Guidelines for 4S Resolutions and Reports

Posted: June 24, 2014

4S resolutions and reports seek to articulate research-based STS analysis with scholarly activities that draw on that analysis to critically inflect arenas beyond the field.  Both are designed to help STS scale up as a field by addressing issues of concern to external audiences.  They also increase the value and prestige that STS scholars attribute to practices of critical participation in their sites of engagement.  Resolutions and reports endorsed by the 4S council will be published at the 4S website, either in its open-access journal or as a separate digital publication. For a resolution or report to warrant publication by 4S, it must be performing an STS analysis with appropriate evidence. It must not, in particular, rely uncritically on dominant images of science and technology.

Procedure for 4S resolutions

  1. Resolutions may be proposed by members or initiated by Council.
  2. Resolutions must be authored by a minimum of three members.
  3. Draft resolutions must include a descriptive title, names of authors, text of formal motion to Council, text of resolution, and substantial background justification.  As one possible model, refer to the 4S resolution, "U.S. Visa Policies and Scholarly Work," at the 4S website.
  4. Draft resolutions must be sent to the 4S Committee on Resolutions and Reports for initial review. The 4S Committee may elect to request revisions from the authors before seeking comments from the membership.
  5. The 4S Committee collects and reviews confidential comments from 4S members through Technoscience.
  6. The 4S Committee, at its discretion, may ask appropriate 4S experts to review and comment upon the resolution.
  7. The 4S committee passes the resolution to Council, sharing all received comments, and explaining its assessments of them. 
  8. Council engages in electronic discussion and electronic voting.
  9. Approval of resolutions is by two-thirds vote of voting members, typically including nine Council members and the President.   

Procedure for 4S reports

  1. 4S reports must be authorized by Council through an ad hoc committee appointed by the President at the request of a majority of Council members.
  2. Reports must be authored by a minimum of three members.
  3. The ad hoc committee sends a draft report to the 4S Committee on Resolutions and Reports for initial review.  The 4S Committee may elect to request revisions from the authors before seeking comments from the membership.
  4. The 4S Committee collects and reviews confidential comments from 4S members through Technoscience Update
  5. The 4S Committee, at its discretion, may ask appropriate 4S experts to review and comment upon the report.
  6. The 4S committee passes the report to Council, sharing all received comments, and explaining its assessments of them. 
  7. Council engages in electronic discussion and electronic voting.
  8. Approval of Statements is by two-thirds vote of voting members, typically including nine Council members and the President.



Published: 06/24/2014