Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 38, No. 212.
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        Date: 2024-10-29 19:36:33+00:00
        From: Agar, Jon <jonathan.agar@UCL.AC.UK>
        Subject: Call for Proposals: Experimental History of Science Workshop, UCL, 25 April 2025

Experimental History of Science Workshop
25 April 2025, University College London

Call for Proposals

History of science works within well-worn (and of course often
successful) genres of writing and presentation. But do these structural
constraints encourage some insights, arguments and ideas and not others?
If we experimented in form, would new insights, arguments and ideas come
to the surface?

In recent years STS scholars have challenged ideas that “science” should
equate to an exclusively European, capital-intensive form of natural
inquiry, opening up history to diverse and often marginalized forms of
natural knowledge from across the globe. Surprisingly, however, the
formats and media through which history of science is written,
presented, and published have barely changed in this time, despite many
of them having roots in precisely the contexts under critique. What new
ways of articulating and exploring the history of science can we develop
that go beyond traditional formats? What role is there for gossip,
ritual, storytelling, game-playing, silence, music, action, poetry and
proverb, quilting, walking, performance, place-naming, or other forms of
expression in the practice our discipline?

The Experimental History of Science Workshop (25 April 2025) is a space
to take a risk, try something out, and get a response. The aim is to
identify, try and explore new historiographical paths and possibilities.
Some might meet their expected experimental aim. Others, perhaps even
better, might work or fail in unexpected but interesting ways. We intend
to shake things up. The workshop would most definitely applaud
interesting flops. It may be fun.

We at UCL can provide the organisation, support, and the basics of time
and space, as well as the enabling on the day.

  1.
     Proposals are sought for ‘papers’, ‘events’, ‘interventions’, that
     have an explicit aim to experiment in how history of science is
     conducted or presented, ie experiments primarily in method or form.

  2.
     The organisers will select a programme from among those that meet
     the following criteria and can be achieved with resources available.
     We do have a small amount of funding available to develop
     experiments, so talk to us if this support would make a difference.

  3.
       Experiments in research question are moot if they might be
     answered through mere conventional methods or presented in
     conventional forms, but more radical proposals might be considered.

  4.
     The method, form or question should depart from usual practice in
     interesting and bold ways.

  5.
     The choice of the method, form or question should be justifiable and
     reasoned. Mere anarchy is boring.

  6.
     The experimental aim should be articulable and clear.

  7.
     Not all experiments might be realistically achievable, although a
     challenge is welcome. If we can, we will work with the selected
     experimenters to realise their experiment.

  8.
     There should be a criterion for ‘success’, even if it is not met in
     practice.


To get you thinking, the following categories might prompt a response.
What might be:

/Impossible Plans/ – presentations that couldn’t possibly be realized in
a workshop or perhaps not even in current reality. These can be
presented in conventional ways but don’t have to involve conventional
ambitions.

Real World Plans/ - presentations that can be done within the space of
a theatre or lecture hall.

Sustainable Plans/ – presentations that make sustainability – however
we define that – a key element in new ways to explore the history of
science.

Or you may have an entirely different experiment in mind.

Please send an outline (one page) of your experiment to either
_catherine.lucas.19@ucl.ac.uk <mailto:catherine.lucas.19@ucl.ac.uk>_,
_s.werrett@ucl.ac.uk <mailto:s.werrett@ucl.ac.uk>_ or
_jonathan.agar@ucl.ac.uk <mailto:jonathan.agar@ucl.ac.uk>_ by 22
December 2024. The outline should include: a) experiment title, b)
statement of aim of the experiment in method or form (or radical
research question), c) a description and reasoned justification for the
experimental design,  d) a statement of in what ways the experimental
departs from usual practice, and e) a clear criterion for ‘success’ of
the experiment (bearing mind it is fine to fail in interesting ways).

A provisional programme will be communicated early in 2025.

The workshop, at which experiments will be either reported or performed,
will take place at University College London on Friday 25 April 2025.

Organisers:

Jon Agar, Cathy Lucas, Simon Werrett
Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS), University College
London



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