CRIM 3658 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Judy Wajcman, Social Constructionism, Technological Determinism
Document Summary
Lecture 3 introduction to science and technology studies. Examines the processes and outcomes of science and technology. Social shaping of technology (mackenzie and wajcman): society and technology are mutually constitutive. Actor-network theory (ant): heterogeneous networks or alliances. 3. the products of science and technology are not themselves natural. Technological determinism: thinks of technology as a cause and effect, technology is the cause and effects that happen in society, it assumes technology has the capacity to impact society (critique: dosent look enough on how society impacts technology) Technological determinism: new way of life, mobilization, manufacturing jobs, global community, efficient. Social construction: ideology (freedom of mobility, american lifestyle, political(insurance), shapes peoples attitudes, status and class. Technologies do not have essential features, and consequently do not have systematic effects on society. Anti-essentialism: technologies do not have forms or properties independent of their interpretation, and do not have functions independent of what they are actually made to do.
