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Science, Technology and Public Participation

Code 13394
Year 1
Semester S2
ECTS Credits 6
Workload OT(15H)/TP(30H)
Scientific area Sociology
Entry requirements Not applicable.
Mode of delivery Face-to-face.
Work placements Not applicable.
Learning outcomes General goals:
- To deepen the theoretical and conceptual debate around the interrelationships between science, technology and society.
- To extend the knowledge about manufactured risks and unintended consequences that could jeopardize the future of humanity.
- To deepen the knowledge about the mechanisms of public participation.
- To contribute to a realistic view of Science and Technology.

Syllabus 1 - Main theoretical approaches on Science, Technology and Society
1.1- Technological determinism
1.2- The theoretical framework of reciprocal conditioning versus other constructivist approaches.

2- From the "classic" innovation to responsible innovation
2.1. From Schumpeterian competitiveness and innovation to manufactured risks
2.2. Responsible innovation and governance
2.3. The ethical issue in scientific and technological development

3 - Emerging technologies and risks, theoretical debates and new inequalities (three themes to choose from)
3.1 - The ever present and exponential ICT
3.2 - Artificial Intelligence
3.3 - Biotechnology
3.4 - Nanotechnology
3.5 - The Internet of Things
3.6 - Climate Change

4 - Scientific and technological risks, uncertain futures and public participation
4.1 - Relationships, controversies and conflicts between Science, Technology and Society
4.2 - On the way to a greater public awareness of risks?
4.3 - Risks, involvement of citizens and public participation
Main Bibliography Bijker, Wiebe, Thomas Hughes e Trevor Pinch (eds.) (2012), The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, Cambridge: The MIT Press
Doubleday, Robert (2007), “Risk, public engagement and reflexivity: Alternative framings of the public dimensions of nanotechnology”, Health, Risk & Society, nº 9(2), pp. 211 – 227
Garcia, José Luís (2010), “Tecnologia, mercado e bem-estar humano: para um questionamento do discurso da inovação” em Manuel da Silva e Costa e José Pinheiro Neves (orgs.), Tecnologia e configurações do humano na era digital, Ermesinde: Edições Ecopy, pp. 65-90.
Latour, Bruno (2005), Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Law, John (2017), “STS as method” em Ulrike Felt, Rayvon Fouché , Clark Miller, Laurel Smith-Doerr (eds.), The Fourth Edition of The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies, Londres: The MIT Press; pp. 31-58.
Leonhard, Gerd (2017), Tecnologia versus Humanidade – O confronto entre a Máquina e o Homem, Lisboa: Gradiva.
Martins, Hermínio (2011), Experimentum Humanum – Civilização Tecnológica e Condição Humana, Lisboa: Relógio D’Água Editores.
Machado, Helena (org.) (2017), Genética e Cidadania, Porto: Afrontamento.
Owen, Richard, John Bessant and Maggy Heintz (Eds.) (2013) Responsible Innovation: Managing the Responsible Emergence of Science and Innovation in Society; Chischester: WILEY.
Saetnan Ann, Ingrid Schneider, and Nicola Green (eds.) (2018), The Politics of Big Data – Big Data, Big Brother?. London: Routledge.
Simões, Maria João and Nuno Jerónimo (2018), Rear Window – Transparent citizens versus political participation. In: A. Saetnan, I. Schneider, and N. Green (eds.), The Politics of Big Data – Big Data, Big Brother?. London. Routledge, pp.176-196.
Simões, Maria João (2006), "Contributos para uma Sociologia da Tecnologia", Configurações, nº 2, pp. 75-88.
Language Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.
Last updated on: 2023-06-16

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