Introduction to Science and Technology Studies, 8.0 credits

Introduktion till teknik- och vetenskapsstudier, 8.0 hp

7FTEM22

Course level

Third-cycle Education

Description

The course takes place in the spring semester 2026.

The course is an introduction to several key theorizations in the field of Science and Technology Studies. In addition to reading and discussing key texts, the course participants will also be familiarized with the criticism and debate surrounding key theoretical positions of the field. The course is designed to provide ample opportunities for reflection and discussion of perspectives, theories, and concepts in STS, particularly as they relate to the course participants’ own research interests. Lecturers include Steve Woolgar, Anna Storm, Harald Rohracher, Lisa Guntram, Maria Eidenskog, Sergiu Novac, and Linus Ekman Burgman.

The course admits a limited number of PhD students. If you’re interested in enrolling, please e-mail Linus Ekman Burgman (linus.ekman.burgman@liu.se) by January 23rd with a brief (max 1 page in total) description of yourself, the topic of your PhD thesis, and your expectations of the course. Notifications of acceptance will be sent out the following week.

The course will take place on Campus Valla, Linköping University, Sweden. Participants are expected to attend all sessions.

PART I: THE BASICS

Wednesday March 18th 10.15-12.00 Historicizing Technosciense (Storm) + 13.15-15.00 Provocations (Woolgar)

Thursday March 19th 10.15-12.00 Thinking Otherwise (Woolgar) + 13.15-15.00 Sociotechnical System Users (Rohracher)

PART II: TECHNOSCIENCE AND POWER

Wednesday March 25th 10.15-12.00 Multiplicity and Markets (Ekman Burgman) + 13.15-15.00 Feminist Technoscience (Guntram)

Thursday March 26th 10.15-12.00 Care (Eidenskog) + 13.15-15.00 Post-colonialism (Novac)

PART III: EPILOGUE

Wednesday April 15th 10.15-12.00 and 13.15-15.00 Essay Seminars

Thursday April 16th 10.15-12.00 and 13.15-15.00 Essay Seminars and Wrap up

Contacts:

Linus Ekman Burgman (linus.ekman.burgman@liu.se) and Anna Storm (anna.storm@liu.se), course coordinators

Entry requirements

Entry requirement for studies on third-cycle education courses

- second-cycle degree, or

- 240 credits in required courses, including at least 60 second-cycle

credits, or

- acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other manner

Specific entry requirements for this course: Participation in the course requires that the participant is currently accepted in a PhD programme that is relevant for the course.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• describe key theoretical positions within Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Competence and skills
• examine empirical applications of different theoretical positions within STS

Judgement and approach
• assess the strengths and weaknesses of the key theoretical perspectives, and
• reflect on the relevance of different perspectives to the student’s own research.

The course is an introduction to several key theorizations in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). In addition to reading and discussing key texts, the course participants will also be familiarized with the criticism and debate surrounding key theoretical positions of the field. The course is designed to provide ample opportunities for reflection and discussion of perspectives, theories, and concepts in STS, particularly as they relate to the course participants’ own research interests.

The course centers on STS-perspectives focusing on processes related to scientific knowledge production and technological change. This translates into the dominance of micro- or meso-perspectives where the interpretations, practices and actions of various involved actors are analyzed and problematized. The course thus emphasizes theoretical perspectives and concepts that can be used to understand “science and technology in the making”. The course participants will be constantly challenged to discuss, critically examine, and compare various perspectives, approaches, and concepts.

Educational methods

Educational methods applied in this course are literature studies, lectures and seminars.

Examination

The examination consists of the following components:

• Active and prepared participation in seminars

• Individual written assignments

Students who fail are offered one re-examination occasion in close connection to the course. After that participation in a coming course examination is offered. The re-examination should be equally comprehensive as the ordinary examination.

**Change of examiner**
Students who have failed the course or part of the course twice are entitled to request another examiner for the following examination occasion.

Grading

Two-grade scale

Course literature

A list of mandatory readings will be provided by the course coordinator before the start of the course.

General information

The course is given in English.

The course is planned and carried out according to what is stated in this syllabus. Course evaluation, analysis and suggestions for improvement should be fed back to the Research and PhD studies Committee (FUN) by the course coordinator.

If the course is withdrawn or is subject to major changes, examination according to this syllabus is normally offered at three occasions within/in close connection to the two following semesters.