After successful completion of the course, students are able to...
...understand the different kinds of societal responsibility related to scientific research
…understand interdependences between science, development of technology and society
...reflect on how to shape the relationship between science, technology and society in responsible ways
…critically discuss science and technology politics
START of the lecture on 8.10.!
Many diagnoses of time say that we live in a knowledge and innovation society. But what does that mean? Which interdependencies are there between science, development of technology, and society? And what kinds of responsibility are linked to scientific research and technology development?
Before the background of the complex interrelation between science, technology development, and society, it is important to ask "Who cares?": Who has the power to decide what kinds of research can be done and what kinds of research stay undone? For whom do we do research and who will potentially also be harmed? What methods are regarded as good scientific practice and why? Who decides what is considered a problem to be solved and what are legitimate solutions to it? How is science shaped in practice today? How far can / should societal values, and different societal perspectives shape science? How political may/should science be? What requirements must innovations fulfill beyond technical specifications?
These are central questions we will engage with in this course, using the example of current emerging technologies. We will also use historical examples to see how the role of science and technology development for society has been re-negotiated and re-evaluated throughout time. In the 17th century, innovation meant scary political renewal; nowadays, especially technical innovations are seen as central solutions for societal and environmental problems. It is for example legitimate to develop robots to care for the elderly or to reach zero emission mobility by a shift to green technology. Societal aspects can, however, also play a role in science and technology development when relations of power and inequalities (e.g. along gender dynamics or racism) are not reflected or even reproduced.
Newer concepts assume that especially technical innovations contribute to solutions to problems most effectively when societal and environmental aspects are considered throughout their development. To consider all relevant perspectives, researchers nowadays work across different areas of science or collaborate with societal agents (inter- and transdisciplinary). In this sense, technology development is most valuable when it is technologically robust, but also socially robust.
After attending the lecture (VO), you can also attend the Übung "034.026 Who cares? Social responsibility in science and technology development" in the summer semester 2025. Having attended the lecture is a precondition for participating in the Übung, the lecture however can also be attended separately.
Both courses may be taken as an elective for the "Gender and Diversity Competency" Supplemental Certificate.
With the certificate Gender and Diversity Competence, graduates prove their competence in considering gender and diversity aspects.
Completing courses from the following list of at least 16 ECTS is a prerequisite for issuing the certificate.
Three courses amounting to 7 ECTS must be completed; for the remaining 9 ECTS, all courses from the "Optional Courses" list can be chosen.
A list of courses.
Please send your questions to lisa.sigl@tuwien.ac.at