Social History of Science

2021/2022

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Big Data and Information Retrieval School

Course type:

Elective course

When:

3 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Morozov, Oleg

Course Syllabus

Abstract

In the past three decades, historians have become intensely interested in the power of memories, i.e., how memory and forgetting shape both the individual and collective relationship to the past. This course explores diverse sites and practices used in the USA, Europe, and Russia to commemorate and work through their “difficult heritage” in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Starting with a brief foray into the theory of memory studies, we will discuss the pivotal events of American and European histories (e.g., World War I, World War II, Shoah, civil wars in America and Spain, the Russian Revolution, colonialism) and analyze how individual and collective mnemonic actors created new visions of the events and (mis)used those visions for their benefit. In the process, students will see why history, particularly that one of the twentieth century, is repeatedly rewritten and why, eventually, it has so many conflicting interpretations. In the end, they will look at how modern cultures of remembrance manage to transform collective traumas into usable pasts, which help develop empathy towards the victims, maintain civil rights and freedoms, expand transparency and tolerance in the present. Indeed, while discussing the practices of remembering and forgetting, we cannot ignore the factual basis of historical events. Hence, students should be prepared to work with historical material and be aware of key figures, dates, and concepts given in each topic. The course draws on a range of primary and secondary sources, e.g., memoirs, speeches, films, scholarly writings, Internet and social media. The course includes 11 lectures and 10 seminars, one essay, and an oral exam.

Learning Objectives

• Students should know the importance of social contexts in analyzing scientific knowledge.
• Students will be able to discuss the social uses of science and the significance of such usages in modern and post-modern world.
• Students should understand how science interacts with the humanities and other forms of knowledge like religion and philosophy.
• Students will be capable of writing an essay on the social history of science, i.e. formulating a problem statement and support it with arguments and examples.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Students develop the ability to present clear and coherent arguments about the material discussed in class.
• Students will learn to use professionally the language of memory studies.
• Students will learn to work with historical material.
• Students will gain knowledge of key figures, dates, and concepts given in each topic.

Course Contents

• "Scientificity" of Science
• Science and Ethics
• Science, Philosophy, and Religion (Online Lectures)
• Science and Social Institutions

Assessment Elements

• Exam
• Cumulative assessment (tutorials * 30% + quizzes * 40% + essay * 30%)

Interim Assessment

• 2021/2022 2nd module
  The course does not have “blocking grades.” A final grade results from the cumulative assessment and the exam grade, according to the formulae: G(final) = G(cumulative) * 60% + G(exam) * 40%. Students can be exempted from the exam, if their G(cumulative) is equal to 7.5 or higher, i.e., “excellent” or “very good.” The cumulative assessment includes class discussions, G(tutorials), quizzes G(quizzes), and essay scores G(essay) as to the formulae: G(cumulative) = G(tutorials) * 30% + G(quizzes) * 40% + G(essay) * 30%.