Department of Science and Technology Studies
Science, technology and innovation shape life in modern societies in countless ways. Some of these are perceived as positive, others are deeply controversial. In turn, policy, corporations, the media and other societal actors influence how knowledge and technologies are produced. Science and technology studies analyzes these interactions, and aims to foster critical and reflexive debates on the relations of science, technology and society.
In relation to the important debate on abuse of power and sexual harassment within parts of the STS community, our position as the leadership team of the STS department at the University of Vienna is that abusive behaviours and harassment in all forms have no place in academic work and study environments. A safe environment is of vital importance for the social fabric and development of our field and of all individuals that belong to it in various roles. We stand in solidarity with all who have suffered such abuses and with all who work to create and sustain safe environments for scholarship.
We believe that these debates demand institutional action and reflexivity. For our part, we see our responsibility in increasing our efforts to develop practices in our own institution that build and sustain a good and safe academic environment. We acknowledge that it is important that this happens in ways that are inclusive, respectful, and mindful of the power dynamics that structure academic settings. We will also consider what our responsibilities are within the wider STS community, and hope that our reflections contribute to a collective learning process within STS.
The Leadership Team - Ulrike Felt, Maximilian Fochler, Sarah Davies
News & Events
New Publications
Matthews KRW, Iltis AS, Marquez NG, Wagner DS, Robert JS, de Melo-Martín I et al. Rethinking Human Embryo Research Policies. Hastings Center Report. 2021 Jan;51(1):47-51. doi.org/10.1002/hast.1215
Davies S, Lindvig K. Assembling research integrity: negotiating a policy object in scientific governance. Critical Policy Studies. 2021;15(4):444-461. doi.org/10.1080/19460171.2021.1879660
Schikowitz A. Being a ‘Good Researcher’ in Transdisciplinary Research: Choreographies of Identity Work Beyond Community. In Community and Identity in Contemporary Technosciences. 2021. p. 225-245. (Sociology of the Sciences Yearbook, Vol. 31). doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61728-8_11
Albert A, Mayer K, Bálint B, Butkevičienė E, Perelló J. Citizen Social Science: New and Established Approaches to Participation in Social Research. In The Science of Citizen Science. 2021. p. 119-138 doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_7
Wentland A, Klimburg-Witjes N. „Die Benutzer sind das Problem, nicht das System“ – Verantwortung, Vertrauen und Vulnerabilität in IT-Sicherheitsdiskursen. In Braun K, Kropp C, editors, In digitaler Gesellschaft: Neukonfigurationen zwischen Robotern, Algorithmen und Usern. 1 ed. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. 2021. (Politik in der Digitalen Gesellschaft).