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, drafting and presenting a historiographical summary, and discussing each other’s books to form a wider picture of the week’s 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.
Participants from SGSSS departments will be eligible to have some book purchases reimbursed to supplement resources available from university libraries. Repeat participants from last year are encouraged and will be eligible for reimbursement subject to a cap on the cumulative amount claimed. Please note, participants should commit to prepare for and attend all sessions to be eligible to reimbursement, although we hope to accommodate others who cannot attend the full training.