Wissenschaft – Technologie – Gesellschaft

Fungi in the Anthropocene
Manuel John
with A. Schiffers and J. Greiser
00LE62S-WTG-002301

In this seminar we want to approach the realm of fungi (commonly known as mushrooms) from biological, ecological, cultural and philosophical perspectives.

We will continue to build a bridge between the biological materiality of fungi and mycelial networks and their globally very different cultural embedding in value systems and rituals. Why are there mycophilic and mycophobic societies, i.e. cultures that love or loathe fungi? What is the reason for these very different cultural reactions to mushrooms?

We will also look at the change from indigenous and everyday knowledge to scientificization, as well as the development of concepts such as symbiosis in biology, but also in society.

As Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing illustrates in her much-discussed book The Mushroom at the End of the World, mushrooms can serve us to concretize general questions. In this sense, the seminar will explore how fungi can help us better understand the human and natural world, both locally and globally, and their possible futures.

In this seminar we will approach the realm of fungi (commonly known as mushrooms) from biological, ecological, cultural and philosophical perspectives.

We repeatedly bridge the gap between the biological materiality of fungi and mycelial webs to their globally very different cultural embeddedness in value systems and rituals. Why are there mycophilic and mycophobic societies, i.e. cultures that love or detest mushrooms? What is the reason for these culturally very different reactions to mushrooms?

We will look at the shift from indigenous and everyday knowledge to a scientization of knowledge about fungi, as well as the evolution of concepts such as symbiosis in biology but also in society.

As Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing illustrates in her much discussed book The Mushroom at the End of the World, mushrooms can serve us to concretize general questions. With this in mind, the seminar will explore how fungi can help us better understand the human and natural worlds, both local and global, and their possible futures.

The languages of instruction are both English and German. Course participants may complete coursework and examinations in both languages.

The languages of instruction are both English and German. Students may complete both the coursework and examinations in either language.

Environmental Conflict: Expertise, Power, and the Control of Nature
Dr. Nicholas Buchanan
00LE62S-WTG-002302

How safe, or unsafe, is the drinking water? And who gets to define “safe,” and by what metric? Should geoengineering be used to combat climate change? How can we ensure such decisions are just and inclusive? Is that animal species endangered? And if so, should we do something about it?

These are but a few of the questions at the center of ongoing environmental conflicts that affect the lives of everyone on earth, whether directly or indirectly. Such controversies are moments in which people disagree about the environmental past, present, and future; about what the relationship between the environment and human societies should or should not be; about how best to produce and communicate environmental knowledge; about who has the authority to govern the environment and the people in it; and about what action, if any, to take.

The course will focus on tracing the social, scientific, and technical dynamics of environmental conflicts and will draw consistently on concepts from the field of Science and Technology Studies (although no prior coursework in this area is required). Through theoretical and empirical readings, we will explore the dynamics of scientific and technical authority within environmental conflicts, the politics of expert disagreement, and the fate of plural ways of knowing and valuing the environment (e.g.,indigenous and local knowledge). We will also investigate how environmental decision-making is becoming increasingly participatory, complicating the boundaries between experts and the public, as well as between regulators and the regulated.

The language of instruction is English. However, students may contribute to discussions and fulfill all course requirements in English or German.

Neurodiversity and Disability Studies
Dr. Nicholas Buchanan
with A. Tsedik and C. Chambers
00LE62S-WTG-000202

This course introduces students to the study of neurodivergence and disability as socially,
culturally, and politically mediated concepts. In it, we will explore the idea that
neurodivergence and variations in ability are instantiations of human diversity. Through
discussions of major models of disability, including the medical and social models, we
will develop an understanding of how differences among people can and are being
reframed from deficits to valuable variations, and how categories such as “normal” are
highly contingent and malleable. We will also discuss how the medicalization of disability
has significant ramifications in terms of agency and power, and the ways that new media
and information technologies are fostering new connections, communities, and
mobilizations around neurodiversity and disability.

The course will take an international perspective, while at the same time, students will be
encouraged to explore and understand examples from their everyday live. The course
will combine discussions of readings with guest lectures and inputs, and will integrate
discussions of theory, concrete examples of neurodiversity and disability (e.g. autism,
ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia among others), and considerations of activism and
practice.

