History of Social Science - Period 5

Science in general, or social science in particular, is an institutionalized practice, embedded in a societal context. Science is a form of human behaviour, in which processes of institutionalization interact with making rational choices, fully based on scientific insights and scientific standards. Scientists must operate in social structures of which they are only partially in control. By its focus on science as an institutionalized practice, the course connects perfectly to one of the main themes in social sciences: the tension between structure and agency. Various themes will be discussed weekly within this general framework, such as: the reasons why new disciplines emerge, great, inspiring examples of scientists, societal and political doubt about the value of science, the white, male, Western hegemony of science, coincidence in science, fraud, the relationship to clients, and the reason why big scientific debates are rarely settled on the basis of strictly rational grounds.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.