Course Description

This course examines the ways in which STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) have been used to perpetuate and justify racial inequalities and social injustice in past and present-day societies. By examining “architectures of inequality” in the fields of biology, engineering and computing, we will explore case studies which highlight how scientific research, technological innovations and engineering structures shape (and are shaped by) historical and current understandings of race. We will also examine how STEM research has been used to undermine attempts in the fight for racial justice and equality and conversely, how recent analyses of STEM and race have been used to improve methods of research and innovation in combatting racial and ethnic bias in our modern world.