HIST 363: Perspectives on Science, Engineering and Mathematics

Instructor: Sean Seyer

Day & Time:
Online Synchronous
Thursday: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM


Fulfills:
KU Core Goal 3 (H)
Core 34 Goal AH
HIST Cat I
Black and White Image depicting two women working a switchboard

Perspectives on Science, Engineering and Mathematics

How has the creation of scientific and technological knowledge shaped society, and how has society shaped how scientists and engineers interact with and understand the world? In HIST 363, you will explore the multifaceted and complex relationship between practitioners of science and technology and the broader social, cultural, and political structures in which they exist. From the religious motivations behind space exploration to the continued impact of scientific racism and discriminatory practices in medicine, this course will cultivate your critical thinking and research skills as we examine key themes in the history of science and technology. 

See How this Course Fits into Your Schedule  

Official Catalog Description:

  • This course places the historical creation of scientific and technological knowledge within a broader social, cultural, and political context.

  • Students will learn that the STEM disciplines are not merely a static body of facts, theories, and techniques but involve diverse, evolving processes which are continually generated and reformulated.

  • By examining the role of failure in knowledge creation, the religious motivations behind space exploration, the continued legacy of racist practices in medicine, the construction and ramifications of "Big Science,"

  • and other topics, students will go beyond the "genius inventor" narrative to question the presumed neutrality and progressive inevitability of scientific and technological advancements.

  • Through a mixture of online activities, readings, videos, and synchronous online discussions, we will also examine the formulation and codification of "expertise," investigate the process of professionalization within the STEM fields,

  • and interrogate how science and technology have supported systems of oppression throughout history.