Text

Course syllabus - Technology and Society

Scope

7.5 credits

Course code

IEO101

Valid from

Autumn semester 2017

Education level

First cycle

Progressive Specialisation

G1N (First cycle, has only upper-secondary level entry requirements)

School

School of Business, Society and Engineering

Ratified

2017-01-27

Literature lists

Course literature is preliminary up to 8 weeks before course start. Course literature can be valid over several semesters.

    • Ratified date: 2020-07-13
    • Latest update: 2025-05-27

    Books

    Lecture 1

    Bowker, Geoffrey C.; Star, Susan Leigh

    Sorting things out: classification and its consequences

    pp. 33-50.

    ISBN: 0262024616

    LIBRIS-ID: 4737909

    Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press, xii, 377 s.

    Felt, Ulrike

    The handbook of science and technology studies

    pp. 529-554

    ISBN: 9780262035682

    LIBRIS-ID: 19974354

    Fourth edition, Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press, 1190 pages

    Books

    Lecture 2

    Mignon, I; Kanda, W

    A typology of intermediary organizations and their impact on sustainability transition policies. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 29

    pp. 100-113

    Books

    Lecture 3

    Le Dantec, C; DiSalvo, C

    Infrastructuring and the formation of publics in participatory design. Social Studies of Science, 43(2)

    pp 241-264

    Lievrouw, Leah A.; Livingstone, Sonia M.

    Handbook of new media: social shaping and social consequences of ICTs

    pp. 151-162

    ISBN: 9781446211304

    LIBRIS-ID: 18695460

    URL: Table of Contents / Abstracts

    Updated student ed., London, SAGE, 1 online resource (xix, 475 p.)

    Books

    Lecture 4

    Francesca Musiani, ; Nanette S. Levinson, ; Derrick Cogburn, ; Laura Denardis,

    Researching Internet Governance: Methods, Frameworks, Futures

    LIBRIS-ID: s5wn6qnbqr9ltvxk

    Campbell-Verduyn, Malcolm

    Bitcoin and beyond: cryptocurrencies, blockchains, and global governance

    pp.133-156, Musiani, F., Mallard, A. and Méadel, C. (2017). Governing What Wasn't Meant To Be Governed: A Controversy-Based Approach to the Study of Bitcoin Governance

    ISBN: 9780415792141

    LIBRIS-ID: 22063179

    London, Routledge, 207 sidor

    Books

    Lecture 5

    Launberg, A

    An interactive perspective on the use of science (Ch.2). In: Launberg, A. Creating value from science. Interaction between academia, business and healthcare in the Uppsala PET Centre case. Ph.D. thesis

    URL: Available at:

    Uppsala University,

    Books

    Lecture 6

    Harvey, P; Knox, H

    Otherwise engaged. Journal of Cultural Economy, 1(1)

    pp. 79-92

    Kimura, S

    When a Seawall Is Visible: Infrastructure and Obstruction in Post-tsunami Reconstruction in Japan. Science as Culture, 25(1)

    pp. 23-43

    Books

    Lecture 6

    Star, S.L.

    The trojan door: Organizations, work, and the open black box. Systems Practice, 5 (4)

    pp. 395-410

Objectives

The purpose of this course is to introduce scientific frameworks for assessing the relationship between technological development and societal processes, frameworks that the students apply in several ways during the course in order to learn how to design and develop technologies that respond to societal needs.

Learning outcomes

After completed course the student shall be able to:
1. describe conditions that favour technological innovation.
2. map the requirements on technology posed by the main actors involved in technological processes.
3. model infrastructures that handle the complexity and challenges of technological change at different levels.
4. contribute to designing future technological scenarios by evaluating the feasibility of assigned technological solutions.
5. critically evaluate how technology is used to solve societal challenges by selecting relevant scientific literature and comparing different scientific paradigms.
6. critically assess the politics and policy of technological innovation and change.

Course content

The students work with different group and individual assignments and are supported by lectures and seminars that introduce and discuss concepts and tools for working with technological development. The students produce not only own suggestions for models and solutions in the group and individual assignments, but also perform critical evaluations of such suggestions.

Specific requirements

Physics B, Chemistry A, Mathematics D or Physics 2, Chemistry 1, Mathematics 4.

Examination

Assignment (INL1), 1 credit, grade Pass (G) [learning outcome 1]
Group assignment (GRU1), 1,5 credits, grade Pass (G) [learning outcomes 2, 3]
Group assignment (GRU2), 1 credit, grade Pass (G) [learning outcome 4]
Assignment (INL4), 2 credits, grades 3, 4 or 5 [learning outcome 5]
Assignment (INL3), 2 credits, grade Pass (G) [learning outcome 6]

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding a disability has the opportunity to submit a request for supportive measures during written examinations or other forms of examination, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Examinations at First-cycle and Second-cycle Level at Mälardalen University (2020/1655). It is the examiner who takes decisions on any supportive measures, based on what kind of certificate is issued, and in that case which measures are to be applied.

Suspicions of attempting to deceive in examinations (cheating) are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, and are examined by the University’s Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board considers the student to be guilty of a disciplinary offence, the Board will take a decision on disciplinary action, which will be a warning or suspension.

Grade

Grading scale: 5, 4, 3