Course content

The course will give a survey over the last 300 year with a focus on the relation between culture and society on one hand and technology and technological change on the other. This goes for economic institutions, public policy (infrastructure etc), religion, war and defence issues etc. The course include a one day excursion through the city with emphasis on typical European technologies and how the have manifested themselves in Trondheim. The course presupposes no prior knowledge of technology.

Learning outcome

The Students at this course are expected to meet the following learning objectives, divided into knowledge and skills:
Knowledge:
The student has
- a broad, overall knowledge about the relationships between technology, culture and society from the renaissance up until today in Western societies.
- an understanding of the place of technology in the development of 20th century Western societies.
- basic knowledge about the development of professional historiography within the field of history of technology.

Skills:
The student
- is able to reflect upon, discuss and present central problems in the history of technology
- is capable of analyzing historical data and literature on the history of technology, with the ability to draw conclusions based on these.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and excursion. Individual exercises.

Compulsory assignments

• Approved assignments through the course

Recommended previous knowledge

HIST1150 and HIST1250.

Some study experience.

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

See reading list

Credit reductions