Sciences vs. Non- and Pseudo-Sciences: The Demarcation Problem
Prof. Dr. Frieder Vogelmann
00LE62S-WTG-000101

We have a rough and ready idea what sciences are and that some methods to gain knowledge are “scientific” whereas others are “unscientific.” Conducting a social survey, doing experiments in behavior economics or constructing computer models to predict how the climate changes is scientific, relying on hearsay, following gut intuitions or compiling knowledge from randomly selected search results on google is not. Moreover, we consider some fields of knowledge to be “pseudo-sciences.” Astrology is a prime example, although it was consider being a science for a long time.

How do we justify these intuitive judgments? What principles do we appeal to, and which elements of the sciences do we focus on? A central discussion in philosophy of science is devoted to precisely this “demarcation problem”: to finding criteria that distinguish between sciences, pseudo-sciences and non-scientific knowledge. Despite the fact that philosophers and scientists often agree on individual cases, giving an account of general criteria is not just surprisingly hard but the search for it was more or less abandoned in the 1980s. The demarcation problem was declared unsolvable or even a “pseudo-problem.” In the seminar, we will revisit this discussion and consider newer contributions, which were often prompted by political worries. After all, should philosophy of science not be able to show why e.g. creationism or astrology are not sciences?

Environmental Conflict: Expertise, Power, and the Control of Nature
Dr. Nicholas Buchanan
00LE62S-WTG-000102

Is that thing they’re calling food actually food? How safe, or unsafe, is the drinking water? And who gets to define “safe,” and by what metric? Will geoengineering be used to combat climate change? How can we ensure such decisions are just and inclusive? Is that animal species endangered? And if so, should we do something about it?

These are but a few of the questions at the center of ongoing environmental conflicts that affect the lives of everyone on earth, whether directly or indirectly. Such controversies are moments in which people disagree about the environmental past, present, and future; about what the relationship between the environment and human societies should or should not be; about how best to produce and communicate environmental knowledge; about who has the authority to govern the environment and the people in it; and about what action, if any, to take.

The course will focus on tracing the social, scientific, and technical dynamics of environmental conflicts. Through theoretical and empirical readings, we will explore the dynamics of scientific and technical authority within environmental conflicts, the politics of expert disagreement, and the fate of plural ways of knowing and valuing the environment (e.g.,indigenous and local knowledge). We will also investigate how environmental decision-making is becoming increasingly participatory, complicating the boundaries between experts and the public, as well as between regulators and the regulated.

Note on class times: Attendance at a student conference on Friday, 03.02. from 9.00 – 15.00 is required and incorporated into the contact time for the course. Please see HISinOne for details.

Course language: The course will be taught in English and course readings will be in English. However, students may participate in class discussions, and complete the Studien- und Pruüfungsleistungen of the course in either German or English.

Immortality: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Human Future
Dr. Nicholas Buchanan
with A. Unkelbach and M. Zierott
00LE62S-WTG-000103

Trigger warning: Mortality and death
While the focus of this seminar is the academic study of unending life-immortality-discussions may, unavoidably, involve the subject of mortality and death, even if only implicitly. Before enrolling in this class, please consider if you feel comfortable engaging with these topics.

New technologies, advances in medicine, and research in artificial intelligence raise the possibility, however far-fetched it may seem, of human immortality. While medicine has long, and often successfully, pursued the quest to extend lifespans, companies in the Silicon Valley are investing in the idea of unending life through artificial intelligence, and geneticists and biologists are thinking about ways to prolong life with stem cell- or gene therapy.

In this seminar, we will learn about and discuss the dreams and concrete research evolving around the goal of immortality. In addition to exploring bio-scientific, medical, and technical perspectives (in particular information technology), we will also discuss cultural concepts and narratives of immortality. In addition, we will consider the topic from psychological, economic, and resource perspectives, among others. Throughout, the course will reflect on the role of academics (including ourselves) in this field, and on critical questions of gender, race, (dis)ability, post-colonialism, and social justice.

All of these questions shall make us consider what the possibility of becoming immortal would mean for our society and ourselves as individuals. What dynamics could this create, and who should be granted the power to decide?

