Today, as we navigate increasingly polarized discussions about science’s role in society, the scientific community must address the complicated history of scientific triumphalism. The long twentieth century undeniably saw science transform societies and deliver significant improvements in human welfare. This success story has fostered a pervasive belief that every question and problem can be solved through the continued expansion of scientific knowledge.
Recent developments have cast doubt on the validity of this narrative. Looming environmental crises have prompted critical questions about whether science has truly led to unambiguous progress. While ongoing breakthroughs in artificial intelligence exemplify scientific achievement, they also raise serious concerns about broader societal implications. At the same time, the authority of scientific discourse is being challenged by alternative frameworks. From one perspective, science denialism and pseudoscience have eroded public trust in science and evidence-based policy. From another angle, some critics argue that scientific practices—and the university system as a whole—perpetuate systems of oppression and uphold colonialist structures.
Such forms of criticism can easily lead to the conclusion that science should—or even must—be replaced by alternative epistemologies and practices. We suggest that examining these critiques invites the scientific community to engage more deeply with uncomfortable histories outside scientific triumphalism. The ongoing debates are better understood when we recognize that science has always existed alongside contentious ideas and troubling practices, which can serve as a foundation for not rejecting but rethinking the idea and history of progress.
By focusing on the uncomfortable legacies and darker aspects of the past, this workshop aims to bring together scholars interested in the problematic heritage of science throughout the long twentieth century—from the 1870s to the present. We welcome submissions from historians of science, STS scholars, philosophers, sociologists, and practitioners engaged with the critical history of scientific disciplines. The goal is to explore how scientific practices, figures, or discoveries may be entangled with controversial or contradictory histories. We also hope to examine whether—and how—these histories have challenged the credibility of science and what constructive responses might emerge from this critical engagement.
Read the whole call including instructions on our website!