Course overview
This course explores the social life of technology through the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Drawing on critical theory and case studies including AI, digital platforms, and human enhancement technologies, the course examines how societies shape technologies and how technologies reshape social life. Students will analyse the relationships between technological innovation, social inequality, and power asymmetries, while developing the skills to critically evaluate the ethical implications of technological change. Importantly, the course encourages reflection on what it means to be human in an era of rapid technological transformation.
- Technology and Society
- Cyborgs, Materialities, and Ethical Entanglements
- Posthuman Possibilities
Course learning outcomes
- Comprehend and critically engage with the key concepts, theories, and methodologies of Science and Technology Studies (STS) to explain how technologies shape—and are shaped by—the social world.
- Assess the ethical implications of technology use and development, with attention to power, inequality, and social context.
- Construct and communicate a critical appraisal of contemporary technology and its social implications.