Ecologies of Knowledge: Work and Politics in Science and Technology (Suny Series in Science, Technology, and Society) (Suny Series, Science, Technology, & Society)

__This collection of articles provides a comprehensive overview of personal and public issues related to social change and how they shape scientific and technical knowledge.__ Ecologies of Knowledge CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Formal Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION Historical Review Questions of Organizational Scale Methodological Issues Why I am not a Nazi: Realism and Relativism in Science and Technology Studies Current Intellectual Developments in STS Of Humans and Non-Humans The Status of Matter and the Absolute We're Scientists Too Studying Nonhumans: A Professionalization Movement in STS? Information Technology: Hope and Fun, Hype and Danger The Cost of Opposing Hype Conclusion Notes PART 1: POLITICS AND PROBLEMS 1 Science, Social Problems, and Progressive Thought: Essays on the Tyranny of Science Prelude: Technoscience or Tyrannoscience Rex? Modern Science as a Social Problem Sal Restivo Sociology and Social Studies for Science Seeing Science as a Social Problem Constructivism and Relativism Science in Context The Cultural Roots of Science The Myth of Purity Gender and Science Science and Progress Modern Science and the Sociological Imagination Science and Progressive Thought Jennifer Croissant and Sal Restivo Marxism: Bourgeois versus Human Science Feminisms: Criticizing Science without Losing Your Voice Anarchism: Social Chaos or Social Theory? Toward Humane Inquiries Conclusion Notes 2 The Politics of Formal Representations: Wizards, Gurus, and Organizational Complexity1 Part 1: Formalisms, Layers, and Long-Distance Control Introduction Immutable Mobiles Formal Representations and Long-Distance Control Summary of Part 1 Part 2: Strategies for Organizationally Consistent Representations: Where Does the Mess Go? Deleting the Work The Division of Labor Formalism versus Empiricism The Instability of Formalisms Craft Work and Formal Representations: Quis formabit formatores?5 Organizational Responses to the Problems Posed by Formalism Summary of Part 2 Part 3: Ethics, Disasters, and Formalisms Do Formal Artifacts Have Politics? Ethics, Formal Representations, and Organizational Complexity Summary: Space and the Delegation of Values Implications of a Changed Relationship with Organizations: Redefining Space Notes 3 Computerization Movements and the Mobilization of Support for Computerization1 Introduction Computerization Movements Technological Movements and Computerization Movements Five Specific Computerization Movements Urban Information Systems Artificial Intelligence Computer-Based Education Office Automation Personal Computing Ideological Elements of CMS Computer-Based Technologies Are Central for a Reformed World Improved Computer-Based Technologies Can Further Reform Society More Computing Is Better Than Less, and There Are No Conceptual Limits to the Scope of Appropriate C... No One Loses from Computerization Uncooperative People Are the Main Barriers to Social Reform through Computing Counter-Computerization Movements Discussion Epilogue 1994 Notes 4 Representation, Cognition, and Self: What Hope for an Integration of Psychology and Sociology?1 On Inversion Inversion In The Sociology Of Science: The Example Of Representation Evolving Perspectives in the Sociology of Science The Role of the Agent The Moral Order of Representation The Changing Moral Order: The Example of the AI Debate Language and the Institutionalization of Moral Order The Ramifications of the Debate The Question of Self Conclusion Notes PART 2: MATERIALS AND SPACES 5 Research Materials and Reproductive Science in the United States, 1910–19401 Material Consequences of Physiological Approaches Demand for Large Quantities of Same-Species Materials Gaining Access to Materials Colonies As Means of Access to Research Materials Historical Illustrations Mundane Fresh Specimens Exotic Fresh Specimens Mundane Live Materials Exotic Live Materials Conclusion Epilogue: Studies of Research Materials (Re)Visited Research Materials as Science Infrastructure The Use of Living Materials and Vivisection Movements Particular Materials and Lines of Research (Re)Presentation, Symbolism, and Display of Materials Human/Nonhuman/Cyborg: Continuities and Divides Suggestions for Further Research Notes 6 Laboratory Space and the Technological Complex: An Investigation of Topical Contextures The Problem of "where" the Action Occurs Topical