Science & Technology Studies (STS)Arts and Sciences

Showing 30 results.

Course descriptions provided by the Courses of Study 2017-2018.

Last Updated

  • Schedule of Classes - February 16, 2018 10:59AM EST
  • Course Catalog - February 12, 2018 11:18AM EST

STS 1101
Science, Technology, and Politics

From global warming to surveillance of citizens to health-care reform, issues in science, technology, and medicine also are political issues. This course uses contemporary scientific controversies to explore ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 16602 STS 1101   LEC 001

  •  

STS 1113
FWS: Vital Politics: Science, Medicine, Activism

During Spring 2017, headlines across multiple media announced: "Thousands Rally in DC for March for Science;"  "March for Science: Crowds Join International Global Earth Day Protests."   But why are people ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 17849 STS 1113   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute.

STS 1116
FWS: Global Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) lived during an extraordinary period in global history. In Darwin's time, imperial politics combined with the rise of industrial capitalism to produce a world order dominated ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 17587 STS 1116   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute.

STS 1123
FWS: Technology and Society Topics

This seminar explores the ways in which Technology and Society shape one another and provides the opportunity to write extensively about this mutual shaping. Topics vary by section. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • Topic: FWS: How to Build a Scientist

  • 17584 STS 1123   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute.

STS 1126
FWS: Science and Society Topics

This seminar explores the ways in which Science and Society shape one another and provides the opportunity to write extensively about this mutual shaping. Topics vary by section. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • Topic: FWS: Stories of (Agri)Culture

  • 17581 STS 1126   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute.

Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • Topic: FWS: Scientific Subject: Intersectional Feminist

  • 17582 STS 1126   SEM 102

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute.

STS 1942
The History of Science in Europe: Newton to Darwin; Darwin to Einstein

What is modern science? And how did it get that way? This course examines the emergence of the dominant scientific worldview inherited by the 21st century, to trace how it, and its associated institutional ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BSOC 1942, HIST 1942

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16557 STS 1942   LEC 001

  •  

STS 2011
What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology

This course introduces some central ideas in the field of S&TS. It is aimed at students from any background who are challenged to think more critically about what counts as scientific knowledge and ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Choose one lecture and one discussion. Combined with: SOC 2100

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7883 STS 2011   LEC 001

  •  

  •  7884 STS 2011   DIS 201

  •  

  •  8044 STS 2011   DIS 202

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  •  9550 STS 2011   DIS 203

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  •  9551 STS 2011   DIS 204

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STS 2051
Ethical Issues in Health and Medicine

In today's rapidly changing world of health and medicine, complex ethical issues arise in many contexts from the private, interpersonal interactions between doctor and patient to the broad, mass-mediated ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Choose one lecture and one discussion. Combined with: BSOC 2051

  • 4 Credits Graded

  •  9661 STS 2051   LEC 001

  • First-Year students not admitted into course.

    Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9662 STS 2051   DIS 201

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9663 STS 2051   DIS 202

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9664 STS 2051   DIS 203

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9665 STS 2051   DIS 204

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9666 STS 2051   DIS 205

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9667 STS 2051   DIS 206

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9668 STS 2051   DIS 207

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  9669 STS 2051   DIS 208

  •  

STS 2071
Introduction to the History of Medicine

This course offers an introductory survey of the history of medicine (principally in Europe and the United States) from classical antiquity to the early twentieth century. Using a combination of both primary ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Choose one lecture and one discussion. Combined with: BSOC 2071, HIST 2710

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  8046 STS 2071   LEC 001

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

  •  8048 STS 2071   DIS 201

  • Department Consent Required (Add)

STS 2131
Science Fiction

Science fiction is not merely a literary genre but a whole way of being, thinking, and acting in the modern world. This course explores classic and contemporary science fiction from Frankenstein to The ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BSOC 2131, COML 2035, ENGL 2035

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 17525 STS 2131   LEC 001

  •  

STS 2751
Ethical Issues in Intelligent Autonomous Systems

As technologies and algorithms that can autonomously take in information, make decisions, and act on those decisions become more and more prevalent, questions arise as to the moral and ethical aspects ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: ECE 2750, ENGRG 2750, INFO 2750

