Course outline:
Over eight weeks, we'll
cover topics ranging from Darwinian evolution to molecular biology. Key
questions include: how is
biological knowledge shaped by social and political factors? Who gets to
ask the questions that define the agenda of a field? What is the
changing role of technology and mathematics in biology? And where's the
money coming from? The goal of the course is to get you
thinking about science not in terms of discoveries and
heroic figures, but as a complicated, contingent, and essentially human
endeavour. The hope is that the historical method will offer some fresh
perspective on your own research work today.
Course Outcomes:
After completing this course, the student will be able to:
● Understand the development of modern biology, from Darwinian evolution to postgenomics.
● Outline how social, economic, and political factors shape scientific knowledge in both historical and contemporary contexts.
● Appreciate the purpose of an archive for the history of science, as well as be able to formulate, and begin to answer, historical questions using archival collections.
Classes on Fridays - 3:30 to 5:00pm on 4th, 11th and 18th October 2024.
Venue: SAFEDA
Instructor: S. Prashant Kumar
- Teacher: S. Prashant Kumar