Science and Technology Studies (STS) in the Educational and Social Sciences

Technological innovations and materialities have always been a central element of educational processes - from teaching aids and uniforms to classroom designs. Contemporary educational practices draw from a rich tapestry of knowledge and rely increasingly on technological infrastructures. From evidence-based teaching to the emergence of new educational audit regimes, large scale assessments and student data tracking, science and technology shape how education is designed and delivered. Moreover, the knowledges and technologies produced by  universities and other educational institutions shape societies in crucial ways, and at the same time, as a key area of public policy, education is impacted by social norms and ideologies and state regulation.

This summer school explores how Science and Technology Studies (STS) provides a critical lens to examine these dynamics - contemporary and historical - across different local, national or global contexts. As an interdisciplinary field that investigates how science, technology, and society are co-produced, STS offers concepts and methods that enable researchers to analyze the complex interactions between knowledge, technology, and education, revealing the social, political, and ethical dimensions at play.

The summer school welcomes doctoral candidates, post-docs and early-career researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds in the humanities and the social and educational sciences. The program is intended for researchers already adopting STS approaches in their work,  as well as those with curiosity about STS and an interest in enhancing their analytical toolkit. Whether you are working with contemporary or historical perspectives on topics such as digital technologies in education, policy analysis, curriculum studies, classroom studies, educational governance, or the socio-materiality of technological innovations, this program offers a unique space to engage with like-minded scholars and explore how STS concepts and methodological sensitivities can inform your research project.

Throughout the program, participants will engage with core STS concepts and explore how they can be applied in educational research. A strong emphasis is placed on methodological reflection, encouraging participants to engage with key questions such as: how can STS-informed methods contribute to educational research or research on education in the fields of humanities and the social sciences? What types of sources are needed for STS-informed research practices and how should they be interpreted? What challenges emerge when studying the sociomateriality of educational practices? Through these discussions, participants will expand and refine their analytical approaches and gain deeper insights into the emerging and historical relationship between education, science, and technology.

This summer school is taught by a group of internationally renowned scholars with diverse expertise, including Radhika Gorur, Nelli Piattoeva, Elin Sundström Sjödin, Camilla Addey, Lina Rahm, and Christian Lundahl.

This summer school share teaching staff with the master track “Ethics of Education: philosophy, history and law”

The organizers of this course also offer the MA-track Ethics of Education.