996011 On the Materiality of the State and the Agency of Tools Inspirations from science and cultural studies for a fresh look at state, politics, and public administration (S) (WiSe 2010/2011)

The state has been brought back in (Evans, Rueschemeyer, Skopcol 1985) and taken back out again from political and social theory (Curtis‘ critique of Rose and Miller 1992). Even though Curtis‘ critic is provocatively overstated, its phrasing highlights nevertheless the increasing relevance of the state in postmodern social and political studies. The rising star of the state can be linked to theoretical advances in governmentality studies, to inspirations from science studies, and to new conceptualizations of the role of states within hybrid forms of governance.
The state, which surfaces in these debates, has lost its autonomy and gained in depth and complexity. It is linked to forms of knowledge and choice of technologies, to rationalities of government, and to the constitution of selfhood and otherness. Within this fresh look at the state, its way to act upon and constitute the social and the economic has gained much attention as well as the material aspects of the working of the state.
Science studies have emphasized the crucial role of the material aspects of producing, processing, and making strategic use of research results. The interest of governmentality studies in the relationship between scientific and technological forms of knowledge and practice was one of the bridges that allowed concepts and research strategies of the science studies to enter the research on the working of the state.
This seminar will reflect on the theoretical advances about the state and its working in two steps. During the first two sessions, pre-circulated papers will provide the basis for a first theoretical discussion. The next three sessions will use a case-study approach to discuss the heuristic potentials of these theoretical advances for historical and social science studies of the state, administration, and the wider political field. The following three cases will be considered:
• the file making, communication strategies, and political rationale of the British India Office
• the introduction of new hygienic strategies in the Pasteurization of France
• the role of media in translating research from the sciences into social political capital
A concluding session will provide the opportunity to connect the discussion of the case studies with the theoretical reflections during the first two sessions. The presentation of research projects from members of the Bielefeld research community would be very welcome. They could be easily accommodated by extending the seminar program.
The seminar is aimed at participants both with a history and social science background.
Readings for the seminar sessions and the detailed program will be made available online.