Andre Sica de Campos, Unicamp; Janaína Pamplona da Costa, UNICAMP
Posted: February 28, 2022 Accepted Languages: English/Inglés/Inglês, Spanish/Español/Espanhol, Portuguese/Portugués
The established tradition of research on sociotechnical systems has emphasized socially constructed technologies that in themselves mould society and are moulded by societal elements, through the interaction of a myriad of networked agents, artifacts, and regulations. This body of knowledge has focused on technological artifacts, but less emphasis has been placed on biological systems, biotechnological artifacts and their interplay and interaction with societal systems. According to Fox, Griffy-Brown & Dabic (2020) a novel topic of research would focus on these elements, and the term biosocial technical systems was coined to foster academic contributions in this realm. Biosocial technical systems have to do with sociotechnical systems that are influenced by (and influence) biological elements. Recent public health emergencies of international concern declared by the World Health Organization in the past decade or so brought the relevance of biological factors to the fore, culminating with the declaration of the COVID19 Pandemic, in shaping technology and its relationship with society. In this panel we wish to push the concept of biosocial technical systems forward. Examples of contributory topics are: the role of infrastructures, public research, public health and public opinion in technology acceptance; biosocially shaped infrastructures and technologies; biosocial technical systems and policy evidence; biosocial technical systems and vaccines; expanding biosocial technical systems: biofuels, food, water and sustainability.
Reference: Fox, S., Griffy-Brown, C., Dabic, M. From socio-technical systems to biosocial technical systems: new themes and new guidance for the field of technology in society. Technology in Society. 62, (2020) 1-2.
