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

Whether in politics, business, or technology development, scientific knowledge has become a central factor in decision-making and action. Science is increasingly seen as a driver of (technological) innovation to bring solutions to social, political, and environmental problems. At the same time, the understanding of what constitutes an innovation has changed again and again over time and with changing values.

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 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?

Along questions like these, we will lean to understand new technologies as socio-technical Systems: as complex constellations that can newly shape (or reproduce) social relationships and power relations.

This UE builds on the content of the VO Science-Technology-Studies (034.013) and enables students to work on the topics dealt with there in depth and in a broader way. The UE is based on theoretical and methodological positions from Science and Technology Studies (STS), with the aim of linking these with positions from the students' different disciplines. Interdisciplinarity - i.e. cooperation across disciplines - is actively practised within the framework of the UE. In addition, working with current case studies offers the opportunity to apply what has been learned and to discuss it.

• individual and group work on relevant literature and materials (e.g. newspaper articles, position papers, videos, podcasts)
• discussion of literature, materials and contents of the lecture in different interactive formats
• working on case studies in groups

Attendance is compulsory for the UE.

This Übung builds on a lecture (VO) in Winter Semester 2024/25 ("034.025 Who cares? Social responsibility in science and technology development"). Having attended the lecture is precondition for participating in the Übung, the lecture however can also be attended separately.

This course may be taken as an elective for the Gender and Diversity Competency Supplemental Certificate. More information about the certificate can be found here.
With the certificate Gender and Diversity Competence, graduates prove their competence in the consideration of gender and diversity aspects.
A prerequisite for issuing the certificate is the completion of courses from the following list in the amount of at least 16 ECTS.
Three courses amounting to 7 ECTS must be completed; for the remaining 9 ECTS, all courses from the list "Optional Courses" can be chosen. The list of courses can be found here.

Please send your questions to lisa.sigl@tuwien.ac.at

A - Participation in the activities and discussions in the UE units (assessed individually - 30%)
B - Conception and implementation of a unit on the topic of the case study (assessed as a group - 30%)
C - Development of a controversy map on the topic of the case study (assessed as a group - 20%)
D - Final reflection on the case study and the course (assessed individually - 20%)

This Übung builds on a lecture (VO) in Winter Semester 2024/25 ("034.025 Who cares? Social responsibility in science and technology development"). Having attended the lecture is precondition for participating in the Übung, the lecture however can also be attended separately.