Please note that this syllabus should be regarded as only a general guide to the course. The instructor may have changed
specific course content and requirements subsequent to posting this syllabus. Last Modified: 13:56:51 01/20/2010
Boston College
SC572: Sociology of Science Studies
(Subtitle: Actor-Network Theory: An Introduction and Some Applications)
Spring Semester 2010
Dr. Brian J. Gareau
LOCATION: McGuinn 415
Thursdays 4:30-6:50
OFFICE: McGuinn, Room 412
OFFICE PHONE: (617) 552-8148
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays 3-5pm and by appointment
EMAIL: gareau@bc.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Actor‐network theory (ANT) is becoming quite influential in many areas, from sociology to techno‐
science studies, to feminist studies, to economics, to geography and environmental sociology. As one BC sociology doctoral student told me, “I noticed it popping up in unexpected places during the ASAʹs last summer (a session on culture and agency), … [another] grad. student in sociology was inundated with it at workshops with the SSRC, and Anne Fausto‐Sterling opened our [Sociology] departmental seminar with a quote from [Bruno Latour’s] Reassembling the Social. I think itʹs going to be increasingly difficult to avoid bumping into the perspective and, more specifically, Latourʹs works, no matter what sort of sociological specialty one works in. In fact, I sort of stumbled upon ANT a few years back while trying to figure out what ʺsocial constructionismʺ is and means and Iʹm glad I did, as a few of ANTʹs concepts and its broader approach have really influenced how I think about my research.” I have had similar experiences with ANT “popping up” in an around my work in environmental sociology, political economy, and critical sociology. So, here we have a brief introduction into the world of ANT. Readings from Weeks 1‐4 follow the trajectory of some of ANT founder Bruno Latour’s foundational works. Weeks 5‐9 involve debates in and around ANT as applied to environmental problems from within ANT, and from “ANTish” critical environmental sociology/geography. Weeks 10‐11 visit Latour’s Reassembling the Social. While Reassembling the Social claims to be an introduction to the world of ANT, my initial perusings of this text lead me to believe that some background will help the reader understand this overview of ANT’s ontology and application from a critical perspective. Readings: Readings are available on the Library Course Reserves (under “SC572). One reading, “War of the Worlds,” is available on Blackboard Vista, and all books are on reserve at the O’Neill Library. The two books, Reassembling the Social, and We Have Never Been Modern will have to be bought. The will be available at the BC bookstore, or you may purchase on‐line. 1
Grade: Graduate students: Your grade will be based on 1) your level of participation, and 2) your opening comments, which will be given at least once. Undergraduate students: You will be required to 1) write a 1 to 2‐page reflection on the readings each week, and 2) provide a short final paper reflecting on the experiences of this course. Auditors: Must be graduate students and are asked to read the readings for the weeks in which they choose to participate as much as possible. *** December Break: Recommended reading: Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Kuhn 1996). Undergraduate Reflection Guidelines: 1. In the first paragraph, provide the general thread of argument, ideas, concepts, and/or
themes that run through the readings for the week.
2. In the body of the paper, discuss in detail some of the key concepts and arguments.
Discuss the readings in an integrative way; put the current readings in conversation with
previous readings. Dig deep into the readings; do not provide a superficial summary.
Rather, engage with the reading by giving a critical review of what you choose to focus
on.
3. Then, give your view on some of these concepts. Which concepts, arguments make
sense to you? Which do not? Use readings from previous weeks to support your claims.
4. This assignment will take some time to master, but it is a valuable skill, so work hard at it.
5. Readings should be studied before the class for which they are assigned. These
assignments also count for your attendance, and you may not turn them in late or in
absentia from the class.
Reading List: 1. Week 1 (January 21): Introductions 2. Week 2 (January 28): Selections from Science in Action (Latour 1987) a. Read: Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2 Further reading that might be useful as an introduction: (Dolwick 2009) Opening comments: ________________________________________ 3. Week 3 (February 4) *** No Class *** a. Instead: Please Attend the Sociology Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series Lecture by David Harvey in Higgins Room 300. i. *** Undergrads: Weekly write‐up based on the talk, please. *** 4. Week 4. (February 11): We Have Never Been Modern (Latour 1993) a. Read: Entire book Opening comments: ________________________________________ 2
