Learn More About the Program
Throughout history, the world has seen major technological turning points which have precipitated tumultuous changes to the global political economy. These technological turning points are typically connected to key geopolitical issues of the day. For example, the move from steam power to the internal combustion engine caused major changes in industries and communities. In the early 20th century, it was associated with the growing international dominance of the U.S. and Germany, the invention of modern warfare, the suburbanization of U.S. society, and the development of vast new industries in some sectors (roads, automobiles) along with the decline of other sectors (railroads).
Today, we are poised on the precipice of another major shift. Global resources, especially oil, are becoming scarce, and these scarcities, coupled with the spectre of global warming, could spell the end of our fossil-fuel-based technology and spark major changes in the global economy. Yet this shift will not be an easy one, and the creative destruction it is likely to spark will cause vast changes in the political and economic configurations of contemporary societies. It is likely to trigger disasters of epic proportions, which we will have to confront.
This year’s Science, Technology and Society lecture series will explore how a deeper understanding of these technological, geopolitical and economic forces can in turn help us understand the key issues that confront a society facing a major technological turning point. The distinguished speakers in this series bring several disciplinary perspectives and experiences to bear on the various technological, geopolitical and economic forces at play, both historically and today. Our first speaker, the noted historian, John Barry, begins the series by discussing how social, economic, and political forces create conditions that worsen “natural” disasters, such as floods and pandemic diseases, in spite of our best technological know-how. Next, noted political commentator Kevin Phillips will examine the intersection between our dependence on oil-based technology and the US political situation. Continuing the series in the spring, engineer Volker Hartkopf will explain how we can minimize some of the negative consequences from a shift away from a petroleum-based economy and usher in the new technological age by constructing smart buildings. And our final speaker, economist Joel Mokyr, will place all of these issues within a broad, historical context, examining the intersection of technology and political economy over the last several centuries.
Faculty Coordinators:
James Baish
Janet Knoedler
Thomas Rich
Geoffrey Schneider
Amy Wolaver
