Technology and Society, also known as Science, Technology and Society (STS), is an interdisciplinary field that studies the complex co-production, co-influence, and co-evolution between technological systems and the social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental contexts in which they are embedded. It challenges the notion of technological determinism by examining how social forces shape the design, implementation, and use of technology, and conversely, how technological change reorganizes social life, power structures, and human experience.
Technology and Society
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Wiki Context
Overview
Overview and Intellectual Foundations
Defines the field, its interdisciplinary scope, and key theoretical paradigms that distinguish it from purely technical or social studies.
Historical Co-evolution
Examines major historical epochs, from the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions to the Information Age, analyzing how technology and society have mutually shaped each other.
Core Theories and Frameworks
Explores foundational theories including Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), Actor-Network Theory (ANT), Technological Determinism, and Critical Theory of Technology.
Key Domains of Study
Classifies and investigates critical areas such as digital media and communication, biotechnology and ethics, environmental technology, surveillance, and automation.
Applications and Societal Impact
Assesses real-world implications on equity (the digital divide), democracy, privacy, work, health, and global development.
Critiques, Controversies, and Ethical Dilemmas
Discusses major criticisms, including technological solutionism, ethical challenges in AI and bioengineering, environmental costs, and issues of power and control.
Future Trajectories and Emerging Research
Explores frontiers such as AI governance, post-humanism, sustainable tech, and participatory design, alongside new methodologies for public engagement and policy.
Social Structures and Technological Systems
Analyzes the components of this interaction: institutions (e.g., corporations, governments), infrastructure, labor, policy, and the role of users and non-users.