Note on class times: the first course meeting will be on 08.11. Attendance at a student conference on Friday, 03.02.2023 from 9.00 – 15.00 is required and incorporated into the contact time for the course. Please see HISinOne for details.

Course language: The course will be taught in English and course readings will be in English. However, students may participate in class discussions, and complete the Studien- und Pruüfungsleistungen of the course in either German or English.

Terraforming Earth-Terraforming Planet Earth
Dr. Nicholas Buchanan
Jonathan Fipper, University of Freiburg
Anton Schulte-Fischedick, University of Freiburg

The science fiction concept of terraforming is originally dedicated to the question of how celestial bodies can be transformed into habitable places through the active use of human technologies. But while the terraforming of extraterrestrial celestial bodies remains primarily the fantasy of a few billionaires, the large-scale, deliberate use of technologies to change Earth systems and living conditions on Earth is getting ever closer. How can the Earth system be preserved as a habitat for humans in the face of massive disruptions to natural systems in the context of the Anthropocene? Which technologies need to be used for this and how can they be scientifically and politically legitimized?

In order to approach these questions, we will look at the stress limits of different Earth system components (climate system, hydrosphere, pedosphere, cryosphere) and discuss possible solutions. In order to take a holistic view of the topic, an interdisciplinary perspective will be adopted. Uncertainty assessment and risk considerations will therefore be discussed as well as questions of power and ethics.

The seminar will be offered in presence, if possible. It will mainly be held in German, but contributions and performances can also be made in English.

Armchair Travels instead of long-distance adventures – How Corona is shaping the travel blogosphere
Vanessa Briese MA, DFG Research Training Group 2291, University of Bonn
Mirja Riggert MA, Department of English, University of Freiburg

The spread of the coronavirus brought tourism to a standstill for an extended period in 2020. Travel restrictions brought the world to a standstill, prompting further reflection on life in a globalized world. The former jet-setting has given way to a new ‘armchair traveling’, where virtual travel replaces real-world travel and micro-adventures are sought on the doorstep. These changing travel practices have also been evident on current travel blogs since the pandemic. The prescribed pause is inspiring many bloggers to develop a new awareness of sustainable and regional tourism that protects the climate and environment.The course project aims to bring together skills in an interdisciplinary and interfaculty exchange. Students critically examine global tourism practices, travel narratives in social media and the manifestations of digitalization during and after coronavirus. In addition to basic knowledge of media and cultural theory, they will gain methodological insights into interviewing and new media strategies. At the end of the course, an event is planned in cooperation with the Literaturhaus Freiburg, at which the course participants will present the knowledge they have acquired to a non-academic public.

The seminar is dedicated to the current events of changing travel practices and their media representations in travel blogs in three steps that bring theory and practice together:

• Theory part (6 sessions): Image and text narratives in travel blogs are analyzed from a media and cultural studies perspective.
• Practice-theoretical part (asynchronous group meetings): Students learn interview techniques and create their own podcast in which travel bloggers* are interviewed.
• Extracurricular part (an evening event, planned in presence): The students organize an event with the lecturers where travel bloggers are invited to a moderated discussion.

The results of the three blocks will be presented at the final SELF conference on 04.02.22, 09-16.

Feminist Science Studies
Muriel Lorenz MA, University of Freiburg
PD Dr. Frieder Vogelmann, University College Freiburg
Teija Wangler BA, University of Freiburg

Feminist Science Studies developed in the context of the so-called second wave of feminism in the early 1980s, which dealt with a broad range of topics relating to sexuality, reproduction, bodily autonomy and family structures. The distinction between sex and gender was of central importance for the movement and for feminist theorizing.Feminist critique of science is thematically and historically closely linked to Science and Technology Studies (STS) and was strongly influenced by feminist scientists, who are primarily based in the fields of anthropology and philosophy, but also in the STEM subjects. They were primarily concerned with viewing science as an integral part of culture and social power relations and therefore cannot be seen as separate from society.Feminist critique of science therefore seeks in particular to expose androcentric prejudices in the sciences, to decenter the white man as the general norm and thus to develop alternative epistemologies and methodologies as a kind of counterculture to science. This approach gave rise to a very heterogeneous field of research that encompasses a variety of currents and schools of thought.

