Seeing from “the South”. Latin American STS Pathways & Methods
“To study only the most probable trend implies resigning ourselves to it - it is to respect the "rules of the game" imposed in large part by non-objective human interests, whether we like it or not. Since we do not like it at all, we prefer to search, to build other more desirable futures; less probable perhaps, but certainly possible.” (Oscar Varsavsky, 1972)
The workshop aims to explore the emergence and development of the STS field in Latin America, from the 1960s on. Why and how is it different from European and North American pathways for STS? How does knowledge-making become co-produced with who we are and where we come from? Why does this situatedness matter for STS reflection and how does it contribute to broader STS conversations? This workshop aims to delve into the historical, cognitive, institutional, political, and social dimensions of the development of STS in these latitudes, from its political origins to its institutionalization and infrastructures as a field, while preserving its transformational aspirations. Some salient themes of STS scholarship will be presented for further reflection and explore potential use and connections with TUM-STS research.