false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172047109m/134468.jpg 134468 1 This book crystallizes and extends the important work Wiebe Bijker has done in the last decade to found a full-scale theory of sociotechnical change that describes where technologies come from and how societies deal with them. <i>Of Bicycles, Bakelites, and Bulbs</i> integrates detailed case studies with theoretical generalizations and political analyses to offer a fully rounded treatment both of the relations between technology and society and of the issues involved in sociotechnical change.<br> <br> The stories of the the safety bicycle, the first truly synthetic plastic, and the fluorescent light bulb - each a fascinating case study in itself - reflect a cross section of time periods, engineering and scientific disciplines, and economic, social, and political cultures. The bicycle story explores such issues as the role of changing gender relationships in shaping a technology; the Bakelite story examines the ways in which social factors intrude even in cases of seemingly pure chemistry and entrepreneurship; and the fluorescent bulb story offers insights into the ways in which political and economic relationships can affect the form of a technology.<br> <br> Bijker's method is to use these case studies to suggest theoretical concepts that serve as building blocks in a more and more inclusive theory, which is then tested against further case studies. His main concern is to create a basis for science, technology, and social change that uncovers the social roots of technology, making it amenable to democratic politics.<br> <br> <I>Inside Technology series</i> 129554 1997 Of Bicycles, Bakelites, and Bulbs: Toward a Theory of Sociotechnical Change (Inside Technology) total:8|5:1|4:2|3:3|2:2|1:0| 8 26 12 3 3 0 false false Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 1999 Thu Oct 29 11:35:55 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 29 11:37:06 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Fri Mar 07 11:44:57 -0800 2008 Fri Mar 07 12:00:13 -0800 2008 4 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002 Thu Nov 29 13:58:49 -0800 2007 Thu Nov 29 13:59:34 -0800 2007 a phrase I now love to use.]]> 0 0 false false Mon Jul 27 14:08:11 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 14:08:11 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Mon Jun 08 05:50:38 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 08 05:51:15 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Apr 04 02:17:30 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 04 02:17:30 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Tue Mar 24 08:00:22 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 24 08:00:22 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Jul 28 06:56:30 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 28 06:56:30 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Sat Jul 26 08:06:58 -0700 2008 Sat Jul 26 08:06:58 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Mon May 26 04:10:00 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 11 07:48:41 -0700 2008 Mon May 26 04:10:00 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Tue Mar 11 19:26:37 -0700 2008 Tue Mar 11 19:26:37 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Wed Feb 21 00:38:37 -0800 2007 Wed Feb 21 00:38:37 -0800 2007 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=134468