5th STS Italia Conference – Call For Abstract (Exp: Feb 15, 2014)

The conference is an opportunity to present empirical and theoretical work from a variety of disciplines and fields (sociology, anthropology, law, philosophy, design, psychology, semiotics, history, and economics, etc.). It focuses on diverse aspects of the social study of innovation processes, technology, science and design.

The 5th STS Italia Conference theme is design processes. Design, on the one hand, is a process that gives rise both to artifacts and to their accompanying social networks, those that are brought about by the artifacts as well as those that make the artifacts possible. On the other hand, design processes cannot be explained as the result of independent, rational choices by isolated individuals, whether designers, producers or users. They are, rather, collective processes in which humans and nonhumans interact. When science and technology studies meet the latest design thinking, new scenarios and new perspectives arise for both these research communities. This occurs – as the many thematic sessions of the conference reveal – in studying communication tools, workplaces, robotics, innovation processes, smart fibers, medical products or even the human body.

The conference is articulated in 24 autonomous thematic sessions (tracks), each one focussing on a different topic and organized in 6 main areas of interest. Abstracts with a maximum length of 500 words, unless otherwise indicated in the specific track. They must include title, author'€™s name, affiliation, e-mail address and should be sent in the language of the track in which you wish to participate. In the case of bilingual sessions, the abstract should be written in the language (Italian or English) in which you want to present your paper.

Abstracts must be submitted through the conference website form by February 15, 2014. Communications of acceptance or rejection to authors will be sent by March 15, 2014.

GO TO THE CALL FOR ABSTRACTS