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Dear listmembers<br>
<br>
ESRC have asked me to do a scoping report to identify issues and problems
they should be funding around "the social shaping of eScience and
eSocial Science". <br>
<br>
The basic idea is that despite enormous unfolding investment in eg grid
technologies, it seems we know almost nothing about how and why (and by
whom) these new technologies will be taken up, nor what will be the
likely effects on the nature and conduct of e(Social)Science research.
“Social shaping” is defined very broadly to include all social scientific
aspects of the genesis, use, implementation and effects of the new e
technologies. <br>
<br>
Given the recent postings on this topic by Jeremy Hunsinger, Franz
Barjak, Denise Rall and Caroline Haythornthwaite; and given the
international nature of this list I’m keen to get your perspectives. We’d
like to know where and how you see your work fit in (if at all), and what
are your views on the issues and questions which should be funded. Would
you be so kind as to help us please by taking a few moments to respond to
the brief questions below?<br>
<br>
Many thanks for your help (and apologies if you have already received
this request separately.) <br>
<br>
<br>
Steve<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>1</b>. We have thus far identified a number of questions and issues
that fall within the remit of social shaping of eScience and eSocial
Science. Examples are:<br>
<br>
What social circumstances encourage or inhibit data sharing and
collaborative working? - How will the implementation of new grid
technologies affect this situation? - How will the new grid technologies
affect the methodologies employed by scientists and social scientists? -
How will patterns of communication between scientists be affected? - To
what extent will IPR be an issue? - Can we anticipate different attitudes
to risk, liability and responsibility? - Are changing structures of
accountability concomitant with changing communication practices? - What
are the issues around ethics, privacy and trust? - What different social
and economic factors affect the uptake and use of grid technologies in
different organisational settings? - How can scientists and social
scientists be persuaded to make use of the new technologies?<br>
<br>
Which of these questions best describe your own work? Which others should
we add?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>2</b>. We have also identified a number of disciplinary perspectives
that come under the very broad rubric of “social shaping of eScience and
eSocial Science”. Examples are:<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Sociology
of technology, science and technology studies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Social
informatics, CSCW, ethnomethodology <br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Library
information science, computer-assisted content analysis, data
mining<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Organisational
analysis, economics and business studies, innovation theory<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Science
communication<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>History
and philosophy of science and technology<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Communication
studies and education studies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Psychology
and anthropology of technology use<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Media
studies and internet studies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>-<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Social
science methodology<br>
<br>
Which of these disciplinary perspectives best fits with your own work?
Or, if none of these apply, how would you characterise your work?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>3</b>. Could your work be reasonably described as:<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>a)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>social
shaping of e(Social)Science<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>b)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>social
shaping of other technologies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>c)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>neither
(please specify why not)<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>4.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Frequently,
a distinction is made between research which <i>uses</i> the new (grid)
technologies and research that is <i>about</i> the use of these
technologies. Does your research fit most easily into:<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>a)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>research
which uses new technologies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>b)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>research
which is about the use of new technologies<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>c)<x-tab> </x-tab></font>both<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>5</b>. Please nominate 3 (or more) people who you regard
as the key players in this area:<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>6.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Can
you think of others who, although not working within a “social shaping”
remit, may be interested in collaborating in “social shaping of eScience
and eSocial Science” projects or initiatives? <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Thanks again!<br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Professor Steve Woolgar<br>
Saïd Business School <br>
University of Oxford <br>
Park End Street<br>
Oxford OX1 1HP<br>
+44 (0)1865 288902<br>
****************************<br>
S Woolgar (ed) <i>Virtual Society? - technology, cyberbole, reality</i>
(Oxford University Press, 2002)<br>
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