Science, Technology, and Society: A revolution

Science, Technology and Society (STS) is a required course for undergraduates in the University of the Philippines (UP). The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) followed UP’s example and required it for all colleges and universities nationwide in its revised list of general education courses.

STS is all about how science and technology interacts, interfaces in human society, and results in social change.

Wave of current events

This semester, my STS class found themselves immersed in it, and their semester projects reflected that. 

Even before the first semester started, we had the 2013 mid-term elections and Nancy Binay’s winning streak and Grace Poe taking the number one senate spot. A month later, Professor Felix Muga of Ateneo math department made public his analysis of the 6:30:10 distribution of votes. Then Edward Snowden’s and Chelsea Manning’s whistleblowing  came to fore, followed by the pork barrel exposé. The semester ended with Mark Solis’ internet photo plagiarism.

All these fast-paced developments were taken in STS this semester and our flexible format in teaching was able to accommodate that. Student projects focused on all these aspects and what the pros and cons for Philippine society are.

Fundamental questions

But these are not enough: students ask about the fundamental consequences for human rights, law, transparency, national security, environment and social inequity. Science and technology affect our lives from the home, school, workplace and nation. How then can we ensure that social and technological change will be for the greater good?

The Internet has been the focus of UP STS for the last two years, when we looked into the Arab Spring “Twitter” revolution and the debate on the Cybercrime law. What are the limits and opportunities of such movements?  

Technology and PHL society

At first, students were not convinced it could happen here and the Internet freedom movement may flop given the Pinoy’s slowness to be agitated.  The Cybercrime law was essentially remanded by the Supreme Court back to Congress. The relative effectiveness of social media mobilization became apparent on August 26, 2013’s Luneta  pork barrel protests.

What technology has done is to allow Philippine society to re-examine itself more quickly than before, especially its political culture, the role of the Church, and power relations between the classes.

This was not possible just three years ago.

Now, 33-35 million of our people have internet access in a democracy. While some people may find this discomforting, especially with remarks made online, the fact is that technology has opened a democratic space in which a frustrated society can vent their disgust—or, more importantly, their will. The State is largely ineffectual to contain this, and thus will have to respond in a positive manner.  

Digital demcoracy, and beyond

Our Internet demographic is still predominantly middle-class but is increasingly engaging the lower classes too.  How then can State, Society, and Science and Technology ensure this translates to a digital democracy? Here we see how important STS is in our college programs. This is the only course students will take in which they can look into the issues from beyond their specialization.

This is an on-going revolution worldwide and STS is at its forefront. Will this eventually succeed? Perhaps we can take counsel from China’s  Premier Zhou Enlai when asked about the impact of the French Revolution:

“It’s too early to say,” he said.

Professor Benjamin Vallejo Jr  PhD heads Science and Society Program (SSP) of the UP College of Science. The SSP administers the STS courses of the university and conducts regular forums and public lectures on global and national science and technology issues.