Ecologies of Knowledge: Work and Politics in Science and Technology (Science Tech Society

by Susan Leigh Star (editor)

This collection of articles provides a comprehensive overview of personal and public issues related to social change and how they shape scientific and technical knowledge. Ecologies of Knowledge provides a comprehensive overview of issues relating to work, politics, and the latest perspectives on the role of materials, feminism, "nonhumans", and work practices as shaping scientific and technical knowledge. In addition to theoretical contributions, the authors cover biotechnology, computing, representations and space, aerospace engineering, and a variety of ethical perspectives and controversies in these domains.

434 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Susan Leigh Star was an American sociologist. She specialized in the study of information in modern society; information worlds; information infrastructure; classification and standardization; sociology of science; sociology of work and the history of science, medicine, technology, and communication/information systems. She commonly used the qualitative methods methodology and feminist theory approach.

Reviews

[Jan D · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of essays/Papers in Science and Technology Studies (STS). I did not read all of them, but those I read very very interesting, among them:

S.L. Star’s article of formal representation. We want clarity and truth, yet, the "local practices" of projects don't seem to be. Formal representations come to the rescue: Definition, Plans… However, they also bring problems and politics: What becomes a representation, what gets "deleted".

Latour’s article on the door closer device as actor.: The famous STS author’s ideas of what one can think about the note at a door closer which is "on strike" Many tongue-in-cheek comments on humanities and STS, too. It is also a relatively easy-to-understand intro to things-as-actors (a core part of Latour’s ideas) – note, that the "thing" does a rather human an political action: It goes on "strike"…