This course places the historical creation of scientific and technological knowledge within a broader social, cultural, and political context. Students will learn that the STEM disciplines are not merely a static body of facts, theories, and techniques but involve diverse, evolving processes which are continually generated and reformulated. By examining the role of failure in knowledge creation, the religious motivations behind space exploration, the continued legacy of racist practices in medicine, the construction and ramifications of "Big Science," and other topics, students will go beyond the "genius inventor" narrative to question the presumed neutrality and progressive inevitability of scientific and technological advancements. Through a mixture of online activities, readings, videos, and synchronous online discussions, we will also examine the formulation and codification of "expertise," investigate the process of professionalization within the STEM fields, and interrogate how science and technology have supported systems of oppression throughout history. (Same as HUM 363.)