Intersections: Science, Technology, and the World
Exposes students to multidisciplinary studies in Science, Technology, and Society (STS), using four case studies to illustrate a broad range of approaches to basic principles of STS studies. Case studies vary from year to year, but always include a current MIT event. Other topics are drawn from legal and political conflicts, and arts and communication media. Includes guest presenters, discussion groups, field activities, visual media, and a practicum style of learning. Enrollment limited.
Fall 2013 · Science, Technology, & World
This class is an introduction to studies in science, technology, and society (STS), through examining a series of issues, events, conflicts, and problems as illuminated by STS approaches. This iteration includes units on the Aaron Swartz case, photography, and utopia / dystopia. There are regular guest speakers, and several field trips to encourage hands on learning.
Readings
- SES #: 1 · TOPICS: Introduction to Content and Format of the Class · READINGS: Downes, Kieran. “What is STS?”
- SES #: 3 · TOPICS: Current Examples of STS Questions · READINGS: No readings
- Marx, review of In Context ;
- SES #: 6 · TOPICS: STS at MIT (cont.) · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 10 · TOPICS: Visit from Hal Abelson · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 11 · TOPICS: Editing exercise · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 12 · TOPICS: Science and Self-regulation · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 13 · TOPICS: Legal Issues (cont.) · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 14 · TOPICS: Science and Self-regulation (cont.) · READINGS: Further research into Asilomar Conference of 1975 or Cambridge City Council resolutions of 1976
- SES #: 17 · TOPICS: From Analog to Digital · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 18 · TOPICS: Photography as Time Travel · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 19 · TOPICS: Photography and Science · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 21 · TOPICS: Where Are We Headed? · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 23 · TOPICS: A Deaf Utopia and Other Utopias · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 24 · TOPICS: Back to the Beginning: What Is STS? · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 25 · TOPICS: Endings and beginnings · READINGS: No readings
- SES #: 26 · TOPICS: Endings and beginnings (cont.) · READINGS: No readings
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: None U (Fall) 3-0-9 units. HASS-H
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2013
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.