The course aims to provide an overview of these ideas and developments in feminist critique of science. To this end, texts from four decades, different disciplines, approaches and currents will be included, dealing with both abstract and practical issues.

For the purpose of introduction and orientation, basic texts are first dealt with in order to then address the current situation of women in science. Studies, data and field reports will be used to examine the obstacles and challenges that women in science have faced and continue to face. There will also be an opportunity to talk directly to female researchers and gain personal insights into their experiences. This will be followed by an examination of how feminist values can be put into practice in the academic environment.In the third block of the course, students will explore feminist epistemology, discussing different epistemological approaches with a focus on standpoint theory and Haraway’s concept of situated knowledge. The next block deals with the areas of sexuality, human reproduction and reproductive technologies using practical examples from the field of STS/FSS research. Finally, the last block will move away from classical academic topics and instead look at the connection between science and art from a feminist perspective.

The course will be held in German, but the literature will mainly be in English.

Environmental Humanities
Katie Ritson, Carson Center Munich

This seminar introduces students to the humanistic study of the environment through reading and discussion of texts and completion of a research project. We will engage with texts from fields such as history, cultural anthropology, philosophy, and journalism on topics such as how the “environment” has been defined and understood across time and among different cultures; whether “the” environment even exists as a singular, distinct entity; and how cultures have represented both environments and their relationships with them.

We will further explore how societies have sought, and still seek, to understand the impact that they have on the natural world, and the natural world, in turn, on them; where the boundary between artifice and nature may lie; the ways, beyond the natural sciences, that cultures have created knowledge about the natural world around them; and how the humanistic study of the environment can inform other fields of study.

The class includes a methodological component, with an emphasis on methodological issues especially relevant to the environmental humanities.

Language of instruction: English (examination may be completed in German or English).

The mask – the face of Covid-19
Hannes Bürkel MA, Science and Technology Studies, University of Freiburg
ONLINE seminar (first session on 21.04.21)

The global pandemic is affecting our way of life in many ways and our perception of what is happening is constantly changing. In particular, masks and the wearing of them are being negotiated on a personal, medical, social and political level. These few square centimetres of fabric therefore provide an exciting starting point for ethnological observations. In the seminar, we would like to do this together – with the aim of gaining initial insights into ethnography, its theories, methods and questions. The planning, implementation and evaluation of an independently designed research project are central to this. Learning objectives include the teaching of methodological skills, in particular qualitative research methods and relevant survey and analysis procedures, as well as (self-)reflection on the part of the researcher.

Language of instruction: German. Examinations can be taken in German or English.

Social/Distanced: Critical and methodological perspectives on proxemic behavior in the pandemic
Prof. Dr. Veronika Lipphardt, Science and Technology Studies, University of Freiburg
Hannes Bürkel MA, Science and Technology Studies, University of Freiburg
Dr. Irina Siegel, Institute of Sociology, University of Freiburg

Although late modern society increasingly sees itself as a media society, face-to-face encounters still form the basis and reference point of social communication; the extent to which the necessary physical distancing and contact avoidance during the pandemic jeopardize the foundations of social communication remains unclear to this day. Established patterns of interpretation, which serve to confirm, repair and restore the shared communication framework, lose their general protective function during the pandemic. The fear of infection infiltrates mutual perceptions among passengers, work colleagues, neighbors and partners. Externally determined distancing rules collide with self-determined techniques of establishing proximity and distance, which are used to express respect and trust, sympathy and antipathy. Both offered and unoffered handshakes are viewed with suspicion during the pandemic. “Too much distance” and “too little distance” – both cause resentment and behavioural uncertainty as soon as status-emphasizing distances are generalized and confidential closeness is no longer considered trustworthy. The interdisciplinary block seminar deals with questions of cultural anthropological, historical and sociological provenance. The main focus will be on the comparison of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. It will be shown how the results of current surveys complement and contradict historical approaches.

Teaching languages: German with readings in English. Examinations can be taken in German or English.

