Society for Social Studies of Science

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The Society for Social Studies of Science (often abbreviated as 4S) is, as its website claims, "the oldest and largest scholarly association devoted to understanding science and technology."[1] Its charter was drafted in 1975,[2] and its first President was Robert K. Merton.[3] It is currently based out of the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University. It publishes the quarterly academic journal Science, Technology, & Human Values and has a large annual conference attended by many scholars from a diverse range of fields, including sociology of science, science studies, history of science, philosophy of science, anthropology of science, economics, political science, psychology, as well as science educators and scientists.

It gives out the Ludwig Fleck Prize annually for "best book in the area of science and technology studies", the Rachel Carson Prize for "a work of social or political relevance", the John Desmond Bernal Prize for an individual who made "a distinguished contribution to the field", and the Nicholas C. Mullins Award for "outstanding scholarship in science and technology studies" by a graduate student.[4] As of 2007 the current President of the society was Susan Leigh Star, with Michael Lynch as the President Elect, and Bruno Latour as the most recent past President. 4S is governed by a nine-person council as well as its President.[5]

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ About the Society for Social Studies of Science. Emphasis in original.
  2. ^ Arnold Thackray, "Many Happy Returns," 4S Review 1, no. 1 (Spring 1983): p. 2.
  3. ^ 4S Past Officers.
  4. ^ Prizes and Awards, 4S.
  5. ^ 4S Governance.

[edit] External links

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