Politics 248TE - Topics in Politics: 'Science, Technology and Public Policy'

As numerous controversies have made clear -- from Galileo's heresy trial to contemporary disputes over vaccination -- the purportedly neutral and objective results of scientific inquiry are in practice hotly contested and profoundly political. Students in this course will critically examine science and technology as social practices, in the hope of becoming more responsible users of these powerful tools. Course topics include how scientific and technical knowledge are produced and disseminated, how scientific and technical experts contribute to the policymaking process, and how research and innovation are governed through legislation, regulation, institutions, social norms and movements.