Introduction

Abstract

Constructivism has become the overarching scientific paradigm in the social study of science and technology (STS). The notion that scientific facts and technological artefacts result from processes of social construction is the major scientific innovation of the preceding decades in the sociology of science and technology. With constructivism being the established paradigm in this field of research: what comes next? What comes after constructivism in science and technology studies? The contributions of this special issue of Science, Technology & Innovation Studies suggest different answers to these questions which can roughly be subsumed under the three headings 'Spelling out Constructivism', 'Adding Disregarded Aspects', and 'Going beyond Constructivism'.