Abstract

"Black Box" is a common metaphor across a range of different research disciplines. Despite its popularity, "black boxes" often mean different things in different research practices' contexts and even varies within a single context. Having previously investigated the meaning of black boxes in electronic engineering, in this colloquium I turn to an investigation black boxes' meaning in the field of STS (studies on the interplay of science, technology, and society). I begin with Whitley's (1970) discussion of "black boxism" within the sociology of science and then trace the black box' different meanings during the 1980's where STS began to stabilise as a research field in its own right, with the introduction of, e.g., the "social construction of technology" research programme and the "actor-network" conceptual framework. My conclusion is that "black box" became a metaphor for problematising previous traditions in science and technology studies, as well as illustrating tensions concerning the taken-for-grantedness of scientific facts and instruments which informed STS's general discourse. At the end of the colloquium, attendees should feel comfortable in knowing what STS researchers talk about when they talk about "opening" black boxes.

Coffee, tea, cake and fruit will be served before the colloquium @2 pm.