Call for Book Chapters: "STS for a post-truth age: comparative dialogues on reflexivity"

We invite papers for the edited book provisionally titled “STS for a post-truth age: comparative dialogues on reflexivity“ to be published with Vernon Press.

This volume aims to generate a dialogue on how Science Technology and Society could be reimagined to address the challenges we face in what is called the post-truth age. The linear model of knowledge creation and diffusion has frequently been criticized by STS scholars through an emphasis on social contexts of knowledge. Inspired by this critique, reflexivity has played an important role in pushing the academic boundaries of STS. It has become even more essential to take into account various accelerated ways of knowledge circulation, as STS scholars face challenges of the post-truth age.

The book calls for laying the groundwork for a reflexive dialogue on how to practice STS in the post truth age by emphasizing the importance of reciprocal sharing across a diverse group of participants. We are interested in contributions that engage empirically and theoretically with the concepts of truth, evidence and objectivity from a comparative perspective. We are particularly seeking contributions that highlight the digital and infrastructural materiality of the post-truth age. We also welcome studies of STS practices in different cultural settings, shedding light on heterogeneous ways of practicing and doing STS in different localities. We especially welcome studies that focus on the Global South. We invite papers dealing with but not limited to following questions:

• What does sustainable STS look like? What kinds of practices and output should we be aiming for without necessarily swinging back to the ideal of objectivity?
• How can STS continue to critically engage with the hegemonic narratives of Science and Technology and find meaningful ways to address the promotion of alternative facts?
• How can we re-think the main concepts of STS (the symmetry thesis, social construction of technology, boundary formation etc.) to better address the issues that we face in this new age?
• How can we conceptualize expertise in an age of networked advocacy, citizen journalism, participatory science and new demands on verification?

We welcome submissions from researchers and academics in the fields of STS, sociology, media studies and anthopology. Interested authors should send an abstract (250 words) and a short author-bio (200 words) to emineonculer@bilkent.edu.tr and sahinol@oiist.org by the 15th of February 2021. Authors will be notified of the status of their submission by the 1st of February. Completed papers will be due by the 15^th of June 2021 for the volume’s blind peer-review process. Submissions must be original and should not have been previously published elsewhere. More details on the submission process will be provided once your proposal is accepted.

For information and questions please do not hesitate to contact the editors:

Dr. Emine Öncüler Yayalar (emineonculer@bilkent.edu.tr) & Dr. Melike Şahinol (sahinol@oiist.org).