Socially engaged science.
Perspectives from political economy, philosophy and history of science & science and technology studies.
Scientific research and innovation are at the center of contemporary discussions about how to tackle global challenges, such as climate change, pandemics, unsustainable development, rising inequality and poverty. The hope is that solutions to these challenges can be informed by scientific findings. At the same time, science is seen as a source of value and wealth in capitalist societies. Furthermore, science’s direction and practice has long been shaped by agendas that go beyond the disinterested pursuit of research. Transformations in the political economy such as the building up of state bureaucracies and the expansion of financial markets have influenced how science is administered and commodified.
During the workshop we would like to discuss multiple tensions and dilemmas that these transformations in the political economy of science give rise to. In particular, we will analyze what they mean for the possibility of developing socially engaged research within the landscape of contemporary universities and research institutions. We are also interested in initiating discussion on these topics by focusing on the context of politics, political economy, and research agendas advanced in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. The workshop is interdisciplinary and intends to put into a dialogue the perspectives from political economy, philosophy of science, history of science, as well as science and technology studies.
Time and location: September, 11th,
Socially engaged science.
Perspectives from political economy, philosophy and history of science & science and technology studies.
Scientific research and innovation are at the center of contemporary discussions about how to tackle global challenges, such as climate change, pandemics, unsustainable development, rising inequality and poverty. The hope is that solutions to these challenges can be informed by scientific findings. At the same time, science is seen as a source of value and wealth in capitalist societies. Furthermore, science’s direction and practice has long been shaped by agendas that go beyond the disinterested pursuit of research. Transformations in the political economy such as the building up of state bureaucracies and the expansion of financial markets have influenced how science is administered and commodified.
During the workshop we would like to discuss multiple tensions and dilemmas that these transformations in the political economy of science give rise to. In particular, we will analyze what they mean for the possibility of developing socially engaged research within the landscape of contemporary universities and research institutions. We are also interested in initiating discussion on these topics by focusing on the context of politics, political economy, and research agendas advanced in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. The workshop is interdisciplinary and intends to put into a dialogue the perspectives from political economy, philosophy of science, history of science, as well as science and technology studies.
Time and location: September, 11th, 2024, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Keynote speakers: Aleksandra Derra (Nicolaus Copernicus University, PL) with the talk Another Science is Possible. Scientific Research after (not only) Feminist Intervention &
Edward Nik-Khah (Roanoke College, USA) with the talk California Dreamin’: Economists Become Expert Epistemologists for Platform Capitalism
Invited speakers: Poonam Pandey (University of Vigo, ES) with the talk Demarcating Risks: Boundary-work for Innovation and Governance of Science and Technology &
Marcin Zaród (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, PL) with the talk Critical STS of Citizen Science
Organizers: Magdalena Małecka (Aarhus University), Elena Popa (Jagiellonian University), Joanna K. Malinowska (Adam Mickiewicz University)
Call for contributions: We especially encourage submissions from early-career scholars (advanced MA students, PhD students, postdoctoral researchers) who are interested, for instance, in the following workshop topics:
– Science and capitalism,
– Political economy of science,
– Feminist approaches to philosophy of science and STS,
– Science and social activism,
– Science and economic, social, or political values,
– Marketization and commodification of science,
– Democratization of science,
– Science and public involvement,
– Science and global justice,
– Participation and citizen science,
– Tensions between scientific credibility and reproduction of inequalities in/through science,
– Epistemic imperialism and coloniality in science.
The above list is not exhaustive. Scholars pursuing research on other topics that relate to the theme of the workshop are welcome to apply.
To join the workshop, please send us an anonymized abstract (150 words) and a short text (200 words) answering the following question: “Please describe your research and indicate how it relates to the topic of the workshop. How and why could the workshop help you develop your research?” by May, 31st. Please mention your name and affiliation in the body of the email. Please submit your abstract and your answer to the question (in one document) via email to eenphilsci@gmail.com. Please mention “Workshop at UJ in September 2024” as the title of your email.
Advanced researchers interested in participating in the event are also welcome to apply. We may give priority to early-career scholars in case we receive a number of submissions that exceeds our organizational capacity.
Travel stipends: We will offer several travel stipends (150-200 EUR) to early-career scholars without institutional funding or without sufficient funding. If you are interested in receiving a stipend, please add the third section to your submission and specify why you apply for travel funds.
Format of the workshop: The event will consist of two parts. Part I: talks given by keynote and invited speakers (open to the public and workshop’s participants). Part II: work-in-progress part for workshop’s participants based on the topics and themes mentioned in submissions.
