At the (Semi)Periphery. The Development of Science and Technology Studies in Portugal

Abstract

This article presents an account of the development of STS in Portugal. It pays particular attention to two dimensions. The first regards the domains typically studied by STS scholars in Portugal, grouped in four sections: studies on the scientific system, laboratory ethnographies, research on science and society and risk case studies. The second is the institutional setting in which STS are undertaken, detailing the institutions, groups, journals and associations in this field. The paper attempts to tie the specificities of Portuguese STS with the characteristics of the local scientific system, showing how themes and analysis are influenced by the “semiperipheral” condition of science in Portugal.