Science as Culture

'???????????? ???? ?? ???????????? ?????????????????? ?????????????????? ????'????...'?A what? But how? And for whom? In a new OA article in Science as Culture I trace back the origins of this ecological metaphor to contest its colloquial use in discussions on the value of science: ??despite its green veneer, ecosystems often imply a neoliberal way of organizing research ?? that has no real bearing on ecological care. ?? In the last few years, running around in worlds of responsible innovation and green hydrogen, I've heard many natural and social scientists, university governors, science administrators and politicians use terms like 'knowledge ecosystem' to explain why and how scientific research will be relevant to, or basically solve, the climate crisis. Even at my PhD defence - on the history of the science park - I was asked why I did not interpret my archival material in terms of this trendy and important concept, the ecosystem... ?? So I decided to historicize ecological metaphors for knowledge dynamics: where do terms like knowledge ecosystem come from and what are its political assumptions about science and innovation? I uncovered ???????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????????????? stemming from different historical contexts: + an ???????????????????? ???????? in early science & technology studies ++ a ???????????????????? ?????????to integrate knowledge within companies +++ an innovation ???????????? ???????????????????? for public-private collaboration ++++ a ???????????????????? ???????????????? of, and alternative for, hegemonic science ??? ???????????????? ??????????????, also amidst accelerating ecological destruction. Metaphors can be guiding tools to direct scientific practices to other, profoundly sustainable worlds. Recycling the terms, models and metaphors that created this planetary predicament, guides us in the wrong direction. ?? Therefore, I propose to use this conceptual multiplicity of knowledge ecosystems as ???????? ?????? ??????????????????-???????????????? ?????????????????? of our current systems of science and innovation. To scholars, practitioners and policymakers of science, technology and innovation I ask: take a more critical and reflexive stance by always asking ???????? ???? ??????-???????????? ???????? ???? ?? ???????????????????? ??????????????????, ?????? ???????? ??????????????????, ??????????????????, ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ??????????????????????. This is one small step of many that might help counter hegemonic closure of epistemic practices and pluralize the political, economic and ecological valuations that matter to (studies of) science and innovation ?? Happy to hear how you encountered these metaphors in your work and what you make of it!

? New article out on Science as Culture! ?? In our latest piece,?Jorrit Smit analyzes the use and implication of ecological metaphors in STS research: a timely contribution in the face of ecological destruction and STS focus on socio-ecological transformation. ?? https://lnkd.in/ggE48NQf

What sorts of biotechnological knowledge and innovation, along with norms and cultures around democratization, are developed in community science labs? ?? In our latest publication, Dan Santos draws empirical insights from two community science labs (BioCurious in Santa Clara; Counter Culture Labs in Oakland) to analyze how the development of knowledge and innovations are interconnected with norms and cultures in biohacking. ?? https://lnkd.in/gCb6HAFy

? Out now: ?? "Perfect scientists and immoral non-scientists: a boundary work analysis of Chinese scientists’ writing" by Zheng Yang, Jingjing Chen, and Hepeng Jia, scholars from Soochow University in China. ?? The paper touches on the issues of science popularization and the work involved in creating distinctions between scientists and non-scientists in China. Do you work with the notion of "boundary work"? This will definitely be a good read! #Boundarywork #STS #SciasCulture ?? https://lnkd.in/gz-_uXcR

?? New year, new papers. Starting 2025 with an insightful article. ?? In this piece, Melanie Jeske, PhD, Jason Quirino Garcia, PhD, Veronica Davé, Jessleen (Jess) Kanwal, and D'Anne Duncan, PhD discuss concepts, methods, implementation, and lessons from the pilot year of the DE-SILO initiative (Diversity, Equity, and Sociology Training in Laboratory Organizations), a project created to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming in academic science fields across the United States. Available free access ?? https://lnkd.in/gqaMa6Zk

Just a reminder that Science as Culture is accepting book and media reviews in 2025. Have you read a recently published book or watched a new movie/documentary/TV show that could offer insights to STS scholars? Check our submission guidelines and feel free to contact our editors if you have any suggestions and/or inquiries. ?? https://tiny.cc/t1a4001

Are you interested in the intersection between medical anthropology, STS, and critical tech approaches? Somatosphere and their monthly journal round up are A MUST for you! Glad to see a great summary of our latest special issue in their December post. Go check them out!

"Both Musk and Bezos appear to want to ‘address trouble’ by making futures that clear away the present and the past. They are doing this of course through the significant financial gains that they have accrued from the very system that is implicated in making what Haraway calls the ‘horrors of the Anthropocene’. They utilize the benefits of labor practices and tax arrangements" As Musk is expected to take a significant role in the Trump administration, Science as Culture is making the article "Sociotechnical Imaginaries and Techno-Optimism: Examining Outer Space Utopias of Silicon Valley" by Richard Tutton, originally published in 2020, free access. The article reflects on how Musk's techno-utopia has gained traction out of workforce exploration, a plethora of government contracts, and Silicon Valley's extraplanetary imaginaries. ?? https://lnkd.in/gkC--9G7

Amazing news! Congrats Yana Boeva and all the co-authors for such an amazing article!