SOC 197s.02 (FOCUS seminar)

Biology and Society

Angela M. O’Rand (660-5629)

aorand@soc.duke.edu

 

“Biology and Society” will focus on the reciprocal relationships between the biological sciences and social institutions.  On the one hand, the sciences are embedded in social structures related to the economy, the state and other cultural institutions that influence their development.  On the other, scientific change and technological developments can transform social structures, such as the family, the economy and the state.  A feature of the relationships between science, technology and society is asynchrony, or the frequent socio-temporal mismatch between technical capabilities and social and moral propensities to implement them.  Another feature is the moral ambivalence towards or resistance to biological theories (e.g. evolution) and methods (e.g. cloning).  Yet another feature is the growing dominance of market institutions across all social domains, including science, turning natural and human entities into commodities.  This course will consider these complex relationships through the study of historical and contemporary cases of biological technologies in their social contexts.

The seminar format of the course requires students to be prepared daily to lead and/or participate in the discussion of reading materials.  Discussion leaders over the semester will be assigned during the first week of the course.  Other requirements include four short (4-5 pages) critical essays (40%), one take-home examination (30%), and a take-home final (30%). 

 

Reading Assignments

James D. Watson, The Double Helix, W.W. Norton Critical Edition (1980)

Paul Rabinow, Making PCR, University of Chicago Press (1996)

Jordan Goodman and Vivien Walsh, The Story of Taxol, Cambridge University Press (2001)

Paul Rabinow, French DNA, University of Chicago (1999)

Lee M. Silver, Remaking Eden, Avon (1998)

*Reserved (Lilly Library) and online readings from journals and anthologies

 

 

 

                                                                COURSE SCHEDULE

 

 

 

Aug 28, 30            Introduction to the Course: From “Esoteric” Science to Commercialization

                               

                                *Merton, “The Ethos of Science” and “The Reward System of Science”

                                *Kuhn, Excerpts from The Structure of Scientific Revolutions   

                                *Fleck, Excerpts from Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact

 

Sept 4,6                 Theories of Science and Society

 

                                *Gieryn, “Boundaries of Science                     

                                *Callon, “Four Models for the Dynamics of Science”

                                *Etzkowitz and Webster, “Science as Intellectual Property”

                               

 

Sept 11-18            The Norms of Science and an Early Controversy

 

The Double Helix (J.D. Watson), Introduction to p. 134

                Chs 1-5

                Chs 6-10

                Chs 11-15

                Chs 16-20

                Chs 21-25

                Chs 26-Epilogue

                               

 

 

Sept 20                  The Double Helix (c0ntinued)

“Three Other Perspectives”

 “The Review Of Reviews”

 

                                Sept 20: 1st Critical Essay:  Is science normatively unique?

 

 

Sept 25,27             The Organization of Scientific Work and Controversy Over Intellectual Property

               

Making PCR (Rabinow)

                Introduction

                Ch One “Toward Biotechnology”

                Ch Two “Cetus Corporation: A Credible Force”

                Ch Three “PCR: Experimental Milieu + the Concept

                                                Ch Four “From Concept to Tool”

 

Oct 2-11                Biological Research Laboratories as Social Structures

                               

                                 Making PCR (Continued)

                                                Ch Five “Reality Check

                                                Conclusion “A Simple Little Thing”

                                               

*Knorr-Cetina: Three pieces

                “Laboratory Studies” 

“What is a Laboratory?”

“The Dual Organization of Molecular Biology Laboratories”

 

 

                                Oct 11: 2nd Critical Essay: How is the laboratory a sociologically

                                                interesting unit of analysis?

 

 

 

Oct 12-16              FALL BREAK

 

 

 

Oct 18                    The Human Genome Project: Cooperation and Competition in Science

                               

                                                *Watson, J. D. 1990. The human genome project: past, present and future. Science

248: 44-49

                                                *Hiltgartner, “The Human Genome Project”

                                                *Zweiger, selections from Transducing the Genome

 

 

 

Oct 23,25              Take-Home Midterm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oct 30-                  Controversies in Biotechnology: “National” Welfare, Cultural Exclusivity and Genetic

    Nov 8                                  Property

 

French DNA (Rabinow)

                Introduction

                Ch 1 “Life As We Know It”

                Ch 2 “Genomic Assemblages”

                Ch 3 “Field Notes: The CEPH After Its Victory”

                Ch 4 “Life: Dignity and Value”

                Ch 5 “Millenium Comes to Paris”

                Ch 6 “Normalization”

                Epilogue “The Anthropological Contemporary”

 

Nov 8: 3rd Critical Essay:  Are genes cultural property?

 

               

Nov 13-20              Controversies in Biotechnology:  Nature and Politics

 

                                The Story of Taxol (Goodman and Walsh)

                                                Introduction

                                                Ch 1 “Cancer Chemotherapy: Plant Knowledge and Practice

                                                Ch 2 “Act I: 1962-1975”

                                                Ch 3 “Act II: 1976-1983”

                                                Ch 4 “Act III: 1984-1989”

                                                Ch 5 “The Politics of Exclusivity and the Business of Taxol”

                                                Ch 6 “The Political Life (and Death) of Taxus brevifolia”

 

                                Nov 20: 4th Critical Essay:  How is the journey from “nature” to “drug” a

                                                study in shifting social networks?

 

 

 

Nov 21-25   THANKSGIVING

 

 

 

Nov 27-                  Controversies in Biotechnology: Science, Moral Ambivalence, and                        

    Dec 4                                  the Commodification of Life

 

                                Remaking Eden (Silver)

                                                Part One “Life”

                                                Part Two “Creating Life”

                                                Part Three “Cloning”

                                                Part Four  “Mothers and Fathers-Variations on a Theme”

                                                Part Five “Tomorrow’s Children”

 

Dec 6                      TAKEHOME FINAL DUE