4:00pm |
|
Life and Death in 2050: Knowledge, Technology, and the Future
(Special Event)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
4 PM - 1870 Litton Reaves Hall
Reception to follow at 7 PM at Residence of Prof. Gary Downey.
What will the world be like in 2050? Predictions based on climate change, energy use, population growth, and economic shifts suggest that social and environmental problems will become more prominent,especially for the world's poor. STS offers some intellectual resources for averting increasing social and environmental degradation through the study of large technological systems and the transitions of technological regimes. However, the research needs to be amplified by a broader political and economic analysis that addresses the problem of why some transitions do not occur and why some transition pathways are chosen over others. The broader perspective leads to an appreciation of the role of social movements and of universities in the politics of
>technological transitions and in theories of science, technology, and society.
David Hess is Professor of STS and Director of the Program in Ecological Economics, Values, and Policy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been a central figure in the field of Science & Technology Studies for the past two decades, focusing on anthropological and social issues in technology, health, and the environment. His most recent book is Alternative Pathways in Science and Industry (MIT Press, 2007).
For more information, including a color poster suitable for printing and distribution, see www.sts.vt.edu.
|
