Memo26+Extrapolating+and+Abstracting

Vandana Shiva's concept of “Biopiracy” is an admirable way to frame the exploitation of indigenous knowledge of nature, but historically these two categories of the “primitive” and the pirate may have been more closely related than we think, and together they made have made more contributions to science than we are aware of. Drawing on postcolonial feminist/subaltern theory to highlight previously invisible social groups, I argue that a) these groups have had greater impact than credited; b) their study helps us theorize more generally about the roles that deviant groups serve in relation to science and technology; and c) that in showing these relations we can see more clearly the actual constitution of historical and present science. I use archival research and discourse analysis based on communications and private correspondence, combined with literature reviews of the history of cartography, natural sciences, and tropical medicine, to study the role that these marginalized social groups have played in the development of colonial and modern science. Focusing on larger issues of access to technology and the importance of local knowledge networks, this project shows how the STS explorations of the relations of laity and expert in Western science can be further illuminated by incorporating such oppositions as deviant/norm and user/abuser.
 * Lay Contributions to Colonial Technoscience**

In this case study I focus on the knowledge system, social structure and technologies of pirates in historical and present comparison. Drawing on archival records I suggest that historic pirates maintained an alternative epistemic culture in regards to technical knowledges (including literacy and navigation), and formed networks of technological diffusion and appropriation with widespread material consequences. Communication within the pirate community extended to areas such as cartography, ship building and navigation, and indigenous-European relations. I argue that although piracy was considered a deviant and criminal act, it was not that far removed from conventional social groups. The pirate – state relationship was a close one, with individuals often traveling between te two social circles. Furthermore, if pirate ships are viewed as a technology, piracy becomes an excellent case study for demonstrating how access to technology can allow members of disenfranchised social classes, in this case marginalized and criminal individuals, to become self sufficient and to exceed their approved social status. This work analyzes the ways in which these criminals communicated with one another, with indigenous American peoples, and with European state officials, and the consequences of these relationships. Focusing on larger issues of access to technology and the importance of local knowledge networks, this project calls into question the relation of laity and expert in Western science.
 * Deviant Knowledge Systems in Colonial Americas**

It is unsurprising that contributions to “official” knowledge by non-experts are either overlooked or commandeered by authority figures. In order to cross the great divide between modern science and other knowledge systems science must become unprivileged, a concept that is supported by both subaltern studies and feminist standpoint theory. Using Sandra Harding's approach to study “gap between marginalized interests and consciousness” and explore “the way the dominant conceptual schemes organize social relations, including those of scientific and technological changes,” I explore the relationship between the Quechua Indians of Peru and European Jesuit Missionaries, as well as the use of quinine, or cinchona bark, in tropical medicine (Harding, 1998). Although the history of quinine is fairly well documented from the European perspective, it is important to include the indigenous peoples perspective, which brings to light aspects of both nature and modern science that are overlooked by the institutions which produce “official” knowledge. The adoption of indigenous medical practices into Western medicine is an indicator that the Western scientific community itself realizes the value of indigenous and traditional sciences. Giving a voice to this overlooked knowledge community will encourage increased incorporation of the subaltern voice not only in the construction of science, but in broader social and political issues as well.
 * A Feminist Postcolonial Analysis of the Quechua Indian/European Relationship**