A Report of the EASST Conference 2006, University of Lausanne, Switzerland, 23 - 26 August 2006
For some time, I have been looking forward to attending an EASST conference. As a PhD candidate living in Australia, however, I knew it would be financially difficult. Like many Australian science and technology scholars (though we are few in number, we are expanding and growing), I often feel isolated from the STS community. Therefore, when I received financial support in the form on an EASST travel stipend, as well as from my home institution the Queensland University of Technology, I grew excited.
My eagerness translated to a thorough examination of the EASST conference programme far in advance. Scanning the programme, an immediate problem hit me - with the overwhelming amount of engaging STS work, how was I to pick which session to attend? As a result, I attended as many sessions as I possibly could. What follows is my summary of a few select presentations.
You will note that I have chosen not to focus on the plenary sessions. This is because of two reasons - one, excellent outlines are provided in the conference proceedings and two, the plenary sessions enjoyed mass attendance. Suffice to say that in the plenary sessions, a general strong theme emerged, where a strong concern was expressed regarding the intersection of STS and the dynamics between science, the state, democracy, politics, globalisation and humanness.
I am a little biased towards the first paper presentations held on Wednesday 23rd August, as this is when my paper was allocated. My presentation, entitled “Overcoming and Reinforcing Dichotomies: The Animal/Human Divide and Xenotransplantation”, was the first time I have presented work emerging from my near-completed PhD thesis. EASST was a perfect opportunity to debut my examinations to a wide and divergent STS audience. Drawing upon primary qualitative data collected through document analysis, focus groups and interviews, I outlined how negotiations of animals in xenotransplantation are not straightforward. That is to say, while xenotransplantation (animal-to-human transplantation) merges animals and humans together to create a hybrid body, such medical intervention can only happen by conceptualising animal and human bodies as different and similar at the same time. Presenting my work to the international STS community was an invaluable experience, and I had many conversations about my work with various colleagues during the conference.
As I lecture on the sociology of the body and its intersections with technoscience, it was imperative to attend the session on the body on Thursday 24th August. Julie Palmer from the University of York focused on feminist debates on ultrasound imaging. Currently, feminist debates have not extended into the latest 3D and 4D ultrasound technologies, which pose new challenges for reading foetal personhood, or the ‘technofoetus’. The constructed nature of the 3D and 4D technofoetus provides depth and perspective through the use of contrast, which gives a sense of a whole body and reinforces personhood. Like previous ultrasound technologies, we witness the disappearance of the woman by focusing on the foetus. Simon Carter from Open University then provided a preview of his upcoming book in his presentation, “Rise and Shine: Sunshine, technology and health”. Using historical examples, Carter showed how tensions manifested between shading the body from the sun and the importance of sunlight for health. An example of such is rickets, which was traditionally viewed as a symptom of a lack of sunlight; above and beyond diet and vitamin deficiency. Clear intersections can be seen between ‘sun-seeking’ for health and the development of medical tourism.
On Friday 25th August, Suzanne Laberge, Mathieu Albert and Brian Hodges explored interdisciplinary research in the Canadian context. The trend of funding agencies towards interdisciplinary research in Canada, which is viewed as more superior to disciplinary research, is reflected in changes to academic programs. Generally biomedical scientists felt the pressure for interdisciplinary research was too great, and exhibited mixed feelings about whether interdisciplinary research enhances understanding. Not surprisingly to the audience present, biomedical researchers largely did not view social science epistemologies and methodologies in a favourable light. Hopefully, this will continue to change in the future.
The presentations on the final day of the conference did not disappoint, as reflected in a continued strong attendance of conference delegates. Suzanne Fraser, from the National Centre in HIV Social Research at the University of New South Wales (Australia), discussed her recent publication, “The chronotope of the queue: Methadone maintenance treatment and the production of time, space and subjects”. Fraser’s focus is on how time and space of the queue at methadone clinics, co-produces particular kinds of methadone subjects. For example, queuing requires methadone clients to spend time with each other, which may create difficulty for some clients by subjecting them to danger. Discussions about criminal activity and mixing with individuals suffering from withdrawal, pose threats to personal security. Additionally, limited opening hours of clinics and the consequent queuing, impacts upon the client’s life, such as raising children, limiting work opportunities and/or generating tardiness for work. Even when not queuing, individuals can be attacked due to queue negotiation when leaving the clinic.
As a final presentation in the paper sessions, Rob Hagendijk, Alan Irwin and Maja Horst outlined the STAGE project (Science, Technology and Governance in Europe). Based on twenty-six case studies of policy making and social engagement across the European Union between 2001 and 2005, STAGE concentrates on information and communication technologies, biotechnology and the environment. This examination shows how public engagement in science - or ‘deliberative governance’ - continues to be underdeveloped, imprecise, ill-defined, fluid and contested. These challenges should not discourage us however, as we should continue to seek and be committed to public engagements. These case studies and further information on the project can be found at http://www.stage-research.net.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the EASST Committee and the Research Degrees Committee of the Queensland University of Technology for the financial support that enabled my attendance at EASST 2006. Without such support, my attendance would not have been possible. Presenting and discussing my work to the EASST community was an invaluable experience, enabling me to solidify existing networks while establishing new ones. The EASST Organisation and Programme Committees must also be acknowledged for a job well done. And finally, thanks to Judith Halberstam, I will never watch The March of the Penguins (or ‘Penguin Porn’) in the same way again.
Author’s address: Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Social Change Research, Brisbane, Australia