The Institute for Science and Society (ISS) is a cross-faculty institute within The University of Nottingham. We undertake cutting edge research focusing on how science and technology interacts with people, organisations and society. Our mission is to promote interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research and teaching relating to all aspects of science, technology and society; and to act as an international forum for academic discussion and exchange. We are committed to advancing policy, enhancing research and teaching and stimulating public debate in this area.
No aspect of life in our contemporary world is untouched by science and technology - the food we eat, the way we spend our leisure time, our health care and how we fight wars. Science and Technology Studies is an interdisciplinary field that investigates how science and technology influences our lives and conversely, how we influence it. Some of the themes covered by Science and Technology Studies include:
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How are scientific advances actually made and how are they shaped by expectations and visions of the future?
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What are the tacit assumptions that underlie specific scientific knowledge claims?
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How can we understand the role of scientific and technical evidence in policy debates and how do we relate this to value judgments or the views of different stakeholders and publics?
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What might be the wider implications or unintended consequences of research projects or the implementation of technologies?
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Do funding agendas influence the conduct of scientific research, and if so, how?
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How do science and technology influence our sense of identity?
The Institute is built on a strong legacy of core staff experienced in interdisciplinary work at the cutting edge of the social sciences and humanities, with close connections across the University of Nottingham in fundamental sciences, engineering, health sciences and veterinary sciences.
ISS continues to extend its international networks in Europe, North America, and, increasingly, Asia, through the University's pioneering campuses in Malaysia and China. It supports a dynamic research environment, combining academic integrity and the highest quality of scholarship with sensitivity to the needs of the wider society as expressed through the commissions of major research funders and policy customers.