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 February 15th, 2021. Authors will be notified of the status of their submission by the 1st of March. Completed papers will be due by the 15th 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).

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Emine Öncüler Yayalar, Dr., teaches courses on Science, Technology and Society at the Faculty of Engineering of Bilkent University. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Boğaziçi University and M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in Sociology from Columbia University in New York. She has previously published on sociology of knowledge and sociology of expertise. Dr. Yayalar is the co-author of the book The Autism Matrix, which was awarded the Robert K. Merton book prize by the American Sociological Association. Her current research investigates social determinants of knowledge in medicine, science and technology. She is particularly interested in exploring the links between complex socio-technical changes and analytics of governance.

Melike Şahinol (Dr. rer. soc.) is a Senior Research Fellow at the Orient-Institut Istanbul and head of the research field „Human, Medicine and Society“. She studied sociology, political science and psychology at Universität Duisburg-Essen. 2009 Melike joined the Program on Science, Technology and Society at Harvard Kennedy School of Government for her PhD. In 2015 she completed her PhD in Sociology at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, entitled „The Techno-Cerebral Subject“. Her current research focus is 3D printing in health care. In addition, she deals with bio-/technology politics in Turkey, particularly in the field of human enhancement.

Emine and Melike belong to the coordination board of the Turkish Scholarly Network for Science and Technology Studies (STS TURKEY). They co-organized several STS events and workshops in order to make STS more transparent and inclusive also for supporting young scholars in Turkey. They continue to provide contributions to the establishment of STS in Turkey.