What Is and Isn't in a Name. Issue 2 (31st July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frumer, Yulia
• Is Part Of: Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Volume 42:Issue 2/3(2019)
• Page Start: 150
• Page End: 166
• Publication Date: 2019-07-31
• Subjects: demarcation -- disciplinary habits -- history of East Asian science and technology -- content-dependent methods -- sociology of belonging -- publishing -- political connotations -- disciplinary narrative; Science -- History -- Periodicals; Medicine -- History -- Periodicals; 509
• DOI: 10.1002/bewi.201900002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0170-6233

Abstract

Abstract: Although I remain sympathetic to the narrative behind the notion of "History of Knowledge, " I argue against redrawing the disciplinary boundaries around "knowledge, " as opposed to retaining the term "science." This is not because I think there is no place for a "history of knowledge, " and not because I am concerned that such a redrawing of disciplinary boundaries would open the floodgates of "anything goes." Rather, I am doubtful that problems of demarcation and exclusion can be resolved solely by changing a name. I draw on my personal experience as an East Asianist to suggest that the challenges I faced trying to fit into the community of historians of science and technology would not have been solved by renaming the discipline. At the same time, I also argue that changes can and do happen without a change of name. And finally, I maintain that the word "science" has important connotations that we do not want to give up.