Science, Technology, and Society Studies
The study of the social construction and impacts of science and technology
Scholars of science, technology, and society often begin with the simple question of what it means to know something? How do we come to perceive, know, document, and modify the world in which we live?
Early scholars of STSS made the case that science is itself a social activity, informed by observations about the natural world, but constituted through language and relationships. The process of conducting science can be tumultuous and contentious at times due to these ever-evolving social structures. Those of us who study science must take into account these social relationships as well as the role that communication and language play in their construction.
Scholars of STSS are also interested in the social nature of technology, arguing that technology is not deterministic but rather something that adds to and evolves with the society in which it is introduced.
These areas of investigation of the social impacts of science and technology have informed my work as a student, as an instructor, and as a writer.