Arkitektur och social ingenjörskonst : Studier i svensk arkitektur- och bostadsforskning

Sammanfattning: Artefacts are by definition artificial objects: human creations whose form and function are the result of planned actions. It would appear reasonable to assert that our attitude towards artefacts reveals specific sides of our personality and social organization. With this assertion we come close to the more general question: How to conceptualize the relation between people and technology? What can social studies of technology learn from the research field "Man and Architecture"?This thesis is divided into two parts. The first provides a presentation and analysis of Swedish research which deals with the social production of artefacts: in particular, research on the theory and history of architecture and town planning; building analysis and architectural psychology. It contains a historical survey reviewing research pertaining to the built environment. Each chapter in the first half of the thesis encompasses also a selective bibliography on Swedish housing research.The second part takes up the issue of how discussions of architecture as aesthetics and science could be complemented with analyses of architecture as technology and politics. The aim is to pursue an understanding of the history of architecture using theories of technology. Particular attention is paid to the notion of technological paradigmsand the constructivist approach to technological systems A mcxlel in whichthe technological paradigm is divided into four phases - the architect as hero, expert, bureaucrat and critic - is presented. This perspective on the history of Swedish architecture is developed through extended discussion of the expert and bureaucrat phases. In order to clarify the notion of technocracy the final chapter of the thesis engages in conceptual analysis on democratic and technocratic (technified) political processes. A non-technocratic mode of action is also referred to as "democmtic social engineering" which implies the reign of Weberian goal-rationality.