Sydney International Convention Centre
August 29 – September 1, 2018
In 2018, the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) annual conference will be held in Australia for the very first time. The theme of the 2018 annual meeting of the Society – TRANSnational STS – encourages presentations, panels, and other events that deepen and extend the transnational character of the Society itself, while engaging issues invoked by both the TRANS prefix (across, beyond, to change thoroughly), and by the problematic and evolving status of ‘nations’ in processes of global ordering. Leveraging the global scope of Science and Technology Studies (STS), our aim is to intensify connection between conference participants (scholars, practitioners, and students) based in different regions, stimulating conversation about ways 4S and other scholarly societies can provide critical infrastructure for next-generation, transnationally collaborative, intellectual and political engagements. We also aim to encourage consideration of a broad array of concepts that are undergoing – or should undergo – transformation if we are to address key scholarly and practical problems of our times. Current concepts, knowledges, practices, and institutions of “the nation” are exemplary, pointing to a need for radical reformulation of habitual ways of thinking about and organizing governance, bodies and lifeworlds. Expansive reconsideration of other concepts, foundational and emergent (justice, biopolitics, innovation, Empire, and the Anthropocene, for example), are also encouraged. Activities that draw conference participants into issues of special importance in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region – indigenous politics, border controls, mining, climate change, and renewable energy, for example — will be threaded throughout and offered in advance of the conference. The overall goal is to foreground diverse STS genealogies and approaches, leveraging the rich pluralism of STS, attuned to the rich pluralism of the contemporary world.
See translations of the conference theme at: https://4s2018sydney.org/translations/
CALL FOR OPEN PANELS
Deadline for Submission: November 1st, 2017
The purpose of calling for open panel proposals is to stimulate the formation of new networks around topics of interest to the 4S community. Open panel topics, once accepted by the Program Committee, will be included in the call for papers (see examples of open panel topics from last year here). Open panel chairs will have significant responsibility in the composition of their panels. An open panel may extend across up to three sessions of five papers each (i.e. a total of maximum 15 papers). Please note, in submitting a proposal, you are volunteering to chair a session of papers related to your topic.
An open panel proposal should contain a summary and rationale of up to 250 words, including a brief discussion of its contribution to STS and (if relevant) the themes of the 4S Sydney conference.
Please consider proposing an open panel for 4sSydney to build your networks and create vibrant intellectual communities.
Proposals should be submitted by November 1st at: https://4s2018sydney.org/call-for-papers-open-panels/