Term

Week

Lecture and Seminar Topics

Seminar content. Questions and readings for each seminar, along with a short description of the seminar topic, are on the Talis Aspire list for this module.

Seminar themes. Seminar themes are in italics. These themes go beyond the specific examples dealt with in the lectures and the seminar readings. They are there to give focus to the seminar discussions and to suggest connections to the examples covered in other weeks.

Lecture capture. The lectures will be recorded using lecture capture and posted here. Lecture capture can be used for revision and catch-up, but attendance at lectures is essential.

Lecture slides and handouts will be posted on this page before the relevant lecture.

Introduction. Science, technology and society in history

outline and slides

(James Poskett and Michael Bycroft)

Theories of everything, 1400-1600. Theories.

outline and slides
(Michael Bycroft)

Scholars and artisans, 1500-1700. Experiment.
(Michael Bycroft)

outline and slides

The mathematisation of the world, 1400-1700. Measurement.

No physical lecture this week - the lecture has been recorded and is available for download here - to open the file, click on Open in the top right-hand corner than on Open in Powerpoint

outline

(Michael Bycroft)

Explorers, merchants and missionaries, 1500-1700. Networks.
(Michael Bycroft)

slides and outline

Reading Week (no lecture or seminar)

Science in the public sphere, 1650-1800. The public.
(Michael Bycroft)

slides and outline

Human nature and the Enlightenment. Man.
(Claudia Stein)

slides and outline

The expert state, 1700-1800. Expertise
(Claudia Stein)

Science in the age of revolution, 1780-1850. Disciplines.
(James Poskett)

Christmas Vacation

Workshop of the world, 1780-1900. Technology.
(James Poskett)

slides and outline

The origins of evolution, 1760-1900. Life.
(James Poskett)

slides and outline

Anthropology and empire, 1800-1900. Race.
(James Poskett)

slides and outline

DNA and the secret of life, 1850-1950. Laboratories.
(James Poskett)

slides and outline

Einstein's generation. Time.
(James Poskett)

slides and outline

Reading Week (no lecture or seminar)

From political economy to neoliberalism, 1800-2000. The economy.

(Michael Bycroft)

slides and outline

Cold War science and technology, 1945-1991. Ideology.
(Claire Shaw)

Energy and empire, 1900-1980. Infrastructure.
(Katayoun Shafiee)

Nature and development, 1945-2000. Futurity.
(Katayoun Shafiee)

Easter Vacation

21

Conclusion: science, technology and society today
(Michael Bycroft and James Poskett)

22

Revision

Seminar only

Revision

Seminar only