Science and Technology Studies is a complex field of research with a century long history involving numerous disciplines. The problems the field deals with are often complex and technical. That Sismondo managed to pack practically every major debate into such a concise book, is almost a superhuman achievement. The book covers philosophical issues such as falsificationism and the Duhem-Quine thesis, as well as examining positivism and other epistemological positions. The whole range of sociological contributions over the past three decades, and also feminist contributions, are presented clearly and illustrated with examples. The author also critiques all the major arguments in the field, showing that each has problems, and that the debate continues. This is simply the best concise introduction to STS currently available. It is an invaluable aid to teaching (I use it in my own class "Introduction to STS" at the University of California, Davis). Yet it should not be thought of simply as a textbook. It is so lucidly written that it will give any educated reader a solid understanding of the field of STS.
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