Funded by
  TA-SWISS (Center for Technology Assessment at the Swiss Science and Technology Council)
  SAGW-ASSH (Schweizerische Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften) 

Start
  October 2004 

Project Partners
  University of Basel, Science Studies – Prof. Dr. S. Maasen
  University of Lausanne, Observatoire Science, Politique, Société – Dr. M. Merz
  EMPA, Technology and Society Laboratory – Dr. M. Merz

   
Objectives

The project investigates how technology assessment can be approached systematically from within the social sciences and humanities. It aims at identifying the relevant research questions constituted by this perspective and at analyzing the consequences of this approach for the type of results obtained. The project particularly considers how to integrate concepts from Science and Technology Studies (STS) into technology assessment in order to more appropriately account for a technology's socio-cultural constructedness. Work-packages include a state of the art analysis of recent TA-SWISS studies as well as an exploration of the potential to extend TA-methods to assess "social engineering".

   
Contact: Martina Merz

    
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