Objective
The goals of the Action are to :
initiate international research co-operation in studies based on the methodological approach to the social shaping of technology;
analyse the state of the art of research in social shaping of technology in the participating countries;
support research networks and workshops that further the state of the art of social shaping of technology both in general and specific fields;
support international comparative research efforts to understand the different patterns of social shaping of technology;
further the development of the theoretical understanding of social shaping of technology and related theoretical concepts, and promote its application as a tool in research and technology policy within the EC and in the participating countries.
Current status
The Action entered into force on 18 September 1991 for a period of three years. The Action has been prolonged for a further three years until 17 September 1997.
In the first phase of the Action, a platform for comparative research has been built. This has meant the creation of awareness of the social shaping of technology approach; identification of networks potentially interested in re-using their empirical results in this context; and studying the state of the art for this research framework in various countries.
During the second phase COST A4 has drawn on recent advances in social studies of technology and has stimulated collaborative research and workshops on a wide range of technologies, including the motor car, electronic data exchange, multimedia, the information superhighway, and software technology. It also considers specific aspects such as technology design, implementation/consumption and domestic use, gender relations and rural development. Cross-national comparative studies highlight the diversity of processes of technological change and diffusion, helping to identify possible solutions to the problem of European societies, as well as barriers to such solutions.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
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1049 Brussels
Belgium