About this course
While good science is thought to be value-free, scientific inquiry nonetheless reflects the values and interests of the cultures and societies that produce it and of those who are allowed to participate. This course examines how cultural, social, and political values shape scientific knowledge production and participation, and explores the benefits of greater inclusiveness in science.
Women and people of color were long excluded from scientific institutions yet contributed to scientific knowledge from the margins in often unacknowledged ways. The course focuses on gender, but will also include race, class, and ethnicity, and gives attention to indigenous science as we explore how broader participation enables the development of solutions to real-world problems that benefit all.
Besides visits to relevant institutions such as the Nobel Museum, we will meet with scientists at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute to conduct interviews about their career paths and their research, also examining how Scandinavia, often seen as a global forerunner in gender equality, still lacks full representation in STEM fields.
Syllabus
Fall 2026
Go to syllabusThis is a draft syllabus. The final syllabus will be available here a few days prior to the new course’s first start date.
Course note
This course will only be offered in fall 2026.
Faculty
Susan Castagnetto
Visiting Faculty at DIS Stockholm from Scripps College, Fall 2026. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Santa Clara and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Stanford University. She is a Senior Lecturer for Philosophy at Scripps College and Chair of the Intercollegiate Feminist Center (IFC) at The Claremont Colleges.