Edinburgh. June 12-13, 2019

The field of Science and Technology Studies has attained global reach. In some regions, the study of science and technology has been around for more than five decades, already stabilized as a discipline in itself. During that time, this discipline has been expanded not only by incorporating insights from other disciplines –like the study of innovation dynamics- but also by adding different methodological traditions and a growing number of geographical boundaries. Beyond the traditional centres (North America and Europe) where the study of science and technology emerged, the discipline has been able to adapt to the aforementioned circumstances, developing interesting lessons and addressing multiple challenges along the way. For example, in the Latin American region, the early studies of science and technology were characterised by an approach that could be categorized as developmental, seeking to reduce the scientific and technological gap between this region and the “developed world”. Consequently, scholars oriented these studies on the creation of new public policies and institutional programs. Continue reading →

Milan. October 24-27, 2019

Abstracts deadline: March 25, 2019

Organizers
Alexis De Greiff A.
Departamento de Sociología; Centro de Estudios Sociales
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá
Email: ahdegreiffa@unal.edu.co

Simón Uribe
Departamento de Ciencia Política
Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá
Email: simonuribe@gmail.com

Description

Arms, explosives, maps, garment and physical infrastructures constitute some examples of the objects fabricated, used or adapted in modern warfare. The relationship between war and technology has interested historians of technology from the outset of the discipline. Moreover, it has been also a primordial concern of general historians. However, most of the literature on the subject focuses in wars or conflicts between states (regular wars). In this session, we will address a less studied and, therefore, poorly understood dimension of the problem: the connections between different kinds of technologies and irregular warfare in the Twentieth Century. We are especially interested in cases of decolonization struggles, post-colonial conflicts, insurgent warfare and terrorism in the Twentieth Century. This entails exploring how state agents, as well as insurgents or terrorist groups, develop technological tools and systems for attacking, surviving and defending. These technologies are often combined or complemented with immaterial technologies such as military strategy, deception tactics, intelligence techniques and geographical knowledge, among others. We shall discuss the ways in which these socio-technical objects and practices are built, transmitted, replicated and subverted. In this way, we seek to critically examine how states, counter-states and para-states expertise developed, interact, and put into practice. In particular, we are interested in exploring scenarios and cases that involve actors which have historically defied or represented a threat to the state like guerrillas, revolutionary groups, mafias, terrorist organizations and large criminal networks.

UNAM, Mexico City. May 27-28, 2019

1 de marzo | Fecha límite para enviar participaciones

Convoca: Seminario de Estudios Interdisciplinarios sobre la Ciencia, la Tecnología y la Innovación. Continue reading →