Social Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine

The Pathway invites applications that situate science, technology and medicine (STM) within broad social contexts. It focuses on themes that explore how scientific knowledge, and knowledge more generally, is shaped by social actors, processes and realities. It also studies how STM itself shapes society and the social perceptions of and attitudes towards science, technology and medicine. Our focus is interdisciplinary and encompasses diverse fields such as history, history of science and medicine, science and technology studies (STS), sociology, anthropology, environmental studies, and human and nonhuman health.

The pathway also encourages projects on science and technology organizations with an impact on international relations and policies. Recent projects have focussed on agencies such as the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the British Council bridging scientific and diplomacy goals. Applicants with an interest in other governmental, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations are encouraged to apply.

Programmes eligible for NWSSDTP funding

The list below includes all Master’s programmes that are eligible for NWSSDTP funding and the typical PhD programmes that are supported under this pathway. Other PhD programmes within these universities may be considered – please reach out to the relevant Pathway Representative (see contact details below) or the NWSSDTP Office if the PhD programme you are interested in is not listed here. Please note that the NWSSDTP does not fund standalone Master’s programmes – these can only be funded as part of a Master’s + PhD Studentship.

Keele University

Lancaster University

University of Liverpool

University of Manchester

For information on how to apply for funding, please visit our How to Apply page.

Pathway Representatives

Contact details for Social Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine Pathway Representatives can be found here: https://nwssdtp.ac.uk/about/contact-us/pathway-leads/

Current Social Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine Pathway Students and Alumni

Adele Moore (2020 Cohort)

Seizing the Means of Contraception: Accessing and Practicing Contraception in a Pandemic

In light of the pandemic of COVID 19, this research will examine the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts access to, and complicates practices of, contraception for young women. It will also explore the new methods of accessing and practicing contraception that are emerging during the pandemic.

Abi Lafbery (2020 Cohort)

Worlding, Wildness & the Climate Crisis

My project is interested in conceptualisations of ‘the wild’ and the co-constitution of bodies and environments, in the practice of wild swimming, in a time of climate crisis. I am interested in what the wild means to wild swimmers, how swimmers experience a sense of wildness and the context of outdoor swimming in the emergent industry of the wild.

Alice Naisbitt (2021 Cohort)

‘A UK Backchannel?’: A Science Diplomacy History of the British Council in the Twentieth Century and Beyond

This research explores the science activities and initiatives of the British Council to ascertain if the organisation can be regarded as an agent of ‘science diplomacy’. By exploring the ‘soft power’ potential of the Council’s overlooked science initiatives (primarily in the USSR, Egypt, and India), the thesis will contribute to a wider understanding of Britain’s non-governmental foreign and cultural relations.

Beck Chamberlain Heslop (2022 Cohort)

Envisioning Access: The co-production of technology and visually impaired users in Britain, c. 1960-1990

Adopting methodologies from STS and critical disability studies to interrogate audio, material and textual sources, Envisioning Access investigates the co-production of visually impaired users and emerging mobility technologies in Britain c. 1960-1990. Taking a user-centred approach, the project seeks to unpack the politics of agency, access and identity underpinning technologies produced for non-normative bodies.

Robert Naylor (2018 Cohort)

Working Atmospheres: Applied and Industrial Meteorology in Britain 1945 – Present

I aim to explore the role of applied meteorology in mitigating the economic weather sensitivity in Britain by asking:

  • What historical, economic and institutional drivers have bolstered the growth of industrial meteorology?
  • Has applied meteorological information contributed to weather resilience in UK industry?
  • What factors have facilitated or impeded knowledge flows between providers, intermediaries and users of weather information?