  • 3 Credits Graded

  •  9145 STS 2751   LEC 001

  •  

STS 2871
Evolution

Evolution is the central concept in biology. This course examines evolution as a science and places it in an historical context. Lectures focus on descent with modification, the nature of natural selection, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Choose one lecture and one discussion. Combined with: BIOEE 2070

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  6719 STS 2871   LEC 001

  •  

  • Intended for students with no background in college biology. May not be taken for credit after BIOEE 1780 Does not meet evolutionary biology requirement for biological sciences major.

  •  6720 STS 2871   DIS 201

  •  

STS 2921
Inventing an Information Society

Explores the history of information technology from the 1830s to the present by considering the technical and social history of telecommunications (telegraph and the telephone), radio, television, computers, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  • 16724 STS 2921   LEC 001

  •  

  • 16726 STS 2921   DIS 201

  •  

  • 16727 STS 2921   DIS 202

  •  
    • F

    • Kline, R

  • 16728 STS 2921   DIS 203

  •  
    • F

    • Kline, R

STS 3011
Life Sciences and Society

Biology and biotechnology are major influences on modern life. In addition, socio-political and historical conditions have shaped biological research and its applications in medicine, agriculture, environmental ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BSOC 3011

  • 4 Credits Graded

  •  6420 STS 3011   LEC 001

  •  

  • First-Year students not admitted into course.

STS 3311
Environmental Governance

Environmental governance is defined as the assemblage of institutions that regulate society-nature interactions and shape environmental outcomes across a range of spatial and temporal scales.  Institutions, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •  7914 STS 3311   LEC 001

  •  

  • Enrollment limited to: juniors, seniors, or by permission of instructor.

  •  7915 STS 3311   DIS 201

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  •  7916 STS 3311   DIS 202

  •  

  •  7917 STS 3311   DIS 203

  •  

STS 3991
Undergraduate Independent Study

More information about independent study available in 303 Morrill Hall. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7600 STS 3991   IND 602

    • TBA

    • Dear, P

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7601 STS 3991   IND 603

    • TBA

    • Hilgartner, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7602 STS 3991   IND 604

    • TBA

    • Kline, R

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7603 STS 3991   IND 605

    • TBA

    • Leuenberger, C

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7604 STS 3991   IND 606

    • TBA

    • Lewenstein, B

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7605 STS 3991   IND 607

    • TBA

    • Lynch, M

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7606 STS 3991   IND 608

    • TBA

    • Pinch, T

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7607 STS 3991   IND 609

    • TBA

    • Prentice, R

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7608 STS 3991   IND 610

    • TBA

    • Pritchard, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7609 STS 3991   IND 611

    • TBA

    • Rossiter, M

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7610 STS 3991   IND 612

    • TBA

    • Sengers, P

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-6 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7611 STS 3991   IND 613

    • TBA

    • Seth, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

STS 4122
Darwin and the Making of Histories

The power of a name is sometimes as great as that of an idea.  This course will study how Darwin became, then and now, an icon rather than just a Victorian naturalist.  We will look at writings of Darwin ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BSOC 4122, HIST 4122

  • 4 Credits Graded

  • 16655 STS 4122   SEM 101

  •  

STS 4240
Designing Technology for Social Impact

The social impact of technologies is typically thought about fairly late, if ever, in the design process. Indeed, it can be difficult at design time to predict what effects technologies will have. Nevertheless, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: INFO 4240

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 10010 STS 4240   LEC 001

  •  

STS 4301
Social Studies of Space, Technologies and Borders

In this course we will discuss how society, culture and politics shape technological artifacts and the natural and built environment, such as bridges, roads, and landscapes in diverse cultural contexts. ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: DSOC 4301, GOVT 4807

  • 4 Credits Graded

  • 17837 STS 4301   SEM 101

  •  

STS 4351
Postcolonial Science

This course examines science and technology in so-called "non-Western" countries as well as the ways that science and technology are shaping new "transnational" or "global" relations. We will explore the ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: ANTHR 4435, ANTHR 7435, BSOC 4351

