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Instructors: Prof. Dr. Rose Marie Beck
Event type:
Seminar
Org-unit: 03-African Studies
Displayed in timetable as:
Subject:
Crediting for:
Hours per week:
2
Language of instruction:
English
Official course description:
The course introduces to Science and Technology Studies and makes available its particular perspective for further analytical perusal. Current debates on Covid-19 vaccination in Germany open up a bunch of questions around the relationship between the autonomy of the individual and the legal and ordering powers of the state. From the point of view of Science and Technology Studies it is intriguing that one of the most important objects in this relationship is the syringe. Visually, i.e. in the media, the syringe does play quite a prominent role, yet it is not present in public debate. Therefore I decided to read up on syringes and needles, and the ideas that are enacted in the practices of injecting, transfusing, vaccinating, thus creating the (bio)political body that is at stake. I envisage a double change of perspective: to the syringe and its constitutive agency, but at the same time also to the historical, cultural and political contexts from the African continent. As these perspectives complement each other I expect that we arrive at an unexpected yet highly analytical and relevant understanding of the dynamics and politics of this relationship of individual and state.
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