SIOC 209 Subversive Science

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Office Hours are Tue/Thurs 400-500PM at Groundwork Books (between the Food Co-Op and the radio station in the Old Student Center)
Western science originated and developed within societies characterized by concentrations of power and wealth, anti-Blackness and racism, cis-heteropatriarchy, exploitation of the more-than-human world and of marginalized human populations, and associated injustices. SIOC 209 Subversive Science explores how justice might be foregrounded in the Earth and Oceanographic sciences using recent scholarship and experience with how to do so from a range of perspectives.

The course will consist of three main sections:
1) Summary of historical connections between science and systems of exploitation and extraction resulting in injustices, using reading selections and class discussions.
2) Detailed study of methods for foregrounding justice in scientific practice grounded in historical and recent experience (including Indigenous Environmental Science, Fugitive Science, Slow Science, Solidarity Science, Black Physics, Black Ecologies, Critical Environmental Justice, Queer/Feminist Science, the CLEAR Lab, and Abolition Science) – small student groups will research and present on each method.
3) Exploration of the application of these methods to students’ ongoing or planned future research, culminating in final project presentations.

If you haven't received an e-mail from bt with your login info, please e-mail bt asap!

If you are on the waitlist, don't worry, we will raise the enrollment limit at the beginning of the quarter, so everyone can take the course,

Why ‘Subversive Science’?
Subversion is the 'undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.' (dictionary.com) The inspiration for using subversive in the title of this course comes from Fugitive Science, where Black amateur scientists were working to undermine the power and authority of racial science in the scientific establishment of the day (pre-civil war US) by creating alternative ways of conducting science that foregrounded justice. This idea captures the goals of SIOC 209 Subversive Science, to assist students in exploring methods for undermining the power and authority of unjust practices in science by creating alternatives.

SIOC 209 Subversive Science Meets Spring Quarter Tuesday/Thursday 200-3200PM in OAR 150 (Keck Lab) on the SIO Campus

Last year's syllabus is available - click on Syllabus to the right. I am making minor updates to the syllabus and will post those before the beginning of Spring Quarter. For detailed questions, please contact bt at bwerner AT ucsd DOT edu for more information

Download a copy of the SIOC 209 Subversive Science Flyer: