Neoliberalism and Technoscience: Critical Assessments(Theory, Technology and Society)

This book provides a comprehensive assessment of the connection between processes of neoliberalization and the advancement and transformation of technoscience. Drawing on a range of theoretical insights, it explores a variety of issues including the digital revolution and the rise of immaterial culture, the rationale of psychiatric reforms and biotechnology regulation, discourses of social threats and human enhancement, and carbon markets and green energy policies. A rich exploration of the overall logic of technoscientific innovation within late capitalism, and the emergence of a novel view of human agency with regard to the social and natural world, this volume reveals the interdependence of technoscience and the neoliberalization of society. Presenting the latest research from a leading team of scholars, Neoliberalism and Technoscience will be of interest to scholars of sociology, politics, geography and science and technology studies.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction, Luigi Pellizzoni and Marja Ylönen; Part 1 Neoliberalism, Technoscience and Late Capitalism: Neoliberalism and technology: perpetual innovation or perpetual crisis?, Laurence Reynolds and Bronislaw Szerszynski; Hegemonic contingencies: neoliberalized technoscience and neorationality, Luigi Pellizzoni and Marja Ylönen; Neoliberalism and ICTs: late capitalism and technoscience in cultural perspective, Alessandro Gandini. Part 2 Neoliberalism, Technoscience and Humanity: The end of history and the search for perfection. Conflicting teleologies of transhumanism and (neo)liberal democracy, Simone Arnaldi; Pre-empting the threat of human deficiencies, Imre Bárd; The question of citizenship and freedom in the psychiatric reform process: a possible presence of neoliberal governance practices, Arthur Arruda Leal Ferreira, Karina Lopes Padilha, Míriam Starosky and Rodrigo Costa Nascimento. Part 3 Neoliberalism, Technoscience and the Environment: Neoliberalizing technoscience and environment: EU policy for competitive, sustainable biofuels, Les Levidow, Theo Papaioannou and Kean Birch; Configuring homo carbonomicus: carbon markets, calculative techniques, and the green neoliberal, Anders Blok; The green transition, neoliberalism, and the technosciences, David J. Hess; Conclusion, Marja Ylönen and Luigi Pellizzoni; Index.

About the Author :
Luigi Pellizzoni is Associate Professor of Environmental and Political Sociology at the University of Trieste, Italy. Marja Ylonen works as a researcher at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. Luigi Pellizzoni, Marja Ylonen, Laurence Reynolds, Bronislaw Szerszynski, Alessandro Gandini, Simone Arnaldi, Imre Bard, Arthur Arruda Leal Ferreira, Karina Lopes Padilha, Miriam Starosky, Rodrigo Costa Nascimento, Les Levidow, Theo Papaioannou, Kean Birch, Anders Blok, David J. Hess.

Review :
'Readers will come away from this book with the distinct sense that "neoliberalism", whatever its strengths and weaknesses, has successfully forced humanity to re-define itself as a species in the face of various technoscientific promises and products that so-called neoliberals have promoted.' Steve Fuller, University of Warwick, UK 'Referring to Escher's famous work of Drawing Hands, the authors take-up the challenge of sketching the co-construction of neoliberalism and technoscience. By providing enlightening analyses and original perspectives the book moves this complicated relationship to the foreground of academic debate, inspiring us to rethink connections and explore them further.' Niki Vermeulen, University of Manchester, UK