Episode notes
Standard rule over us. We’re affected every day by decisions someone has made about standards. They determine the shape of our electrical plugs, the quality of our water, the signals used by our phones, and so much more. Standards don’t just happen. They’re decided. Sometimes one company does that. Sometimes it’s done by international deliberation, argument, and eventual compromise.
Talking about standards is classic work in STS. Standards create the scaffolding on which science and technology builds. They constrain and they enable. It matters who gets to decide these things. Standards setting can affect our lives for generations, and they can cost us (or profit us) to the tune of many trillions of pounds.
Luckily, here in STS we have an expert on standards. Dr Saheli Datta Burton is Lecturer in Science Policy. She’s recently co-autho ...
Keywords
technologyscienceandtechnologystudiesnewtechnologytechsectortechnologypolicystandardsdiplomacyscience policytreaty