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Unit of study_

HPSC4103: Sociology of Science

2025 unit information

This seminar discusses a range of approaches to the social theory of modern science. We will read key texts on questions such as: what makes science part of Western modernity? What is the role of science in the social transformations of the industrial era? In what sense, if at all, can science be said to offer privileged access to reality? What is the relationship between scientific knowledge and social reality?

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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12 credit points of HPSC3XXX or PHIL3XXX or HSTY3XXX
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. grasp of key notions in the discussion of science and technology as a social enterprise
  • LO2. theorise processes of knowledge-making in terms of groups of human actors
  • LO3. critically assess episodes in the history of science, and contemporary science, from the point of view of these approaches.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 2 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 2 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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