The Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT) is the result of the merging of two previous units in the area of History of Science and Technology: Centro de História e Filosofia da Ciência e da Tecnologia (CHFCT) and Centro de História das Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (CHCUL). The new unit comprises two research lines allocated to its two different host institutions (FCT/UNL and FC/UL). The two research lines share a similar designation - Science and Technology (i) and (ii) - to stress a common research agenda.

General Objectives

CIUHCT aims at promoting research in the History of Science and Technology according to international standards of scholarship and at contributing to the development and consolidation of this discipline in Portugal. Already established but still a growing area in Portugal, the very existence of CIUCHT is of paramount importance not only to support a permanent and consistent research practice, but also to promote a dialogue and exchange of information and views among researchers. Furthermore, CIUHCT aims at contributing to the consolidation of a strong scientific community by actively participating in the education of students (graduate and post-graduate level) as well as by enrolling in outreach activities (popularization, exhibits). CIUHCT aims at articulating discussions at the conceptual and methodological levels with research on specific topics especially focused on, but not restricted to, Portuguese history. In any case this focus is achieved through the integration in international groups, initiatives, and publications. CIUHCT shares a conception of the field encompassing both more traditional and more recent approaches, including material culture, instrumentation and collection based history of science, material reconstructions, technoscience, all framed in the context of methodological pluralism. CIUHCT also explores relations between History of Science, History of Technology and Philosophy of Science, as well as the role of scientific-technological structures in contemporary thinking.

Research Lines

• Science and Technology (i): historical and interdisciplinary studies (UNL group)
• Science and Technology (ii): historical studies and material culture (UL group)

Host Institutions

• Departamento de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa
• Secção Autónoma de História e Filosofia das Ciências da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa

Funding