Marine Ecosystems, their Management and Exploration
Jesko Becker, Department of Biometry and Environmental Systems Analysis, University of Freiburg

The majority of the earth’s surface is covered by the sea. Oceans therefore play a central role in the global fight against malnutrition, climate change and biodiversity loss. At the same time, they are a basis for many jobs, resources and activities and therefore have diverse stakeholders. Several research fields are dedicated to the study and monitoring of marine ecosystems worldwide and will be covered in this course. The course is aimed at students of all disciplines and deals with marine ecosystems with a focus on scientific approaches. An initial theoretical introduction to the broad subject matter will be complemented by “hands-on” work (independently and/or in teams). The majority of the course is also designed to prepare students for possible final theses (e.g. Bachelor thesis). Course requirements include the ability to read and understand English texts, as well as basic computer skills for data processing: e.g. Open Office, R, or MS Excel. In-depth programming or statistical knowledge is not required.

Travel in the digital age – tourism and its socio-cultural and environmental impact
Nora Winsky, Humangeography, University of Freiburg

Tourism is one of the global phenomena of our time. New information and communication technologies have a significant impact on the travel process: they enable tourists to make flexible and short-term bookings via internet platforms, use sharing economies such as Airbnb or share travel experiences via social media. The seminar examines these current travel practices and their representations on digital platforms. The aim will be to take a critical and reflective look at the effects of global tourism flows on societies, environments and economies and to discuss the role of digital technologies in the context of travel.

Energy and Society: Socio-ecological Inequalities and Renewable Energies
Dr. Rosa Lehmann, University of Jena

Renewable energies are at the center of climate protection efforts. The social and scientific debate has so far revolved around technological innovations and their social acceptance. The seminar builds on this, but focuses on the question of socio-ecological inequalities surrounding renewable energy projects: Who decides on, has access to and benefits from energy production, distribution and consumption? The seminar takes a global perspective and offers insights into current social science debates surrounding renewable energies and inequalities.

Environmental Impacts: Measurement & Political Use
JProf. Dr. Sina Leipold, Chair of Societal Transition & Circular Economy

Our economic activities are increasingly associated with environmental degradation. These impacts include large scale deforestation, air pollution, or groundwater depletion. Based on this increasing knowledge about the impacts of our economy, scholars, politicians and civil society activists argue that there is a discrepancy between alarming environmental degradation and (only) weak political solutions. This course aims to provide insights into the persistence of this discrepancy. How are environmental impacts conceptualized and measured? How are they communicated? When and how can they influence political processes?

Medicalization as a technique of power – feminist and queer critiques of sexual medicine
Annika Spahn, Center for Gender Studies, University of Basel

The course will deal with various historical and current medicalizations of femininity, trans- and intersexuality as well as non-heteronormative sexualities. In particular, the focus will be on critiques of (sexual) medicine that have been and continue to be formulated from a queer and feminist perspective. The focus will be on questions of standardization, disciplining and (re-)production of (hetero-)sexist relations through medicine, which will be analysed using Michel Foucault’s concepts of biopolitics and biopower.

Digital surveillance and control technologies
Dr. Jens Hälterlein, Center for Security and Society (CSS)

From biometric facial recognition to the calculation of individual risk scores – the use of digital surveillance and control technologies by state and private actors is now as diverse as it is omnipresent. At the same time, more and more people are generating precisely the data that companies and authorities need for their monitoring and control instruments through their surfing behavior and the use of mobile devices. The seminar provides insights into the function and social significance of these digital technologies and examines the interplay between different technologies and players.

Equity issues in the design of human – artificial intelligence interaction
Dr. Philipp Kellmeyer, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS); Neuromedical AI Lab, Department of Neurosurgery

Most people already interact with artificial intelligence (AI) in their everyday lives, for example in digital language assistants, translation software or navigation systems. Technical advances in AI are also enabling new medical applications, autonomous vehicles and new weapons systems, and the seminar will focus on human-AI interaction. Together, we will address the question of how fair access and responsible development of AI systems can be shaped at the design level.

Shaping digitalization. Participation as the basis for equitable negotiation processes?
Dr. Marion Mangelsdorf, Center for Anthropology and Gender Studies (ZAG)

The seminar deals with digitalization as a design process in which people of different interests and groups can actively participate. Digitalization provides tools that are directly aimed at participation. In the seminar, we ask which forms of participation and negotiation processes – for example in the form of ratings, likes, comments, rankings, experience reports or individualized networking opportunities – are promoted by digital media and what limits these possibilities reach.