This thoughtful and engaging text challenges the widely held notion of science as somehow outside of society, and the idea that technology proceeds automatically down a singular and inevitable path. Through specific case studies involving contemporary debates, this book shows that science and technology are fundamentally part of society and are shaped by it.

* Draws on concepts from political sociology, organizational analysis, and contemporary social theory.

* Avoids dense theoretical debate.

* Includes case studies and concluding chapter summaries for students and scholars.