Memo+25+Shifts+in+Sign+Systems

I believe that there are two specific shifts in my project, one is in methodology and the other is in perspective and theory. The study of the history of science and technology is certainly not a novel idea, nor is the concept of science as socially constructed. Traditionally, history as a field of study has focused on the narrative, eschewing the incorporation of anything more than the most minimal of theory. However, interdisciplinary fields are growing in numbers and popularity. While many stories dealing with the history of science have already been told, few researchers have applied a theoretical analysis to these narratives. It is my desire to combine both traditional anthropological and historical methodologies to create an interdisciplinary research project. While scholars using this methodology are relatively few, the field is expanding, as evidenced by the development of professional associations, such as the Social Science History Association. The second shift, one theoretical framework that I will be using, is that of postcolonial and subaltern studies to analyze criminal and indigenous roles in history. Sandra Harding's approach to postcolonial studies attempts to close the “gap between marginalized interests and consciousness” and explore “the way the dominant conceptual schemes organize social relations, including those of scientific and technological changes” (Harding, 1998). According to Harding, the marginalized perspectives of women and postcolonial peoples, including the pirate-criminal epistemic community, brings to light aspects of both nature and modern science that are overlooked by the institutions which produce “official” knowledge. However, the adoption of some medical practices such as acupuncture and indigenous medical practices into Western medicine is an indicator that the Western scientific community itself realizes the value of indigenous and traditional sciences (Harding 2006). I also believe that 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.