Dear colleagues,
I am excited to invite submissions for my open panel, “Children as Active Agents in STS: Participatory Approaches and Beyond”, which will be part of the 4S Annual Meeting 2025 in Seattle, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Society for Social Studies of Science.
Short Abstract
Children are gaining recognition in STS as active agents who contribute in the shaping Science & Technology (S&T) that affect their lives. The panel will focus on the role of children in participatory approaches. It will highlight their involvement as co-creators, contributors, evaluators, but also experts in different contexts of S&T. In line with the conference theme “Reverberations,” this panel will explore how children’s agency is embedded in landscapes of S&T, reshaping socio-technical systems and challenging traditional hierarchies and notions of expertise. This recognition of children’s agency also transforms concepts of inclusion and innovation. Contributions may focus on empirical case studies, methodological insights and theoretical reflections that emphasize the transformative potential of children’s engagement in Science, Technology and Society.
Long Abstract
The theme of “Reverberations” invites us to reflect on how actions, ideas and practices reverberate across temporal, spatial and conceptual boundaries. Children’s active participation in S&T exemplifies this dynamics. Children are no longer recognized as passive users of technology, but increasingly as co-creators and contributors. Their participation cuts across societal and disciplinary boundaries and creates new notions of agency, inclusion and innovation.
This panel explores the transformative potential of children’s agency in participatory STS and Technology Assessment (TA). It invites papers exploring how children’s engagement in co-design, adaptation and assessment (re)shapes our understanding of socio-technical systems and imaginaries. Case studies dealing with, for example, technologies used in the fields of health, gaming, education, sports, etc. will demonstrate how children’s agency influences design processes, moving beyond symbolic participation and promoting inclusivity.
The panel also addresses methodological and theoretical questions:
- What approaches enable meaningful participation?
- How do children’s contributions reconfigure boundaries of expertise and authority in STS?
- How do their voices amplify underrepresented perspectives and influence policy, practice, and theory?
Contributions from academics and practitioners offering insights from interdisciplinary, methodological, and theoretical perspectives are welcome. This panel aims to foreground how children’s agency resonates, emphasizing their critical role in shaping socio-technical futures and imaginaries.
We welcome papers on:
- innovative participatory methodologies involving children in technology and science
- case studies showcasing children’s engagement in co-design, customization, or decision-making theoretical reflections on children’s agency within socio-technical landscapes
- insights into how children’s participation challenges traditional hierarchies in knowledge production
- ethical considerations and best practices for including children in participatory research
Artistic contributions, such as performances, installations, etc., that explore children’s agency, participation, and influence in S&T are also warmly encouraged.
Submission Information:
- Abstract Submission Opens: December 15, 2024
- Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025
- Submission Platform: 4S Conference Website
- Panel Organizer: Melike Şahinol
Looking forward to receiving your contributions and engaging in vibrant discussions in Seattle…
For any questions, feel free to contact me directly (melike.sahinolATgmail.com) or visit the 4S website for further details.
“Inclusive Collaboration: Children as Active Co-Creators in Science and Technology.”
Image created with the assistance of AI, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
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