Jon_C_memo_1_rev

I tried to revise the social theoretical questions to include linkages to social theory, but I think that they still sound a bit too much like research questions. Add that to my list of "habits!"


 * Project Hopping **

How did bioethics develop as a field during the 1970s-1980s? || Archival research at the Hastings Center Archive of Daniel Callahan's personal correspondence (Yale). Ethnographic interviews with bioethicists at AMBI, Hastings Center, University of Pennsylvania bioethics program. || How is bioethical expertise formed in this case, when it is directly attached to and co-temporal with institutional development? What are the roles of non-scientists (philosophers, ethicists, policymakers) in the development of science? || Bioethics is making a resurgence with the advent of new biomedical technologies. Many scientists are unwilling (?) to consider bioethics a relevant discipline for their work. Ethics are an important part of doing science, and I believe that they are necessary for "good science," so I want to find out why they are being ignored so vehemently. || I've done a //lot// of reading in bioethics, and a bit of research using the Callahan archive at Yale. || I'm not a huge fan of the way bioethics has been done, mostly because of some research already performed in this area. I'm a little tired of looking at the published literature on bioethics and need to get my nose out of the books. || History of Science, Bioethics, Anthropology, STS (marginally). || Hastings Center (they offer a research grant for this type of work). || (How do epigeneticists take into account questions of race, ethnicity, and biological determinism?) || Ethnographic interviews with epigeneticists, developmental biologists. Participant observation in an epigenetics laboratory (Jirtle Lab at Duke?). Discourse analysis of popular press surrounding epigenetics. || How do scientists perceive their role in the development of a new field? Whose politics are embedding themselves in epigenetics? What role does the mass media play in the development of epigenetics? How is epigenetic knowledge/expertise created (where does the "equipment" link up with its users?) || Epigenetics is a field that is slowly developing its own expertise, and getting a lot of popular press attention. || I presented a paper about this subject with Ron at AAA two years ago, so the beginning steps of this project are complete. I have field sites I want to look at, and some preliminary research questions. || I'm skeptical about some of the rhetoric that scientists are using to describe their research, and I don't believe the hype. Racism, especially scientific racism disturbs me on a very deep level. I'm also a recovering biologist. || Anthropology (social construction of race and ethnicity), STS (social justice, medicalization, . || NSF. ||
 * **Topical Area** || **Data Sets** || **Social Theoretical Questions?** || **Why now?** || **How Prepared?** || **Bias** || **Fields of Work** || **Funders** ||
 * Bioethics: Why don't scientists like, or listen to bioethicists?
 * Epigenetics, race, and biological determinism.
 * Epigenetics, "dead" scientific theories as metaphors for developing science. || Discourse analysis of popular press and scientific journal articles. Historical literature on epigenetics, Lamarck and Darwin. || How is the field of epigenetics forming its own disciplinary routines and discursive fields? How are scientific theories formed? || See above. || I have an in-depth understanding of the theory of evolution, but only a small amount of its developmental history (this project should give me that knowledge). || Same as above. || Anthropology, STS, History of Science, Biology. || NSF. This project doesn't really need funding... ||
 * DIY Biology Laboratories. || Ethnographic interviews and participant observation (maybe) at DIY Bio Project ([|http://www.diybio.org]), located in Cambridge, MA. Open WetWare Project ([|www.openwetware.org]). || Where does this fit into Foucault's subjugated knowledges (also local/expert knowledge)? How is this "grassroots" group growing during the "war on terror?" Can what these people do be considered activism? How? || This movement is slowly picking up speed and will probably get crushed by government regulation, so I need to study them now. || From my STS coursework, I know about expertise and the regulation of biotechnology. || I think that what these people are doing is very interesting, and I'm excited (amost giddy) to see what they're doing and how they're doing it. I'm also paranoid about how projects like these could "backfire." || Anthropology, STS (policy, knowledge production, expert formation, social justice, environmental activism[maybe?]), Biology. || NSF, NIH. ||