Science, Technology, and War

Roland, Alex

doi:10.2307/3106691

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In innovation theory and evolutionary economics the importance of the Second World War in establishing the conditions for 'big science' and a rapid increase in R&D spend has been discussed (5,49,(77)(78)(79)(80)(81)(82), as has the enduring influence of the 'Military Industrial Complex' during the Cold War and technological "spin offs" resulting from large scale military research programmes (83)(84)(85). In the subfield of the history of science and technology, more materialist accounts of scientific and engineering activity highlight the role of war in stimulating new centrally coordinated 'big science' based around mission-oriented frameworks (9,10,17,19,(50)(51)(52)86) We build on these more materialist accounts of wartime activity; however, this paper is focussed on broader sociotechnical systems rather than individual technologies, innovations or the role of science and R&D (14). We aim to integrate literatures on sociotechnical transitions with literatures related to wartime activity, to build a more comprehensive approach to understanding the broader effects of total wars on sociotechnical systems and the emergence of the first deep transition.…”

Section: War In Techno-economic Paradigms and Sociotechnical Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The TEP framework does refer to the importance of the world wars in influencing far-reaching institutional changes such as the welfare state and the empowerment of trade unions, the mass mobilisation of science, and international institutions (6). In this regard, discussions of world wars in the TEP chime with historical accounts elsewhere highlighting the transformational impact of world wars in influencing widespread institutional change (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). However, although accounts of the fourth surge identify important developments in the domains of energy, food and transport (see table 1) including new technologies, industries, and infrastructures, there is limited attention regarding how transitions in these areas came about and connect with the wider paradigmatic shifts identified in TEP accounts, and particularly how they were affected by war.…”

Section: Introduction: Deep Transitions and Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Role of War in Deep Transitions: Exploring Mechanisms, Imprints and Rules in Sociotechnical Systems

Johnstone

McLeish

2020

SSRN Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper explores in what ways the two world wars influenced the development of sociotechnical systems underpinning the culmination of the first deep transition. The role of war is an underexplored aspect in both the Techno-Economic Paradigms (TEP) approach and the Multi-level perspective (MLP) which form the two key conceptual building blocks of the Deep Transitions (DT) framework. Thus, we develop a conceptual approach tailored to this particular topic which integrates accounts of total war and mechanisms of war from historical studies and imprinting from organisational studies with the DT framework's attention towards rules and metarules. We explore in what ways the three sociotechnical systems of energy, food, and transport were affected by the emergence of new demand pressures and logistical challenges during conditions of total war; how war impacted the directionality of sociotechnical systems; the extent to which new national and international policy capacities emerged during wartime in the energy, food, and transport systems; and the extent to which these systems were influenced by cooperation and shared sacrifice under wartime conditions. We then explore what lasting changes were influenced by the two wars in the energy, food, and transport systems across the transatlantic zone. This paper seeks to open up a hitherto neglected area in analysis on sociotechnical transitions and we discuss the importance of further research that is attentive towards entanglements of warfare and the military particularly in the field of sustainability transitions.

show abstract

Section: War In Techno-economic Paradigms and Sociotechnical Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction: Deep Transitions and Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of War in Deep Transitions: Exploring Mechanisms, Imprints and Rules in Sociotechnical Systems

Johnstone

McLeish

2020

SSRN Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Where Science and Technology Studies (STS) has been concerned with questions about war and the military, work has tended to focus on weapons or on specifically military settings (Sapolsky, 1977;Gummett, 1990;Roland, 1995;Smit, 1995). A more policy-orientated literature has examined the problem of so-called 'dual-use' technologies, especially prevalent in the fields of chemical and biological arms control, where the same technologies can be employed for malign or benign purposes (see, for example, Tucker, 1994).…”

Section: Dangerous Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

A Secret Formula, a Rogue Patent and Public Knowledge about Nerve Gas

Bàlmer

2006

Soc Stud Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

What makes knowledge dangerous? How does secrecy operate to help produce knowledge that is dangerous or otherwise? What happens when 'nothing happens'? This paper addresses these questions through a case study in the history of chemical weapons research in the UK. It focuses on the publication and subsequent treatment in 1975 of a newspaper article reporting that the patent on the chemical warfare agent, VX, was available in a number of public libraries. Within 10 days, copies of the patent had been withdrawn, a government review of declassification procedures was announced, and in Parliament the Minister for Defence announced that the Government had never patented VX. The implication was that nothing, or nothing worth worrying about, had happened. This paper draws on recently declassified documents to trace the modifications of position that occurred in order for the Minister to arrive at this announcement. I argue that secrecy enabled different readings of the patent in different places and thus acted as a spatialepistemic tool in the exercise of power. Key features that differed were: the relationship between essential properties attributed to VX and the additional tacit knowledge deemed necessary to make the nerve agent; the degree of revelation that was deemed to have occurred as the secret was differently constructed; and the presumed intent and abilities of putative abusers. The paper closes with a brief consideration of the relevance of a science studies analysis of this case study to contemporary security concerns.

show abstract

“…The invention of machine guns, tanks, and aircraft has made warfare more lethal, destructive, and capable of causing widespread devastation. Military technology has not only influenced the strategies and tactics employed in conflicts but has also impacted societies' resource allocation, research and development priorities, and economic structures (Roland, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Technology, Military, and Socio-Economic Welfare on Conflict in Indonesia and Japan

Mubarok,

Almubaroq,

Surjaatmadja

et al. 2023

IJHESS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Conflicts are driven by various factors, but over time, conflicts have evolved in nature and complexity. In addition to traditional factors, the emergence of technology has played a significant role in shaping conflicts. Technological advancements also have been a driving force in shaping societies and economies, and impacting various sectors and aspects of life. Our research uses Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. We will analyze the direct and indirect impacts of digital connectivity, technology trade, military expenditure and personnel, and socio-economic welfare on conflicts and tensions in Indonesia and Japan. The findings of our study suggest that technology variables such as digital connectivity and technology trade have a positive effect on socio-economic welfare in Indonesia with coefficients 0.311 and 0.457. A similar thing also happened in Japan with coefficients 1.312 and 0.310. However, technology trade can increase conflicts and tensions in Indonesia with coefficients 0.796, and digital connectivity can increase conflicts and tensions in Japan with coefficients 0.761. Additionally, socio-economic welfare significantly reduces conflict in Japan.

show abstract

Science, Technology, and War

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

The Role of War in Deep Transitions: Exploring Mechanisms, Imprints and Rules in Sociotechnical Systems

The Role of War in Deep Transitions: Exploring Mechanisms, Imprints and Rules in Sociotechnical Systems

A Secret Formula, a Rogue Patent and Public Knowledge about Nerve Gas

Impact of Technology, Military, and Socio-Economic Welfare on Conflict in Indonesia and Japan

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About