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The STS group

Science and Technology Studies (STS) is an interdisciplinary field of research exploring the role of science and technology in society, both historically and today.

How do digital technologies change scientific practices and what are the consequences? Why is our knowledge about climate change not making us change our way of living? What is ‘ethical’ or ‘responsible’ research? How are visions of a new ‘bioeconomy’ and ‘ocean economy’ crafted? These are examples of questions posed by researchers in the STS group at TIK.

In the late 1960s, following many controversies over the role of science and technology in society, a “science of science” was gradually institutionalized in many countries in order to study how scientific knowledge was produced and used in politics. Today, Science and Technology Studies (STS) is a flourishing interdisciplinary research field, engaging scholars from a variety of backgrounds.

STS investigates knowledge practices as essentially cultural and material, and STS researchers address these practices empirically in both historical and contemporary contexts.

The vibrant group of STS researchers at TIK cuts across humanities and social sciences. Our STS researchers have a special focus on nature, the environment, and the life sciences, and we study knowledge practices across science, politics, and the economy. We employ an interdisciplinary toolbox that include historical and digital methods in addition to social science methods. STS researchers affiliated with TIK meet regularly in the group titled the VTK group (Vitenskap, Teknologi og Kultur).

Topics investigated include:

Green, metallic grid pattern.
History of science and medicine, research ethics, epidemiology, digital infrastructures in science, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Credit: Silje Morsman
Media Cube installation for COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen, December 2009. The cube is seemingly standing on water and pictures flames on all sides.
Climate science and climate policy,  carbon accounting, energy policy, sustainable transport, environmental controversies
Credit: Push Architecture, Flickr
Black and white photograph of the Norwegian parliament hall taken in 1906.
Politics in practice, history of Parliament,  bureaucracy, accounting and calculation, research policy, economic history.
Credit: J.C.F. Hifling-Rasmussen, Oslo Museum
Fish eggs seen through a telescope.
Bioeconomy, biopolitics, life sciences, fish farming, human-animal relations, creation of new markets and products.
Credit: Institute of Marine Research

Projects

Academic programmes and courses

Published Sep. 15, 2010 4:29 PM - Last modified Jan. 23, 2024 9:28 AM

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Participants

Detailed list of participants