STS 6116 - [Scale Matters: Problems in the Global Study of Science and Technology]

Spring. Not offered 2017-2018. 4 credits. Student option grading.

J. Ratcliff.

What does it mean to study knowledge and society on a global scale? Some scholars remain understandably skeptical of attempts to do so. Others believe that, despite the challenges, efforts to scale up to the global have become necessary given the nature of contemporary society, and the declining influence of western-centric perspectives. In this seminar we will review the debate over scale and perspective in global studies. We will also consider recent work in STS that attempts in different ways to scale up to larger views. Potential topics include: infrastructures, migration, transnationalism and global governance, the globe as a subject of science, cultural cosmopolitanism, and information imperialism. We will also explore some of the geographical and quantitative methods used by those attempting to tell “big” stories.