AK125V Technology and Society 4.0 credits
How does technology and society relate to each other? How is society influenced by technology, and how is technological development shaped by the way society is organised? How do people use technology to achieve aims that lie beyond the purely technical? In this course we learn to look at technology as something more than artifacts created by engineers. We will analyse technology in a socio-technical systems perspective and learn to see how inventions and material things interact with social and political values, societal institutions and environmental aspects.
This is an introductory course that is adapted to students who have not had much contact with the humanities and social sciences during their earlier studies but who feel a need to develop a deeper understanding of technology's societal impact and how the development and use of new technology are shaped by factors such as gender, race, political conviction and historical experience. You will also learn to read texts in a critical way and discover social and political aspects of technology in written documents.
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Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
How do technology and society relate to each other? How is society influenced by technology, and how is technological development shaped by the way society is organised? How do people use technology to achieve aims that lie beyond the purely technical? In this course we learn to look at technology as something more than artifacts created by engineers. We will analyse technology in a socio-technical systems perspective and learn to see how inventions and material things interact with social and political values, societal institutions and environmental aspects.
This is an introductory course that is adapted to students who have not had much contact with the humanities and social sciences during their earlier studies but who feel a need to develop a deeper understanding of technology's societal impact and how the development and use of new technology are shaped by factors such as gender, race, political conviction and historical experience. You will also learn to read texts in a critical way and discover social and political aspects of technology in written documents.
Intended learning outcomes
After passing the course, the student should be able to:
Give an account of some basic aspects of technological development from a societal perspective
Discuss how inventions and material things interact with social and political values, the organisation of society and environmental aspects
Critically review narratives about technological development
Course disposition
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
None
Recommended prerequisites
Equipment
Literature
Examination and completion
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Grading scale
Examination
- INL1 - Assignment work, 4.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination
Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination
Examiner
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
Further information
Course web
Further information about the course can be found on the Course web at the link below. Information on the Course web will later be moved to this site.
Course web AK125V