The Public History of Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine: Prospects and Issues

科学、技术、工程和医学的公共史：前景和问题

• 批准号: AH/J012319/1
• 负责人: Timothy Boon
• 金额: $ 2.96万
• 依托单位: Science Museum Group
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2012 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FJ012319%2F1
• 关键词: Public; History; Science; Technology; Engineering

This proposal responds to the cross-Research Council Programme 'Connected Communities' and to AHRC emerging themes: 'Science in Culture' and 'Care for the Future'. The popularity of historical leisure pursuits today is significant. Surveys show that more than 50% British adults express interest in learning more about family history. Television history programmes often have two million viewers, and historical magazines have monthly circulations of 80,000. This research network will explore the potential of this phenomenon for museums of science and technology to produce new kinds of historical exhibitions and events that display and interpret their historical collections more effectively. Simultaneously, it will look at the potential of these museums for successful history of science knowledge exchange from universities. The reasons why this is timely relate to both museums and universities. At a time when digital media have increasing cultural presence, questions are begged about the comprehensibility and therefore value of museums' collections of physical objects. For science museums in particular, collections may be becoming more remote from audience experience as visitors lack the familiarity with machines that was commonplace in the 19thc world that produced the great museums, or even 30 years ago when more people worked in manufacturing. Museums are also modifying how they operate because of changes in today's society and culture, including reduced deference to authority, increased informality of - especially online - communication, and greater expectation of participation in cultural production. A core concern of this network will be how science museums can draw on the opportunities provided by the popularity of history in general to respond to the palpable crisis in curatorial practice threatened by this changing status of material and mechanical culture and broader changes in society. (Workshop 1) Two different currents within the universities are pertinent to these issues: Cultural consumption has been a favoured area of activity for many humanities disciplines over the last generation, for example in the reader-response criticism in literature, audience studies of moving image media, and the historical study of the public culture of science. Here, the types of issues exemplified in the visitor experience of museums today have already been explored using theoretical and historical approaches in the universities, where relevant perspectives and analytical practice have been developed. These are complementary to the empirical audience research of museums. On the other hand, the humanities, including the history of science, share an impetus to ensure that the new understandings they develop - conventionally distributed through academic channels - are made available through public media, including museums. The network will explore the potential of material culture - not often a prominent aspect of academic history of science - to produce heightened levels of engagement between academics, museum staff and members of the public with active historical enthusiasms. (Workshop 2)Finally, the network will discuss whether its issues and concerns are peculiar to science and technology museums as compared with museums of art or archaeology, for example. In general culture, identification of the history of science with today's science - rather than with broader history - is widespread, but worthy of critical scrutiny. It is arguable that the negative associations that science has acquired for many lay people may serve to reduce their engagement with its history. Contrariwise, the emphasis of academic history on the social nature of science can assist public engagement with science in the present. The existence of enthusiast groups in many areas of historical technology suggests that it is eminently possible for lay people to find ways to enjoy the history of science and technology. (Workshop 3)

这项建议是对跨研究理事会方案“相互联系的社区”和澳大利亚人权委员会新出现的主题：“文化中的科学”和“关心未来”的回应。今天，历史休闲活动的流行意义重大。调查显示，超过50%的英国成年人表示有兴趣了解更多的家族史。电视历史节目通常有200万观众，历史杂志每月发行量为8万份。该研究网络将探索这一现象对科技博物馆的潜力，以制作新类型的历史展览和活动，更有效地展示和解释其历史收藏。同时，它将着眼于这些博物馆的潜力，从大学的科学知识交流的成功历史。这是及时的原因与博物馆和大学有关。在数字媒体日益增加文化存在的时代，人们对博物馆收藏的实物的可理解性和价值提出了疑问。特别是对于科学博物馆来说，藏品可能会越来越远离观众的体验，因为参观者对机器缺乏熟悉，而在19世纪的世界里，这些机器是很常见的，产生了伟大的博物馆，甚至在30年前，当更多的人在制造业工作时。由于当今社会和文化的变化，博物馆也在改变它们的运作方式，包括对权威的尊重减少，非正式交流（特别是在线交流）增加，以及对参与文化生产的期望增加。该网络的核心关注点是，科学博物馆如何利用历史大众化所提供的机会，应对策展实践中明显的危机，这种危机受到物质和机械文化地位变化以及社会更广泛变化的威胁。（研讨会1）大学内部有两种不同的潮流与这些问题有关：文化消费一直是上一代许多人文学科的活动领域，例如文学中的读者反应批评，运动图像媒体的受众研究以及科学公共文化的历史研究。在这里，今天博物馆的游客体验中所体现的问题类型已经在大学中使用理论和历史方法进行了探索，并开发了相关的观点和分析实践。这些都是对博物馆观众实证研究的补充。另一方面，包括科学史在内的人文学科也有一种共同的动力，即确保它们所形成的新的理解-通常通过学术渠道传播-通过包括博物馆在内的公共媒体传播。该网络将探索物质文化的潜力-通常不是科学学术史的一个突出方面-以提高学者，博物馆工作人员和具有积极历史热情的公众之间的参与程度。（研讨会2）最后，该网络将讨论与艺术或考古博物馆相比，其问题和关切是否是科学和技术博物馆所特有的。在一般文化中，将科学史等同于今天的科学--而不是更广泛的历史--是普遍的，但值得批判性的审视。可以理解的是，许多外行人对科学产生的负面联想可能会减少他们对科学历史的参与。学术史强调科学的社会性质，可以帮助公众参与当今的科学。在历史技术的许多领域都存在着爱好者群体，这表明外行人很有可能找到享受科学和技术历史的方法。（讲习班3）