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16320 STS 4351   SEM 101

  •  

STS 4616
Corrupting Environmental Media

This course seeks to explore the intersections of corruption and environmental media. We will be analyzing films and other media (including artworks and literary texts) that deal with the environmental ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: COML 4614, SHUM 4616

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 17032 STS 4616   SEM 101

  •  

STS 4618
Data Corruption's Deep History

How can studying the deep past of information storage and transmission help us understand our current engagements with information and contemplate its future? In this course we will we will explore the ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  • 17033 STS 4618   SEM 101

  •  

STS 4691
Food, Agriculture, and Society

Multidisciplinary course dealing with the social and environmental impact of food production in the United States and developing countries. Agroecosystems of various kinds are analyzed from biological, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BIOEE 4690, BSOC 4691

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  9514 STS 4691   LEC 001

  •  

  • Prerequisite: introductory ecology course or permission of instructor. Limited to 20 students.

STS 4991
Honors Project I

Students must register for 4 credits each semester (4991-4992) for a total of 8 credits. After the first semester, students receive a letter grade of "R"; a letter grade for both semesters is submitted ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: BSOC 4991

  • 4 Credits Multi-Term

  •  8662 STS 4991   RSC 701

    • TBA

    • Prentice, R

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

STS 6121
Environmental History

This graduate seminar offers an introduction to environmental history—the study of human interactions with nonhuman nature in the past. It is a subfield within the historical discipline that has complex ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: HIST 6221

  • 4 Credits Graded

  • 16596 STS 6121   SEM 101

  •  

STS 6481
Readings in the History of Medicine

This graduate course offers an introduction to the history of western medicine from the classical age to the 20th century. Students will be introduced to major events, figures, and themes, as well as to ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: HIST 6491

  • 4 Credits Graded

  • 17561 STS 6481   SEM 101

  •  

  • Students enrolled in this course will be required to attend Professor Seth's undergraduate lectures in STS 2071 Introduction to the History of Medicine.

STS 6541
Science and Policy-Making: The Two Cultures

This course focuses on what happens when science meets the policy-making world. We will specifically focus on: the rise of science diplomacy, the use of science in order to further development goals, and ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 17841 STS 6541   SEM 101

  •  

STS 6991
Graduate Independent Study

Applications and information are available in 303 Morrill Hall. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7587 STS 6991   IND 602

    • TBA

    • Dear, P

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7588 STS 6991   IND 603

    • TBA

    • Hilgartner, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7589 STS 6991   IND 604

    • TBA

    • Kline, R

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7590 STS 6991   IND 605

    • TBA

    • Leuenberger, C

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7591 STS 6991   IND 606

    • TBA

    • Lewenstein, B

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7592 STS 6991   IND 607

    • TBA

    • Lynch, M

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7593 STS 6991   IND 608

    • TBA

    • Pinch, T

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7594 STS 6991   IND 609

    • TBA

    • Prentice, R

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7595 STS 6991   IND 610

    • TBA

    • Pritchard, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7596 STS 6991   IND 611

    • TBA

    • Rossiter, M

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7597 STS 6991   IND 612

    • TBA

    • Sengers, P

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7598 STS 6991   IND 613

    • TBA

    • Seth, S

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  7599 STS 6991   IND 614

    • TBA

    • Vogel, K

  • Instructor Consent Required (Add)

STS 7111
Introduction to Science and Technology Studies

Provides students with a foundation in the field of science and technology studies. Using classic works as well as contemporary exemplars, seminar participants chart the terrain of this new field. Topics ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  5876 STS 7111   SEM 101

  •  

STS 7937
Proseminar in Peace Studies

The Proseminar in Peace Studies offers a multidisciplinary review of issues related to peace and conflict at the graduate level. The course is led by the director of the Judith Reppy Institute for Peace ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: GOVT 7937, HIST 7937

  • 2 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16144 STS 7937   SEM 101

  •  

  • Taking two semesters of the course fulfills the basic requirement of the graduate minor in Peace Studies and Peace Science.