heatedly debated topics as diverse as climate change, the role of experts, medicine, genetics, gender, robotics or organic food. The field calls for a deeper understanding of the development, processes, practices and outcomes of such social phenomena. STS explores the mechanisms behind knowledge claims and ontological assumptions that guide our everyday. Or, how a prominent STS scholar, Steve Woolgar, has said: look at how the world defined by science and technology “could be otherwise”.

STS Helsinki calls for theoretical, methodological and empirical papers on current research in social studies of science. Papers both in Finnish and English are welcome. The aim of this working group is to offer a forum to discuss the practices that contribute to the shaping of technoscientific objects and subjects. How is scientific knowledge established and negotiated, and how historical processes contribute to the development of certain technologies? We also welcome papers that reflect on the role communities in the field of STS. This working group is defined as a meeting point for both Finnish and international scholars to share and discuss their work with others studying science, technology and society.