Microstudies of the Manufacturing of Knowledge

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• Micro-studies of the Manufacturing of Knowledge
• Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
Classic Anthropology

• Focus on the other
• Analysis of cultural shape, habits, objects and
  actions
• Asymmetric perspective primitive versus
  civilized
• Science and technology
• Focus on non-western cultures
• Focus on differences and similarities

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
Modern Anthropology

• Focus on western culture as well
• Symmetric perspective

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
Science and technology studies

• Shift van S.S.K. to S.S.P
• Concept of science and technology as practice
• feature of industrialized culture
• as specific ethnographic domain

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
WHAT HAS ANTHROPOLOGY TO OFFER TO STS?

• TOOLS
• 1 Cultural perspective
• 2 Expertise in the study of knowledge systems
• 3 Instruments to study the material culture
• METHODS
• 1 Genre of ethnography
• 2 Participant observation
• 3 Outsiders perspective

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
TOOLS 1 CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

• Symmetric approach
• others - ours
• human - things
• myths - science
• western - non western
• Concept of culture in relation to science and
  technology practices
• natives point of view
• thick description
• Clifford Geertz

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
TOOLS 2 KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

• Definition of culture
• A historically developed pattern of meanings
  which are expressed through symbolic forms which
  are used to communicate about, to preserve and
  develop the knowledge about life and the way we
  relate to life (Geertz)
• locally and historically defined
• Obduracy

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Anthrop. STS Tools Methods lab-society
TOOLS 3 MATERIAL CULTURE

• Practice of usage
• Role of objects in STS
• ANT agency
• resembles object in primitive cultures in
  classical anthropology

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
METHODS

• Laboratory life by Latour and Woolgar
• Genre of ethnography
• notion of culture
• space
• participant observation
• spectrum of activities
• social structure
• local historical practice
• communication
• outsiders perspective
• different conceptual frame (second order concepts)

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
LABORATORY STUDIES

• Characterized by
• direct observation of activities
• mapping of instrumental, symbolic and social
  environment involved in construction of
  facts/artefacts
• science and technology practice are considered as
  contextual practices bound to local circumstances
• facts are local
• Transfer of scientific products is problematic
• Solution
• normalize lab products
• change society to lab conditions

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
WHAT IS THE RELATION BETWEEN THE LAB AND SOCIETY?

• TWO PERSPECTIVES
• 1. The lab is the result of social relations
  (knorr-Cetina)
• 2. The lab produces society (Latour)

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
1. The lab is the result of social relations

• Karin Knorr-Cetina
• Lab is the result of social relations in society
• World outside is source of of funding, external
  disciplinary contacts, symbolic, financial and
  social means
• Society is not controlled by science, but the lab
  is the location where social conflicts are
  discussed and solved
• Lab itself is no active institution but a passive
  location

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
2. The lab produces society

• Bruno Latour give me a laboratory and I raise
  the world
• Society adjust itself to the conditions of the
  lab
• Co-production of nature and culture
• lab transforms the chaotic world into an orderly
  world
• transformation in scale
• asymmetric power relation sciences defines
  reality

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
2. The lab produces society

• Critique on Latours perspective
• Over estimation of power of the lab
• Lab products can change dramatically outside the
  lab
• Boundary between lab and society is fading
• Ulrich Beck Scientification of Society
• first stage scientific products applied on
  social problems (technological fix)
• second stage focus of science on social problems
  as well as problems caused by science itself
• Socialization of science and technology
  Scientification of society

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Anthrop STS Tools Methods lab-society
METHODOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

• Extending the scope of ethnographic studies in
  STS
• lab is just one location of knowledge production
• shift from social construction of facts/artifacts
  to cultural reconstruction of scientific products
• Developing an interdisciplinary critical cultural
  approach
• from anthropology to cultural studies