Department of Science and Technology Studies

The department of Science and Technology Studies was established in 1987 at the University of Vienna. Our aim is to foster critical reflexive debate concerning the developments of science, technology and society with scientists and students from all disciplines, but also with wider publics. In contemporary societies, societal change, political governance but also everyday decisions are ever more strongly based on scientific and technological knowledge. Innovations and discoveries receive high public attention, as their application potential is scrutinised and often taken as an indicator of future possibilities for societal development. These discourses of progress are however also accompanied by more critical voices, which stress the potential risks spawned by new techno-scientific knowledge, and which open up a range of fundamental questions on the relations of sciences and societies. Which knowledge do we as societies want to produce, and which structures are needed to successfully do so? Where should societies allow techno-scientific developments to develop freely, where should they set limits? And who should have voice in all of these fundamental decisions? These are but a few of the most crucial questions we are confronted with today.