Society and Technological Change:  by Rudi  Volti, Jennifer  Croissant
689 pages, $69.95 list
1-4786-5104-0
978-1-4786-5104-8
Instructor's resource materials forthcoming
eBook availability
Society and Technological Change
Ninth Edition
Society and Technological Change continues to be the essential text for exploring the relationship between human societies and the ever-evolving landscape of technology. The ninth edition follows the historical trajectory of technological development and its profound impact on various aspects of human life, from communication and healthcare to economic systems and governance. At the same time, it shows how these technologies have themselves been shaped by social, economic, cultural, and political forces, and that the study of technology is important not just for its own sake but also for what it tells us about the kinds of societies we make for ourselves.

With its engaging writing style and thought-provoking content, this new edition continues to be an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and anyone seeking a deep understanding of the intricate bond between society and technology in our ever-evolving world.
Table of Contents
Part 1: DEFINING TECHNOLOGY
1. The Nature of Technology: "More than Google"
2. Winners and Losers: The Differential Ethics of Technological Change

Part 2: THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES
3. The Sources of Technological Change
4. Scientific Knowledge and Technological Advance
5. The Cultural Diffusion and Non-Diffusion of Technology
6. Social Construction, Diffusion, and Technological Change

Part 3: HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF EARTH AND ITS INHABITANTS
7. Technology, Energy, and the Environment
8. Tools for (Environmental) Assessment
9. Medical Technologies
10. Genetic Technologies

Part 4: TECHNOLOGY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF WORK
11. Work in Nonindustrial Societies
12. Technology and Jobs: More of One and Less of the Other?
13. Technological Change and Life on the Job

Part 5: COMMUNICATION
14. Printing, Literacy, and Media
15. Electronic Media: From the Telegraph to the Television
16. The Internet Age
17. Issues in Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs)

Part 6: THE TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION
18. Weapons and Their Consequences
19. The Era of Smart Weapons
20. How New Weapons Emerge--and How They May Be Contained
21. Accidents, Disasters, and the Negative Consequences of Working Technologies

Part 7: THE SHAPING AND CONTROL OF TECHNOLOGY
22. Organizations and Technological Change
23. Professions, Expertise, and Ethics
24. Governing Technology