Course syllabus for Technology, politics, and society

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-15 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameTeknik, politik och samhälle
  • CodeTRA295
  • Credits15 Credits
  • OwnerTRACKS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • ThemeMTS 15 c
  • DepartmentTRACKS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 97134
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0123 Project 15 c
Grading: TH		 15 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

In addition to the general requirements to study at advanced level at Chalmers, necessary subject or project specific prerequisite competences (if any) must be fulfilled. Alternatively, the student must obtain the necessary competences during the course. The examiner will formulate and check these prerequisite competences.

The student will only be admitted in agreement with the examiner.

Aim

The aim of the course is to provide a platform to work and solve challenging cross-disciplinary authentic problems from different stakeholders in society such as the academy, industry or public institutions. Additionally, the aim is that students from different educational programs practice working efficiently in global multidisciplinary development teams.

The course aims to provide students with the skills to examine critically the evolving relationship between technology, society and (global) politics, using tools and approaches from history of technology, science and technology studies, and philosophy of technology.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Valid for all Tracks courses:
  • critically and creatively identify and/or formulate advanced architectural or engineering problems
  • master problems with open solutions spaces which includes to be able to handle uncertainties and limited information.
  • lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process.
  • work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
  • show insights about cultural differences and to be able to work sensitively with them.
  • show insights about and deal with the impact of architecture and/or engineering solutions in a global, economic, environment and societal context.
  • identify ethical aspects and discuss and judge their consequences in relation to the specific problem
  • orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions
  • fulfill project specific learning outcomes

Course specific:
  • discuss how technology and technological development are addressed in debates within the social sciences
  • identify and explain key concepts in discussions on the politics of technological development
  • apply course concepts and perspectives on technology and society to empirical problems and examples
  • identify and formulate adequate research problems and research questions in relation to the themes and concepts addressed in the course
  • assess different approaches in the study of technology from a social science perspective
  • reflect on political and ethical issues encountered in relation to the use of technology and technological development

Content

In this course, Chalmers students learn about and critically exam global politics and technological developments from a social science perspective. It provides students with the skills to examine critically the relationship between technology, society and (global) politics and it approaches questions including: how can we understand technology in social transformation: as an autonomous force, as a mere expression of human intent or as co-constituted in social realities. What are the main conflicts that emerge around technological development for political issues of participation, authority and freedom. What are productive ways to make use of technology for inclusion, justice and sustainability

Organisation

The course is run by a teaching team.

The main part of the course is a challenge driven project. The challenge may range from being broad societal to profound research driven. 

The project task is solved in a group. 

The course is supplemented by on-demand teaching and learning of the skills necessary for the project. 

The project team will have one university examiner, one or a pole of university supervisors and one or a pole of external co-supervisors if applicable. 

Tracks-theme: Emerging technologies - from science to innovation. Learning activities in the course include lectures, seminars, group work and sessions related to essay writing (only for 15 HEC). 

The course consists of lectures, followed by discussion seminars on the main perspectives on technology, politics and society. Students are expected to have read the mandatory literature in advance. The literature list is adapted to the number of credits the students take, and for 15 credits, students are expected to do more readings. All students participate in the group work, where they work in interdisciplinary teams with students from University of Gothenburg students on an empirical problem that has a technological component, and discuss its political and ethical dimensions.

Literature

Relevant literature is retrieved and acquired by the students as a part of the project.

Examination including compulsory elements

Assignments include a project in interdisciplinary teams, short essays, active seminar participation, exercises, and lectures.
For 15 credits, a longer essay carried out as a take-home exam is included.
The grading scale for 7.5 credits comprises: Fail (U)/ 3, 4, 5.
The grading scale for 15 credits comprises: Fail (U), 3, 4, 5.
The group assignment will be graded fail or pass (U/3, 4, 5) and corresponds to 3 credits. For
the higher grades (4, 5) students must submit an individual assignment in addition to the
group presentation.
The written assignments including compulsory participation in seminars will be marked fail
or pass (U/3) and correspond to 4,5 credits.
The take-home exam is marked fail (U), 3, 4, 5 and corresponds to 7,5 credits.
In order to receive the grade Pass (G/3) on the course, the student must get a Pass grade (3) on all assignments. In order to receive a higher score (4, 5) for the whole course, the student must get this score on the take-home exam essay in addition to a pass in all the other assignments.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.