Hess, David J and Sovacool, Benjamin K (2020) Sociotechnical matters: reviewing and integrating science and technology studies with energy social science. Energy Research & Social Science, 65. a101462. ISSN 2214-6296

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Abstract

Theoretical frameworks associated with science and technology studies (STS) are becoming increasingly prominent in social science energy research, but what do they offer? This review provides a brief history of relevant STS concepts and frameworks and a structured analysis of how STS perspectives are appearing in energy social science research and how energy-related research is appearing in social science STS. Drawing from an initial body of 262 journal articles and books with a stratified sample of 68 published from 2009 to mid-2019, the review identifies four major groups of perspectives: (1) STS-related cultural analysis, especially the study of sociotechnical imaginaries; (2) STS-related policy analysis, such as research on the social construction of risks and standards and on the performativity of economic models; (3) STS perspectives on public participation processes, expert-public relations, and mobilized publics; and (4) the study of sociotechnical systems, including large technological systems, the politics of design, and users and actor-networks. Connections among the perspectives and the value for energy social science research are also critically discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Science and technology studies science, technology & society social construction of technology socio-technical systems actor-networks public engagement
Schools and Departments:	University of Sussex Business School > SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit
Subjects:	H Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Francisco Dominguez
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2020 08:36
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2020 16:15
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/89750

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