CASTI, the Network investigating into Conceptual Approaches to Science, Technology and Innovation, will meet in Berlin to discuss methodological and theoretical aspects of its research program. The workshop will be hosted by Tim Flink and Martin Reinhart at the Social Science Department of Humboldt University Berlin, in collaboration with the Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ).

The aim of the workshop is to refine the CASTI research programme. First, we want to discuss methodological problems and new trends in historical semantics. For example, discussions will explore the differences between onomasiological and semasiological approaches, the idea of traveling concepts as an approach for studying transcultural and transdisciplinary effects, and the conceptual scope of the network, that is, which concepts and their semantic fields should be addressed. Second, we want to ask how studies of historical semantics in the field of science, technology, innovation and society can contribute to current debates in science studies as well as in research and innovation policy. Over the last few decades, a plethora of semantic innovations in scholarly and political discourses have arisen in connection with a variety of contested discourses, such as the relationship between science and technology, debates about appropriate institutional settings and policies, and the tense relationship between the social sciences and the natural sciences. All of these are potentially relevant for our research programme.

The workshop is free of charge. If you would like to participate, please be so kind and send an email to tim.flink@hu-berlin.de.