Relocating Education in the History of Science and Technology

Overview & Synopsis

This paper reviews the current position of the history of education within the existing historiography of science and technology, and argues for the relocation of education from the periphery of the history of science and technology to its centre. It claims that it is essential to study science education in its entirety and complexity if we want to understand the generation, reproduction, circulation and transformation of scientific and technological knowledge, practices, practitioners and objects inside and outside of scientific institutions and communities. Four relocations are proposed: first, placing the history of education at the centre of our understanding of history of science and technology; second, acknowledging the diversity and heterogeneity of science and technology education; third, placing material culture at the centre of our histories of science and technology education; and, finally, provincialising Europe and North America in the history of science and technology education.