A summary of the course Science Technology and Society at Utrecht University (GEO-2274). Includes the theories Large Technical systems (LTS), Social Constructivism of Technology (SCOT), Actor-Network Theory (ANT), Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) and Strategic Niche Management (SNM) and the concepts o...
LTS (Large Technical/Technological Systems)
This theory is built around the idea of investigating the entire system with interconnected
elements around a technology and not just the technological artifact itself. The system is
made up of technological components, individuals and institutions. The system can be
divided into subsystems.
An LTS goes through stages of evolution:
1. The invention/innovation/development phase
2. The transfer phase
3. The competition/growth/consolidation phase
4. The decline phase which was added later because an LTS does not last forever and
is replaced by another LTS
Key concepts
A system builder is a trans-disciplinary problem solver who identifies and solves critical
problems in the system by re-aligning elements. There are different types of system builders,
dependent on where in the evolution of the system they play a key role, for example the
innovator-entrepreneur in phase 1 or the financier-entrepreneur in the growth/consolidation
phase. System builders are often seen as the heroes of the system (for example elon musk
or thomas edison)
A reverse salient is a situation where one of the elements of a system is not sufficiently
developed which causes the whole system to struggle with expanding or reached targets.
Momentum in LTS is a system in the consolidation phase which has many
technical/organizational components (mass), growth and expansiveness (speed) and goal-
directedness (direction). This makes it difficult to change (lock-in) and sets large technical
systems apart from other technical systems.
Technological style means that a similar system in a different environment can develop
differently. For example, the garbage disposal system in the netherlands and bangladesh are
very different, although they share a lot of similar system elements. This shows that there is
not one best way of doing things.
The load factor is a ratio between the average system output and the maximum system
output and can be used to explain the growth of capital intensive LTS in interest-calculating
societies.
Seamless web is an alternative word for system, because all the factors are interconnected
and are merged, which makes it hard to differentiate between social and technical
components, making it a seamless web.
Criticism
The precise meanings of the terms ‘large’, ‘technical’ and ‘system’ are underspecified and
problematic
, Too much emphasis on ‘heroic system builders’, too little on other ‘unruly critical actors’
Assumption of ‘given direction’ and ‘knowable critical problems’ (teleology) because there is
not always a clear direction a system has to go and critical problems are not always
immediately discovered or entirely solved.
SCOT (Social Constructivism of Technology)
The theory originated from the idea that success and failure should be explained in the same
way. This symmetry principle is applied to technology, by explaining the success/failure of a
technology by looking at the social context. It is a way of understanding the co-evolution of
technology and society.
Social constructivism is the opposite of technological determinism:
Key concepts
Relevant Social groups
Social groups are organizations or(un)organized groups of individuals.
These social groups are relevant when all members of the social group attach the same set
of meanings to a specific artifact.
Interpretative Flexibility
Scientific findings are open to more than one interpretation. It shows that neither the artifacts
identity nor the technological success or failure are intrinsic properties to the artifact, it is
reliant on the social context it is given. This means that the way in which a technology has
developed could have been developed in an entirely different way.
The meaning of technological artefacts is not pre-given but is socially constructed. There is
not just one possible or best way of designing an artefact. Interpretative flexibility: how
people think about a technology but also in how artefacts are designed.
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