The assertion on fusion of science and technology, society and nature, inter-, trans- and multi-disciplinary nature of knowledge production, and futility of cleavages between human and no-human phenomena, social and natural sciences, and other prevailing polarizations in sociology of science and Technology Studies (STS) are the most important characteristics of post-Mertonian and post-Khunian sociology of science or the sociology of technoscience. For this genre of sociology, the key mission of technoscience is to increasingly create stronger, wider, and larger networks through societal and physical process of translation. This agenda is the reflection of new modes and procedures driving knowledge production, dissemination, and consumption, particularly in new areas like biotechnology, nanotechnology, nano-biotechnology, information and communication technology (ICT by and large in universities and other institutes of the North or the developed world.
Reflecting upon the history and development of sociology of science, this article aims to draw attention to the current trends and developments of the social theorizing on science and technology after two Godfathers, namely Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) and Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996) with special emphasis on actor-Network Theory (ANT), as an integrated, well-organized, leading, and promising approach evolved from/into the STS. Moreover, the article touches on some lessons and/or potential implications of such developments which can be relevant to policies of knowledge production, dissemination, and consumption in the universities and other research institutes of Iran as a developing (South) country.
)