Module description
How do new forms of knowledge originate? How have nature, humans, the world, disease, health and technology been understood in the past? How has science and medicine defined categories of things and objects, and with what effects? How have science, technology and medicine been embroiled in power struggles and conflicts, both within their own fields and within wider society?
In this course, we will investigate these and other questions, and think about the history of science, technology and medicine across a range of periods and geographic regions. Our starting point is that science and knowledge does not develop in a vacuum, but has always been informed by and had consequences for wider society. Following this, we will examine how science, technology and medicine have affected historical events and processes, and how history and culture have shaped science, technology and medicine.
To engage with these issues, we will study a series of key works in the history of science, technology and medicine, getting to grips with important approaches and theories. We will then apply these approaches to different historical contexts, testing them out by applying them to clear historical case-studies. In doing so, you will gain both an insight into complex arguments and an ability to relate them to historical areas of interest.
Assessment details
1 x 3,500 words essay (100%)
Teaching pattern
10 x 2-hour weekly seminars