Cultures without culturalism : the making of scientific knowledge /

This wide-ranging and thought-provoking collection of essays from leading historians and philosophers of science focuses on how culture informs the study of the history of science. Each author uses a particular episode, event, or topic in the history of science to unpack what culture signifies and what it does not (and should not) represent. The essays warn of the dangers of viewing history through the lens of culturalism, essentialism, or universality, while seeking a critical understanding of the ways in which culture influences and is influenced by scientific practice. This is accomplished through an analysis of diverse topics, including the treatment of quadratic equations in ancient China, the development of an African AIDS vaccine, and the study of physics in 20th-century Japan, among many others. Although intended for an audience of historians and philosophers of science, as well as social and cultural historians, the book will also be a valuable resource for science studies, anthropology, feminist studies, and a host of other academic specialties concerned with epistemology or historiography. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; researchers and faculty. --Todd Timmons, University of Arkansas--Fort Smith