CALL FOR PAPERS

Career Development in Academia (SSTNET Workshop)

When: July, 5-6, 2012

Where: Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Organizers: Research Network 24 - Sociology of Science and Technology Network (SSTNET) of the European Sociological Association (ESA) and the Centre for Sociology of Science and Science Studies (IHST) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.

Science and technology are playing an increasingly important role in the development of contemporary societies, and human resources are recognised as a key to techno-scientific development. The social importance of scientific career development and, consequently, its relevance as a topic in the STS field has been increasing due to the changing position and role of academia across European societies of different types. The goal of this workshop is to contribute to a better understanding of the factors, mechanisms and social context of career development in academia in specific countries and wider regions.

Deadline for abstract submission is  February, 29, 2012.

For further information on the workshop see the attached pdf or doc files.

SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE 100th ANNIVERSARY

OF ROBERT K. MERTON’S BIRTH

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Robert Merton’s birth, the Center for Sociology of Science and Science Studies together with the Research Committee on the Sociology of Science and Technology RC23 of the International Sociological Association prepared a special issue of the journal “Sociology of Science and Technology”. The 100th anniversary of Robert Merton's birth was celebrated in July 2010. He was one of the leading sociologists of the 20th century.  It was not only this date that made us look at Robert Merton, but also the fact that his name was so closely connected with emergence and legitimization of the academic subfield sociology of science. Merton was one of the founders and the first president of RC23. One should not neglect the fact that Russian sociology of science started to actively absorb Merton's ideas in the 1960s and that many of the Soviet scientific elite maintained friendly and professional contacts with this eminent scholar. Merton became an important personality for Soviet sociology.

Please see the pdf. version of the Issue.

Please see Global Dialogue (the electronic newsletter and magazine of the ISA) Celebrating Robert K. Merton