Contextures and Equipmental Complexes Opticism Linear Perspective and Representational Technologies Digitality Asymmetric Alternates The Topicalization of Digitality The Spatiality of Situation: Digital Image Processing1 "A Picture Is an Array of Numbers" Reality As an Ethical Simulation Epistemological Nostalgia Conclusion Notes 7 Mixing Humans and Nonhumans Together: The Sociology of a Door-Closer1 Reinventing the Door Delegating to Humans Disciplining the Door-Closer Appealing to Gods Offering a Coherent Vocabulary The Lieutenants of Our Societies Notes PART 3: WORKPLACE ECOLOGIES 8 Engineering and Sociology in a Military Aircraft Project: A Network Analysis of Technological Cha... A Socio-Technical Scenario Industry's Socio-Technical Scenarios Global Networks, Local Networks, and Negotiation Spaces Management: An Obligatory Point of Passage? The Collapse of the Negotiation Space Discussion Note 9 Ecologies of Action: Recombining Genes, Molecularizing Cancer, and Transforming Biology Crafting a Theory-Methods Package Crafting Proto-Oncogenes as a Unifying Metaphor Between Cancer and Evolution: Proto-Oncogenes Molecular Biological Oncogenes and Tumor Virological Oncogenes Associations with Developmental Biology ''Back-Translating" Proto-Oncogenes to Viral Oncogenes to the Virus Cancer Program Linking Proto-Oncogenes to Applications: Clinical and Epidemiological Genetics Recombinant DNA Technologies The Ruler Over a New Realm: The Theory-Methods Package Committing to Oncogene Research Commitments by Students, New Investigators, Established Researchers Commitments by Private Industry Theoretical Discussions A Distributed Center of Authority Coconstructing Practices, Problems, Theories, Laboratories, and the World Change and Continuity in Representations and Technologies of Representation Notes BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS INDEX A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z Ecologies Of Knowledge Provides A Comprehensive Overview Of Issues Relating To Work, Politics, And The Latest Perspectives On The Role Of Materials, Feminism, Nonhumans, And Work Practices As Shaping Scientific And Technical Knowledge. In Addition To Theoretical Contributions, The Authors Cover Biotechnology, Computing, Representations And Space, Aerospace Engineering, And A Variety Of Ethical Perspectives And Controversies In These Domains.--jacket. Part 1: Politics And Problems. -- Science, Social Problems, And Progressive Thought: Essays On The Tyranny Of Science / Jennifer Croissant And Sal Restivo -- The Politics Of Formal Representations: Wizards, Gurus, And Organizational Complexity / Susan Leigh Star -- Computerization Movements And The Mobilization Of Support For Computerization / Rob Kling And C. Suzanne Iacono -- Representation, Cognition, And Self: What Hope For An Integration Of Psychology And Sociology? / Steve Woolgar -- Part 2: Materials And Spaces. -- Research Materials And Reproductive Science In The United States, 1910-1940 / Adele E. Clarke -- Laboratory Space And The Technological Complex: An Investigation Of Topical Contextures / Michael Lynch -- Mixing Humans And Nonhumans Together: The Sociology Of A Door-closer / Jim Johnson, Aka Bruno Latour -- Part 3: Workplace Ecologies. -- Engineering And Sociology In A Military Aircraft Project: A Network Analysis Of Technological Change / John Law And Michel Callon -- Ecologies Of Action: Recombining Genes, Molecularizing Cancer, And Transforming Biology / Joan H. Fujimura. Susan Leigh Star, Editor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 347-403) And Index. This collection of articles provides a comprehensive overview of personal and public issues related to social change and how they shape scientific and technical knowledge.Ecologies of Knowledge provides a comprehensive overview of issues relating to work, politics, and the latest perspectives on the role of materials, feminism,'nonhumans,'and work practices as shaping scientific and technical knowledge. In addition to theoretical contributions, the authors cover biotechnology, computing, representations and space, aerospace engineering, and a variety of ethical perspectives and controversies in these domains.Susan Leigh Star is Associate Professor of Sociology and faculty affiliate in Women's Studies and Computer Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Affiliate Research Scientist at the Institute for Research on Learning, Palo Alto. She is the author of Regions of the Mind: Brain Research and the Quest for Scientific Certainty, and editor of The Cultures of Computing.