Standard Research - California Delta: The Engineered Heart of a Modern State Formation

STS研究的重点是现代科技状态下自然、技术和社会之间的关系。在这些国家中，自然和社会被整合在复杂的社会技术网络中：大坝、土方工程、排水、输水、电网、卫生工程等庞大而分散的系统。社会、自然和技术元素被设计在一起，并深深地相互关联。加州三角洲是一个典型的例子，说明一个大型社会技术网络对一个现代国家的稳定至关重要。理解这样的网络是STS目的的核心，但初步研究表明，建模社会，自然和技术元素彼此独立导致部分理解，虽然完全适合特定目的，但实际上可能会阻碍对三角洲作为一个整体的广泛理解，因此其可持续性的前景（其含义存在争议）。这项研究旨在广泛了解三角洲的发展，以及它现在是如何组装的，这是对更有重点的研究的必要补充。目的是一个历史社会学的案例研究，有三个关键目标。首先，将三角洲置于西方文明的广阔历史背景中，重点关注科学和自然治理。第二，瞄准三角洲历史上的关键时刻，解释每个案例的主要结果。第三，调查网络的当前配置，目的是为当今网络可持续性的有争议的讨论提供见解。每一个这些目标将通过一个总体分析的形成现代的加州作为一个正在进行的过程中的工程性质，社会和技术一起通过科学和government.Intellectual Merit的共同产品：该研究预见了一个显着的贡献，通过出版一本书和一些文章的STS文献。实质性的知识价值在于通过将社会技术网络分析中的解释性方案、组织社会学中的新制度分析以及国家形成的历史/文化社会学结合在一起而形成的理论见解。参与这些文献，研究旨在开发一种理论方法，以社会技术网络，避免取代技术和自然决定论与社会决定论。在这种情况下，研究阐述了代理和因果关系之间的区别，使网络中的所有元素都可以导致结果，但只有人类行为者和他们的人工制品被授予代理。在这样做的研究，旨在调和的行动者网络和社会建设的技术方法之间的一些差异。的概念？物质文化？将物质技术与物质自然区分开来，并将用于将社会技术网络研究与现代国家形成的物质层面相结合。这些理论贡献将为加州三角洲的历史发展、当前结构和未来前景提供新的实证分析。该项目的核心智力价值是它对STS研究的贡献，它将理论制定和解释与细粒度的实证案例研究分析相结合。广泛影响：将在教育和培训领域产生广泛影响。将设计一个课程，？STS 180，特殊主题，？社会技术网络，重点是加州三角洲的基础上的研究。本课程将成为加州大学戴维斯分校新成立的STS本科专业的一部分。研究数据集（超文本格式）将被放置在网络上，供学生在自己的研究中使用。了解加州三角洲是如何发展的，以及它的当代状况和可持续发展的前景，将对社会产生广泛的影响和利益。这项研究将对各级政府的政策具有现实意义。这项研究设想出一本书，旨在对公众对社会科学技术的理解产生广泛影响。除了广大公众外，这项研究还将引起加州众多选民的兴趣，如环保主义者、科学家、工程师（当然这些类别并不排外）、商人和农民等。最后，广泛的影响在于研究的意义和可能性的大规模社会技术网络的可持续性在21世纪的讨论，以及这种关系的可行性和国家的稳定性作出的贡献。

Synopsis: Research in STS is focusing on the relationship between nature, technology and society in modern techno-scientific states. In these states, nature and society are integrated in complex socio-technical networks: massive and distributed systems of dams, earthworks, drainage, water conveyance, power grids, sanitary engineering and so on. Social, natural, and technological elements are engineered together and are deeply interconnected. The California Delta is a prime example of a large socio-technical network that is crucial to the stability of a modern state. Understanding such networks is central to the purpose of STS, but preliminary research indicates that modeling social, natural, and technological elements independently of one another has resulted in partial understandings, that while perfectly adequate for particular purposes, can actually hinder broad understanding of the Delta as a whole, and thus its prospects for sustainability (the meaning of which is contested). This research seeks a broad understanding of the development of the Delta, and also of how it is now assembled, which is a necessary complement to more focused research. The aim is a historical sociological case study, with three key objectives. First, situate the Delta in the broad historical context of western civilization, with a focus on science and the governance of nature. Second, target critical moments in the history of the Delta that explain major outcomes in each case. Third, survey the current configuration of the network with the aim of contributing insight to the contested discussion of network sustainability today. Each of these objectives will be accomplished through an overarching analysis of the formation of the modern state of California as an ongoing process of engineering nature, society and technology together through the co-productions of science and government.Intellectual Merit: The research foresees a significant contribution to the literature in STS through the publication of a book and a number of articles. Substantial intellectual merit lies in the theoretical insights developed by bringing together explanatory schemes in socio-technical network analysis, neo-institutional analyses in organizational sociology, and historical/cultural sociology of state formation. Engaging these literatures, the research seeks to develop a theoretical approach to socio-technical networks that avoids replacing technological and natural determinism with social determinism. In this context the research elaborates the distinction between agency and causality so that all elements in the network can cause outcomes, but only human actors and their artifacts are granted agency. In so doing the research seeks to reconcile some of the differences between the actor-network and social construction of technology approaches. The concept of ?material culture? distinguishes material technology from material nature, and will be used to integrate socio-technical network research with an account of the material dimensions of modern state formation. These theoretical contributions will inform, and be informed by, a new empirical analysis of the historical development, current configuration, and future prospects of the California Delta. The core intellectual merit of the project is its contribution to research in STS that integrates theoretical formulation and explanation with fine-grained empirical case study analysis.Broad Impacts: Broad impacts will be made in the area of education and training. A course will be designed, ?STS 180, Special Topics,? on socio-technical networks, with a focus on the California Delta based on the research. This course will be part of the newly formed STS undergraduate major at the University of California, Davis. The research dataset (hypertext format) will be placed on the web for students to use in their own research. Understanding how the California Delta developed, and its contemporary condition and prospects for sustainability, will have broad impact and benefits for society. The research will have policy relevance for all levels of government. Envisioning a book, this research aims to have a broad impact on public understanding of science and technology in society. As well as the public at large, the research will be of interest to numerous constituencies of California, such as environmentalists, scientists, engineers (the categories are not of course exclusive), business people and farmers, among others. Finally, broad impact lies in the contribution the research makes to discussions about the meaning and possibility of large-scale socio-technical network sustainability in the twenty-first century, and the relationship of such to the viability and stability of the state.