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Short abstract:

The central process of the ACS method is identifying and developing cases that can tell us something about the technology under study. This talk explains our approach to case selection and development, including the work of training and supervising students to do this kind of thinking and research.

Long abstract:

The central process of the ACS method is identifying and developing analogical, usually historical, cases that can tell us something about the technology under study. In this talk, I provide an introduction to our approach to case selection and development in the Technology Assessment Project, including the work of training and supervising students to do this unfamiliar kind of thinking and research. I will cover each stage of the iterative ACS process, which includes ideating and wide open brainstorming, reading and watching speculative fiction, researching and producing short presentations and write-ups of individual cases, and looking for patterns and trailheads to guide subsequent rounds of case development. Identifying these patterns is crucial to teach student researchers (and eventually, the readers of our reports) about the systematic ways that technology shapes, and is shaped by, society. As student research assistants do most of the case research and writing, I will also discuss how we help students apply STS ideas. Throughout all stages of the process, students learn to think and research flexibly and creatively, and we encourage them to express opinions and make arguments, even and especially if no one has made them before. Finally, I will reflect on the challenges, successes, opportunities, and portability of our approach.