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Week 5 (February 18): Callonʹs “Some Elements” (Callon 1986), Latourʹs “Where are the Missing Masses?”(Latour 1992), and selection from Pandoraʹs Hope (soils chapter) (Latour 1999) a. From Pandora’s Hope, read: Chapters 1 and 2 Opening comments: ________________________________________ 6. Week 6 (February 25): Latourʹs War of the Worlds? pamphlet (Latour 2002), “When Things Strike Back” (Latour 2002) , and “Matters of Fact and Matters of Concern” (Latour 2004) a. War of the Worlds piece is available on BBVista. If you are auditing, email me and I will send it to you. Opening comments: ________________________________________ 7. Week 7 (March 4, Spring Break) No Class 8. Week 8 (March 11): selections from The Politics of Nature (Latour 2004) a. Read: Chapters 1, 5, and Conclusion Opening comments: ________________________________________ 9. Week 9 (March 18): Critical Sociology/Geography and ANT (Fine 2005; Castree 2002; Gareau 2005; Rudy and Gareau 2005) *** I am chairing a session at the ESS this day‐ Who can lead the discussion??? Reading in chronological order is best. Opening comments: ________________________________________ 10. Week 10 (March 25): ANT and the Environment (Perkins 2007; Holifield 2009; Harrison 2007; Bakker 2009) Chronological reading probably best. Opening comments: ________________________________________ 11. Week 11 (April 1, Holy Thursday, No Class): 12. Week 12 (April 8) Climate Change, Technocracy, and Scientific Uncertainty (DuPuis and Gareau 2008; Shackley and Wynne 1996; Lahsen 2005) Reading in chronological order might be best. Opening comments: ________________________________________ 13. Week 13 (April 15) *** I am presenting at the AAG‐ No Class *** 3
14. Week 14 (April 22): Class Climate, Boundary organizations, and Surveillance (Agrawala, Broad, and Guston 2001; Miller 2001; Gad and Lauritsen 2009) [Recommended (for understanding Foucauldian notions of surveillance, governmentality): Selection from A History of Sexuality (Foucault 1990) available from Course Reserves] Opening comments: ________________________________________ 15. Week 15 (April 29) Reassembling the Social Part I (Latour 2005) Opening comments: ________________________________________ 16. Week 16 (May 6): Reassembling the Social Part II (Latour 2005) Opening comments: ________________________________________ 17. May 7‐10 Study Days, No classes 18. May 11‐18 Term Examinations Readings to be used: Agrawala, S., K. Broad, and D. H. Guston. 2001. Integrating Climate Forecasts and Societal
Decision Making: Challenges to an Emergent Boundary Organization Science, Technology,
& Human Values 26 (4):454-477.
Bakker, K. 2009. Commentary. Environment & Planning A 41:1781-1787.
Callon, M. 1986. Some Elements of a Sociology of Translation: Domestication of the Scallops
and the Fisherman of St Brieuc Bay. In Power, Action and Belief: A New Sociology of Knowledge,
edited by J. Law.
Castree, N. 2002. False Antitheses? Marxism, Nature and Actor-Networks. Antipode 34 (1):111146.
Dolwick, J. S. 2009. 'The Social' and Beyond: Introducing Actor-Network Theory. Journal of
Maritime Archaeology 4:21-49.
DuPuis, E. M., and B. J. Gareau. 2008. Neoliberal Knowledge: The Decline of Technocracy and
the Weakening of the Montreal Protocol. Social Science Quarterly 89 (5):1212-1229.
Fine, B. 2005. From Actor-Network Theory to Political Economy. Capitalism, Nature, Socialism 16
(4):91-108.
Foucault, M. 1990. The History of Sexuality: An Introduction. New York: Vintage.
Gad, C., and P. Lauritsen. 2009. Situated Surveillance: An Ethnographic Study of Fisheries
Inspection in Denmark. Surveillance and Society 7 (1):49-57.
Gareau, B. J. 2005. We Have Never Been ‘Human’: Agential Nature, ANT, and Marxist Political
Ecology. Capitalism, Nature, Socialism 16 (4):128-140.
Harrison, J. 2007. Abandoned Bodies and Spaces of Sacrifice: Pesticide Drift Activism and the
Contestation of Neoliberal Environmental Politics in California. Geoforum forthcoming.
Holifield, R. 2009. Actor-Network Theory as a Critical Approach to Environmental Justice: A
Case against Synthesis with Urban Ecology. Antipode 41 (4):637-658.
Kuhn, T. S. 1996. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
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Lahsen, M. 2005. Technocracy, Democracy, and U.S. Climate Politics: The Need for
Demarcations. Science, Technology, & Human Values 30 (1):137-169.
Latour, B. 1987. Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society. Cambridge,
Mass.: Harvard University Press.
———. 1992. ‘‘Where Are the Missing Masses? The Sociology of a Few Mundane Artifacts’’. In
Shaping Technology/Building Society: Studies in Sociotechnical Change, edited by W. E. Bijker and J.
Law. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
———. 1993. We Have Never Been Modern. Translated by C. Porter. second ed. Cambridge:
Harvard University Press.
———. 1999. Pandora's Hope: Essays on the Reality of Science Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard
University Press.
———. 2002. War of the Worlds: What about Peace? Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press.
———. 2002. When Things Strike Back: A Possible Contribution of 'Science Studies' to the
Social Sciences. British Journal of Sociology 51 (1):107-124.
———. 2004. The Politics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences into Democracy. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press.
———. 2004. Why Has Critique Run out of Steam? Matters of Fact to Matters of Concern.
Critical Inquiry 30 (2).
———. 2005. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network Theory. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Miller, C. 2001. Hybrid Management: Boundary Organizations, Science Policy, and
Environmental Governance in the Climate Regime. Science, Technology, & Human Values 26
(4):478-500.
Perkins, H. 2007. Ecologies of actor-networks and (non)social labor within the urban political
economies of nature Geoforum 38 (6):1152-1162.
Rudy, A., and B. J. Gareau. 2005. Actor-Network Theory, Marxist Economics, and Marxist
Political Ecology. Capitalism, Nature, Socialism 16 (4):85-90.
Shackley, S., and B. Wynne. 1996. Representing Uncertainty in Global Climate Change Science
and Policy: Boundary-ordering Devices and Authority. Science, Technology, & Human Values
21 (3):275-302.
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