AD021 Modern Social Thought and Movements (Science,

Technology and Society)

Course Overview
This course will explore the social context in which science and technology develops and the social,
economic and political consequences of scientific and technological innovation. The aim of this
trajectory is to think about where science and technology come from, the factors that shape the way
they are used and the forces that determine their impact on society. Through different topics, it will
examine the varying contexts out of which technological inventions have occurred and will offer a
range of academic perspectives through which students may critically assess the relationship between
scientific and technological invention, use and progress. In so doing, it also aims to offer some
preliminary reflections on the nature of science and technology as practices themselves.
.
Related courses
The qualitative and reflective nature of this course will serve as a strong basis for formulating critical
thinking skills and the ability to construct theoretically-driven arguments. These skills will be of primary
importance for students’ TFGs in their final year, and also for any other essay-based project.

Course Objectives
By the end of this course students should be able:
1. To understand the duality in society’s relationship with technological progress.

2. To critically approach scientific and technological systems and accounts of their change.

3. To broadly STS as a field of academic study and to be comfortable using the key
theoretical tools from the discipline to assess the nature of science and technology.

4. To synthesise texts/videos/podcasts and analyse them in, with, and against other sources.

Learning Outcomes
On the completion of this course students will have acquired/achieved:

• Critical Thinking.
• Basic theoretical knowledge of the subject.
• Development of written and oral communication skills.
• Development of Information management skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
 • Teamwork.
• Intrapersonal knowledge and development.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Cross-cultural skills.
• Creativity.
• A search for quality excellence.
• Self Motivation.
• Generative learning

Course structure and calendar

Week beginning
February
5 1. Course Introduction: Syllabus overview + group discussion with professor.

12 2. What does it mean to study Science and Technology? Experts and Amateurs

19 3. Does technology shape society or does society shape technology? Determinism

and social constructivism

26 4. Coming Down From the Clouds: The Materiality of the Internet

March

4 5. Biometrics, Cashless Societies and the Politics of Data

18 (MIDTERM EXAM WEEK)

April

1 6. Project Introduction + Genetics and Gene Editing: Delegation, Affordance and

Social Groups.

8 7. Technologies of the City + Project Work

15 8. Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Revolutions and Governance

22 (La Salle Week)

29 9. Space Exploration

May

6 Project Presentations

13 Project Presentations

20 Course Review

27 – June 7 Final Exam Period

Course evaluation
REQUIREMENTS, EXPECTATIONS, ASSESSMENT

EVALUATION

Students will be assessed in four ways:

1. Participation (30%): Discussion, Reading, Exit Slip

2. Midterm Multiple Choice Exam (15%)

3. Group Project Poster + Presentation (25%) (delegation, social interests and affordances)

4. Final Exam (30%): short answer and essay-based questions based upon material covered in classes and
in weekly assignments.

Retake Policy
If a student fails the course (receives less than 5 overall), then they may take a resist exam. This will be worth
45% (100% - Participation Grade + Poster and Presentation) and will be weighted along with the 50% of marks
already awarded for participation and the group project. Completion of all assessments is required to be
considered to pass the course. Students who miss one aspect will receive 0 overall for the course.

Class Participation and Rules:

• Feel free to raise your hand anytime that you wish to raise a question, clarify something or offer an
answer/input to the discussion,
• Please respect the right of whoever is talking. Your ideas are important for the class so please share
them during your turn.
• Students who do not act following the classroom etiquette will be asked to leave the class. In the
case of such instances, they will not be allowed to present their project or submit their paper for the module.

Important: Use of electronic devices including text messaging, talking on a mobile phone, browsing
WhatsApp, listening to music, etc.) are not allowed in class. Your professor will explain their specific class
rules at the beginning of the class and reserve the right to ask you to leave should you be actively or
passively disturbing the class.

Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. This is taking extremely seriously and the university’s guidelines
will be strictly adhered to.

Cheating includes:
1. Plagiarism - lifting sentence/s from other materials or using someone else’s ideas/findings without
acknowledging the source in both writing assignments and presentations.
2. Passing off another person’s exam/paper as one’s own
3. Using crib sheets and prepared answers, written anywhere.
4. Copying from another student (this includes written assignments, quizzes and exams).
5. Downloading papers and/or information from the web and passing them off as your own
(remember: If they are not your words, reference the source.)
IMPORTANT: Cheating is a serious academic offense and will mean an automatic “zero” for the exam or
paper. The case will also be reported to the administration.

Methodology
The course will consist of a mixture of lectures, videos, readings, in-class activities and discussions. The
lectures will be analysis and expansion of the required readings. To understand these concepts, it is
essential that required readings be completed on time. Participative attendance is a major aspect
of this course.

About the professors

Course Professor: Dr. Adam Brisley
E-mail: adamleon.brisley@salle.url.edu
Dr Adam Brisley is a medical anthropologist with a PhD from the University of Manchester (2015). His
research concerns public healthcare in an era of reform and austerity. He has conducted long-term
ethnographic studies of health systems in Manchester, Salford (England) and Barcelona (Catalonia) and
has articles published in various leading social science journals including Medical Anthropology and
Sociology of Health and Illness. At La Salle, he teaches Cross Cultural Management, International
Economics in the Digital Era and Modern Social Thought and Movements (Science, Technology & Society).

Course Professor: Arnau Demergasso Vila

E-mail: arnau.demergasso@salle.url.edu
Arnau Demergasso holds a Bachelor inPhilosophy that specialises in social, ethical and political research.
He has a particular interest in totalitarian studies, as well as the intersection between historical events
and their social, economic and political context. He has taught and researched at La Salle as part of
the Observatory of Quantum Technologies, which looks at the broader social, political and economic
structures that shape the industry.

Subject and Knowledge Area Co-Ordinator: Dr Eóin Phillips

E-mail: eoinedward.phillips@salle.url.edu
Dr Eóin Phillips is a full-time professor at La Salle and principal co-researcher in the Observatory of
Quantum Technology (Smart Society Research Group). He teaches and coordinates across the
university’s courses in economics and technology studies. His research specialises in the intersection of
science, technology and economics, from the eighteenth century to the present day. He gained his
MPhil and PhD in History of Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge and before joining
La Salle researched and taught at the University of Cambridge, Ruskin College, Oxford, and at the
Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).