Subject: CfP
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 14:02:52 +0100
From: Christian Greiffenhagen <[log in to unmask]>

   
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                          Call for Papers
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SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE AS ORDINARY ACTION:
AN INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON SCIENTISTS AT WORK

University of Fribourg, Switzerland, 22/23 March 2007

http://www.unifr.ch/dss-dgw/scientificpractice/

(Organised in cooperation with the Research Committee 'Interpretive
Sociologies' of the Swiss Sociological Association)


CALL FOR PAPERS
In the 1970s a number of social scientists aimed to demystify the idea of a
'scientific method' and to undermine the idea that there is a radical
discontinuity between scientific and everyday practical reasoning. A
strategic role for this project were anthropological and ethnographic
studies of scientists involved in investigative work and the production of
new knowledge.

Although these early 'laboratory studies' were highly influential in
demonstrating that scientific work is also a social practice, not many
researchers attempted to exhibit what may be distinctive about different
scientific practices. In fact, as Lynch in his review of the development
of science studies ('Scientific Practice and Ordinary Action', CUP, 1993)
notes, most social scientists very quickly left the study of day-to-day
investigative work behind and moved on to other, possibly wider or broader,
issues of scientific practice. As a consequence, observational studies of
scientists at work are nowadays less prominent in social studies of science.

This workshop aims to discuss the present state and prospective of detailed
ethnographies of scientific practice. The aim is to bring together
researchers who have conducted recent observational studies on the ordinary,
interactional, and practical aspects of scientific work, and to discuss the
potential benefits of such studies.

Our aim is to have a small number of participants (10-15), so that there
will be sufficient time for the presentation and discussion of each paper.
We plan to publish an edited collection from the workshop papers.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Michael Lynch (Cornell University)
Lorenza Mondada (University of Lyon)

KEY DATES:
October 16, 2006: submission of abstracts (500-700 words)
November 15, 2006: answer about acceptance
February 12, 2007: submission of papers (6000-8000 words)
March 22/23, 2007: workshop in Fribourg

CONTACT DETAILS:
Abstracts and requests for further information should be sent to:
[log in to unmask]

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:
Alain Bovet (University of Fribourg)
Christian Greiffenhagen (University of Manchester)
Wes Sharrock (University of Manchester)
Philippe Sormani (University of Lausanne)
Jean Widmer (University of Fribourg)