About research at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities

Researchers at the SVT do interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on questions pertaining to the theory of science. The field of theory of science includes philosophical, historical and social scientific research on the role the sciences has in society as well as epistemic and ethical aspects of science. The methods are theoretical and normative, as well as historical and sociological, with room for both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Topics include:

• The understanding of suffering as phenomenon and concept
• The interfaces of science and policy
• Technology in modern societies
• The use of models in climate science
• Bioethics
• Science and aesthetics

The Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities researches foundational problems in the sciences and the humanities, as well as the production and use of knowledge from epistemological, ethical and societal perspectives.

Research projects

Researchers at the SVT coordinates and participates in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects funded by the EU, the Research Council of Norway and Nordforsk, and the Centre is also partner in a multiyear artistic research project at the NTNU and Transiteatret-Bergen.

The focus of the projects vary:

• How the social science and humanities disciplines change over time
• Pollination stewardship and restauration in all sectors of the economy
• Knowledge co-production in climate adapation projects
• Culture-based solutions to climate adaptation
• Fish sludge as sustainable feed material
• The relationship between energy systems, data and AI,
• How a dramatic text can integrate different forms of knowledge, also scientific

Overview of all research projects at the SVT

Research centres

In the research centre NeuroSys-Med at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the UiB, associate professor Jan Reinert Karlsen at the SVT leads the node for Responsible Research and Innovation & Patient and Public Involvement (RRI/PPI) (external link) together with Caroline Engen, associate professor in medical ethics and theory of science at the Department for Global Public Health and Primary Care.  

This node is developing a model of human suffering. Suffering involves conceptions of human affliction that places disease within a larger frame of burdens and carrying capacities of patients and their caregivers. Neuro-SysMed is a Centre for Clinical Treatment Research in Norway focusing on the four diseases multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and dementia.

Professor Roger Strand at the SVT participates in the research centre Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), also at the Department of Clinical Medicine (UiB). CCBIO is working on new cancer biomarkers and targeted therapy and has a particular focus on mechanisms that show how cancer cells are affected by the microenvironment in the tumors, and what significance this has for cancer proliferation and poor prognosis

Strand leads the research team Health Ethics, Economics and Priorities. The aim of this program is to perform studies on the ethics, economics, philosophy and priority challenges in the biomarker field, to contribute to improved education of CCBIO scientists in this dimension of their work including increased self-reflection, and ultimately to influence the public debate and policy making in the expanding area of biomarkers and precision treatment.

Lines of research

Researchers at the Centre are also working along the following lines of research:  

• Theory of science, philosophy and ethics
• Moral psychology
• Responsible Research and Innovation
• Co-production of knowledge
• Citizen science
• Sustainability
• Science and technology studies (STS)
• Post-normal science
• American pragmatism
• Knowledge-based policymaking
• Research politics
• Political philosophy

SVT is an interdisciplinary and interfaculty centre with a responsibility for research, teaching and dissemination within the field of theory of science at the University of Bergen (UiB). 

For the research, it means that the Centre shall conduct research and doctoral education within the theory of science, and that the Centre is responsible for conducting training in theory of science and ethics in doctoral programmes at the University of Bergen in collaboration with the faculties. 

Read more about the SVT's mandate here.

The SVT participates in several international research projects funded by the EU, Research Council of Norway and Nordforsk. The Centre coordinates the Horizon Europe project Butterfly. The researchers at the Centre have a large international network.

• Would you like to take a PhD at the Centre? Read about the doctoral education at the Faculty of Humanities.
• Contact the Head of Centre for scientific cooperation or questions
• Find academic staff at the Centre and read more about their research

• Continuously updated list of publications by SVT staff and affiliates
• Publications by SVT staff and affiliates in NVA -  Norwegian Research Information Repository (external link)
• Doctoral theses connected to the Centre (external link)

• Rasmus T. Slaattelid, Head of Centre and Professor
  rasmus.slaattelid@uib.no
• Generelle inquires about research at the SVT
  E-mail: post.svt@uib.no