Call for Papers - Spontaneous Generations: A Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science
Spontaneous Generations is an open, online, peer-reviewed academic journal published by graduate students at the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto. It has published seven issues and is a well-respected journal in the history and philosophy of science and science and technology studies. We invite interested scholars to submit papers for our eighth issue.
We welcome submissions from scholars in all disciplines, including but not limited to HPS, STS, History, Philosophy, Women's Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, and Religious Studies. Papers examining any time period are welcome.
The journal consists of four sections:
A focused discussion section consisting of short peer-reviewed and invited articles devoted to a particular theme. The theme for our eighth issue is "Science and Social Inequality"* (see a brief description below). Recommended length for submissions: 1000-3000 words.
A peer-reviewed section of research papers on various topics in the field of HPS. Recommended length for submissions: 5000-8000 words.
A book review section for books published in the last 5 years. Recommended length for submissions: up to 1000 words.
An opinions section that may include a commentary on or a response to current concerns, trends, and issues in HPS. Recommended length for submissions: up to 500 words.
*Science and Social Inequality:
Science and technology reflect and perpetuate social inequalities, but also serve as crucial sites of contestation, intervention, and hope. Over the past several decades scholars, particularly those engaged with feminist and critical theories, have questioned the ways in which inequalities among the producers of knowledge affect the kinds of knowledge produced. At the same time, investigations into the social engagement with science have pointed to the ways in which science can, and has, benefitted from the inclusion of marginalized groups. This focused discussion aims to encourage scholars in the history and philosophy of science or science and technology studies to consider inequalities within scientific practice, professions, and knowledge production. We will feature work that explores the causes and consequences of—or resistances to—these inequalities and how they shape the experiences and knowledge claims of historically marginalized individuals. We seek scholarship that pushes STS and HPS to re-engage with questions surrounding science as a professional “field” and, in particular, as one that has been—and remains—stratified in practice by inequalities of race, gender, and social class.
We welcome research that interrogates the various and intersecting forms of inequality, and resistance to inequalities, that shape power structures in science and technology at any time or place. We seek research comparing various areas of scientific practice. Submissions can focus on a variety of institutional and national contexts, can use both historical and contemporary cases, and can draw on a variety of critical and methodological perspectives. The questions below may help guide potential submissions:
1. What perspectives on inequalities within scientific practice can we draw from critical theories, such as feminist and critical race theories?
2. How has diversity and inequality affected inter/multi/trans-disciplinary scientific collaboration and “Team Science” (inclusive of academic and non-academic science teams)?
3. What has been the role of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status in scientific education and training across the educational spectrum?
4. What is the normative and instrumental value of diversity in science, given science’s orientation as “value-free,” objective, and universal? Why is scientific diversity a good thing? Have diverse scientific teams produced better science?
5. What has been the role of the “invisible worker” in science and technology at different times and places? What light can historical and transnational studies shed on the changing position of the “invisible worker”?
6. How have inequalities of race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, class, and ability permeated the ranks of knowledge production and affected the kinds of knowledges that are produced?
7. How have science and technology been (re)configured to alter the course of social inequalities?
The eighth issue of Spontaneous Generations will appear in September 2014.
Submissions for the eighth issue should be sent no later than March 14, 2014.
For more details, please visit the journal homepage at http://spontaneousgenerations.library.utoronto.ca
Please distribute freely. Apologies for cross-postings.http://spontaneousgenerations.library.utoronto.ca