Social Studies Of Science And Technology: Looking Back, Ahead (sociology Of The Sciences Yearbook)

This volume was originally conceived as a contribution to yet another 'turn', not captured by one of the many adjectives that have served to describe the collective meander­ing of the scholarly community in search of direction. It was meant to mark the millen­nial turn, a seemingly purely chronological event, but one in search for great meanings and invested with loaded significances. The editors wanted to seize the opportunity of the moment in order to pause and reflect on the sociology and history of social studies of science and technology. The moment came and went and the new millennium, barely nine months later, thrust its historical marker upon the world through a horrendous and cruel shock in an unforeseen and unforeseeable way. Since then, the world appears more vulnerable and volatile, fragmented and fraught with uncertainty. The universal values as bequeathed by the Enlightenment are either refused or appear refuted. The dream of a universal civilization which has accompanied the unfolding of the existing multiple modernities in their historically unique trajectories, has been discarded and its promises in tatters. The belief in a process of progressive rationalization and in the ongoing, although repeatedly disrupted, validation of universal cultural forms, which have been hailed as providing the underlying strength in the relation between science and society (whatever is understood by these terms), clearly is in need of revision.This volume brings together contributions that resemble spotlights thrown on the past twenty-five years of science and technology studies. It covers a broad range: history of science; science and politics; science and contemporary democracy; science and the public; science and the constitution; science and metaphors; and science and modernity and provides a critical overview of how the field of science and technology studies has emerged and developed. BERNW ARD JOERGES AND HELGA NOWOTNY YET ANOTHER TURN The thing that doesn't fit is the thing that's most interesting. Richard Fcynman This volume was originally conceived as a contribution to yet another 'tum', not cap­ tured by one of the many adjectives that have served to describe the collective meander­ ing of the scholarly community in search of direction, It was meant to mark the millen­ nial turn, a seemingly purely chronological event, but one in search for great meanings and invested with loaded significances. The editors wanted to seize the opportunity of the moment in order to pause and reflect on the sociology and history of social studies of science and technology. The moment came and went and the new millennium, barely nine months later, thrust its historical marker upon the world through a horrendous and cruel shock in an unforeseen and unforeseeable way. Since then, the world appears more vulnerable and volatile, fragmented and fraught with uncertainty. The universal values as bequeathed by the Enlightenment are either refused or appear refuted. The dream of a universal civilization which has accompanied the unfolding of the existing multiple modernities in their historically unique trajectories, has been discarded and its promises in tatters. The sociology of the sciences yearbook : a personal retrospective / Richard Whitley -- Sciences, science studies and their publics : speculating on future relations / Ulrike Felt -- Is that politics? / Emilie Gomart and Maarten Hajer -- Science and the postmodern shift in contemporary democracies / Yaron Ezrahi -- History of social science : understanding modernity and rethinking social studies of science / Bjorn Wittrock -- The 'triple helix' and 'new production of knowledge' as socio-cognitive fields / Terry Shinn -- The conundrum of consciousness : changing landscapes of knowledge at the turn of the millennium / Sabine Maasen -- In a constitutional moment : science and social order at the millennium / Sheila Jasanoff -- Growth, differentiation, expansion and change of identity - the future of science / Peter Weingart -- Institutionalizing science & technology studies in the academy / Stephen Hilgartner -- Prolepsis : considerations for histories of science after 2000 / Michael Hagner and Hans-Jorg Rheinberger -- Joy in repetition makes the future disappear : a critical assessment of the present state of STS / Michael Guggenheim and Helga Nowotny -- Reflections on the millennium, calendars, and the Gregorian hegemony / Bernward Joerges Front Matter....Pages i-xvii The Sociology of the Sciences Yearbook: A Personal Retrospective....Pages 1-8 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Sciences, Science Studies and Their Publics: Speculating on Future Relations....Pages 11-31 Is That Politics?....Pages 33-61 Science and the Postmodern Shift in Contemporary Democracies....Pages 63-75 Front Matter....Pages 77-77 History of Social Science: Understanding Modernity and Rethinking Social Studies of Science....Pages 79-101 The ‘Triple Helix’ and ‘New Production of Knowledge’ as Socio-Cognitive Fields....Pages 103-116 The Conundrum of Consciousness: Changing Landscapes of Knowledge at the Turn of the Millennium....Pages 117-153 In a Constitutional Moment: Science and Social Order at the Millennium....Pages 155-180 Front Matter....Pages 181-181 Growth, Differentiation, Expansion and Change of Identity — The Future of Science....Pages 183-200 Institutionalizing Science & Technology Studies in the Academy....Pages 201-210 Prolepsis....Pages 211-228 Joy in Repetition Makes the Future Disappear....Pages 229-258 Front Matter....Pages 259-259 Reflections on the Millennium, Calendars, and the Gregorian Hegemony....Pages 261-291 Back Matter....Pages 293-306 This volume brings together contributions that resemble spotlights thrown on the past twenty-five years of science and technology studies. The contributions cover a broad range: history of science; science and politics; science and contemporary democracy; science and the public; science and the constitution; science and metaphors; and science and modernity. The contributors provide a critical overview of how the field of science and technology studies has emerged and developed. While assessing major achievements and potential, they also cast a critical view on deficiencies; provide a diagnosis of where we stand at present and articulate thoughtful concerns about where to go from here. The 2002 Sociology of the Sciences Yearbook provides ideal teaching material for discussion in class. Social Studies of Science and Technology: Looking Back, Ahead is for practising professionals and students in social studies of science and technology. It is also relevant to social scientists who realize the importance of science and technology in contemporary society and to natural scientists who want to find out what this field has to offer For this volume of the Yearbook, I have been asked by the editors to provide a personal account of its genesis and development as its Managing Editor for the first 20 years.