The National STS Conference 2018
Knowledge and Value
We are pleased to invite you to attend the Swedish STS conference of 2018

Time and Place
Time
Thursday, August 30, to Friday, August 31, from lunch to lunch
Place
- Ekonomikum, Uppsala University (Google Maps)
- Building Room Map
Keynote and Concluding Remarks
- Lecture Hall 2
Sessions
- H 429 (Faculty Club): Sessions A1, B1, C1, D1
- K412 (Conference Room of the Department of Economic History): Sessions A2, B2, C2, D2
- K436 (Enequistrummet): Session B3
Purpose, Theme and CfP
Purpose
The objective with the conference is to facilitate an exchange of ideas between STS scholars who explicitly or implicitly address these issues of valuation and knowledge production.
Theme
Why do we do research? What are the underlying forces to do research and to what extent do we value the quest for knowledge from an individual, collective or societal perspective? These questions have gained considerable attention within STS – for example through Stephen Shapin’s book The scientific life; the emerging field of “valuation studies” and neo-Mertonian studies of science – and have important organisational, spatial and political implications. We invite papers and sessions highlighting these, and similar issues:
- What are the similarities and differences between industrial and academic research in regard to normative structures? What challenges could researchers face when collaborating between these domains?
- How is knowledge valued and compared in different disciplines, faculties and scientific fields? Are there different perspectives on the value of knowledge between different professions – such as physicians and engineers – and different sciences – such as social science, humanities and natural science? To what extent could such differences affect interdisciplinary research?
- Are there national norms regarding values of knowledge production? What implications could such differences have for the universality of science and internationalization of research?
- To what extent do local, particular or tacit normative structures influence scientific work in laboratories, research networks or other forms of knowledge environments?
- How have normative structures of science changed historically? In what ways have working conditions and situated norms been affected by science policy reforms?
- How are the normative structures of science affected by commodification, market-driven economic models and quantitative assessment?
CfP
We particularly invite PhD students and researcher in an early stage of their career. The conference also invites contributions with topics beyond the scope of the call.
Abstracts for papers should not exceed 300 words; session proposals should include a description of the session not exceeding 300 words including individual abstracts on 300 words for each presentation included in the session.
Welcome to send abstract and session suggestions before April 9, 2018 (previous deadline was March 28, 2018) to nat2018@sts.uu.se.
Programme
- Downloadable Programme
- Sessions (opens in new window)
Thursday 30/8
Welcomme
- 11.45-12.45: lunch, restaurant Åkanten
Keynote
- Tora Holmberg, Professor, Department of Sociology, and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Uppsala University: "The Art of Knowledge"
Lecture Hall 2, Ekonomikum
Sessions
Dinner
- 20.00: restaurant Aaltos
Friday 31/8
Sessions
Concluding Remarks
- 12.45–13.15: Ylva Hasselberg, Professor, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University
Lecture Hall 2, Ekonomikum
Contact
Send abstract/session suggestions including name and affiliation to nat2018@sts.uu.se
Practical Information
Fee
No fee
Hotel Suggestions
To be booked by the participant.