Science, Technology, and Society Studies

Science, technology, and society (STS) is an interdisciplinary field that seeks greater understanding of the processes by which science, technology, and society mutually shape each other. Research in STS calls attention to and critiques oversimplified conceptions in three broad categories: (1) the nature of scientific knowledge and practice, (2) the process by which technology develops, and (3) the role of science and technology in human experience. A recurring theme in STS is that scientific discovery and technological advancement do not automatically lead to comprehensive social [Page 739]progress. Much work in the field, therefore, focuses on realizing the positive potential latent in new knowledge, techniques, and devices, as well as in avoiding undesirable unintended consequences and other negative outcomes.

Communication enters into the mutual shaping of STS in a multiplicity of ways. Communication within and between expert communities is essential to discovery and innovation. Public discourse ranging from science textbooks and news reporting to advertising, literature, and the arts both reflects and shapes our understanding of science as an essential aspect of culture, an important subject of public policy, and a stimulus to ethical deliberation. STS, as a field of study, coalesced around a view of science and technology as embedded in social context and evolving through processes in which human choices and values play a crucial role. The insights of STS alert us to questions that should be asked about scientific and technical knowledge, its origins and applications, its roots in human concerns and values, and the limits of expertise. This entry locates STS in the context of related fields, provides an overview of key issues and concepts in STS, and highlights significant intersections between STS and communication.