Science, Power, and Politics

This seminar introduces students to the major contributions of the field of science and technology studies (STS) to the analysis of politics and policymaking in democratic societies. The objective is to expand students’ understanding of the ways in which science and technology participate in the creation of social and political order. The seminar is devoted to reading and analyzing works by scholars in STS and related fields who have addressed such topics as the relationship between scientific and political authority, science’s relations with the state, science and democracy, scientific and technical controversies, and citizenship in technological societies. Course Notes: Undergraduates may enroll only by permission of the instructor. Offered jointly with the Kennedy School as IGA 513. Jointly Offered with:Harvard Kennedy School as IGA 513