The Science Historiography Clinic is a weekly online discussion-based workshop running during the semester 2 instructional period. Participants will develop skills in rapidly and efficiently digesting and contextualising the published history of science literature as preparation for engaging with that literature in their teaching (e.g. undergraduate survey modules), research (e.g. literature reviews), and professional activities (e.g. refereeing, conference participation). Trainees will practice methods such as ‘gutting’ a collection of books on a topic (rapidly identifying sources, methodology, historiographical contexts, and implications) while developing a broad foundational familiarity with key classic and current work in the field from the perspective of an active researcher and educator.
A typical week will involve participants’ each preparing 1-3 books from a list, writing a historiographical summary and presenting to the group, so that collectively the group will consider a wide spectrum of works on the weekly topic. Weekly themes cover a wide range of subjects and methodologies of current interest to historians of science, spanning the social, human, life, physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, and approaches from global history, historical sociology, material history, book history, biography, and more. Historiographical summaries will be collected into a reference resource curated by the group.
Each participant will be reimbursed by SGSSS for up to £150 in book expenses to supplement resources available from respective university libraries.
This workshop will take place every Tuesday from 2pm – 4pm from 12 January to 23 March.