Universiteit Maastricht European Studies on Society, Science & Technology




Extension of the deadline
To the 1st of August ,2004

European Master of Arts Programme on
Society, Science and Technology
ESST
At Maastricht University, The Netherlands

ESST is a one-year International Master Programme taught in collaboration
with an Association of 17 European Universities. The ESST programme
explores the foundations and impact of science and technology by examining
the values, language, history, politics, and economics of modern
technological and scientific society. Work in this field prepares students
to integrate the scientific and technical disciplines with the humanities
and social sciences. Through its multidisciplinary approach, ESST explores
the interrelated worlds of the scientist, engineer, politician, and
citizen. Furthermore, the global, multicultural, and environmentally
conscious perspectives of ESST develops ethical awareness and public
responsibility. ESST is designed to provide training for students of
different backgrounds: social scientists, engineers and human scholars.


In a period, that is heading towards an ever more complex knowledge society
there will be an increasing need for experts who are able to deal with the
science-technology-society relation in a reflexive and politically
conscious way. Graduates of the ESST program are thus well prepared for a
wide spectrum professional and academic activities. This includes all kinds
governmental institutions, NGOв?Ts, or private institutes and academic
institutes that deal with issues such as research funding, technological
development, public health and medicine, environmental policy,
technological risk management or organizational development.

Some of the issues discussed within the ESST programme are:

п,§ Do science and technology develop according their own logic, or are do
they reflect the interests and values of their social context? How and to
which extend, can policy then deliberately control the course of scientific
and technical innovations?

п,§ In what way is the policy-making process changing in a knowledge
society? Are we moving towards a technocratic society in which only
scientific experts have a say or is there a future for democracy in the
knowledge society?

п,§ How can policy-institutions deal both effectively and democratically
with the risks and moral dilemmas of new technological developments such as
genetic food, biomedicine, and information or communication technology? Who
is to be considered an expert in these matters? How and where can we draw
the line between experts and lay people?

п,§ Can technology help to overcome the global North-South divide? Does the
transfer of new technologies to developing countries increase their
dependency of the North? Are their other forms of technology that are more
adapted and that that fit easier with the local needs of people in the
South?

In the ESST programme students reflect on the arenas in which
controversial issues are discussed, like, biotechnology, genetics,
sustainable technology, climate change, biodiversity and the globalisation
of economics, and technology transfer.

ESST also offers several specialisations in the second semester. Like,
Technoscience and Values; Building and maintaining life in the development
process; Social perspectives on Technological Risks: discourses, risk
analysis, risk management and politics of risk; Living in a Technological
Culture; Computers and the Law; Science and Technology Teaching and
Society ; Technology Assessment Methodologies and Applications to Cases in
ICT; Nature, Culture, Science and Technology
Some are more policy-oriented. For example, Bridging the technological
Divide; Globalisation; E-government and E-democracy; The Politics of
Knowledge: Assessing and Communicating Risk; From Theories of Innovation
to Technological Policies.
Others are more oriented at theories and processes of innovation, like
Innovation Systems, Social and Ecological Change; Systems of Innovation,
Public Innovation Policy and Innovation Strategy; Globalisation,
Innovation Processes and Innovation Policies; The Economic and
Technological dimensions of Globalisation; From Theories of Innovation to
Technological Policies; Knowledge production and organisational innovation.

You can find more detailed information on our web page:
www.esst.unimaas.nl.
If you would like to have more information please do not hesitate to
contact us.

ESST Buro
Universiteit Maastricht
Faculty of Arts and Culture
P.O. Box 616
6200 MD Maastricht
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31.43.388 33 84
Telefax:+31.43.3884900
E-mailaddress: ESST@fdcw.unimaas.nl
Website address:http://www.esst.unimaas.nl

Yours sincerely,
Dr. Jessica Mesman
Director of studies

Mrs. Ingrid Regout