CULTURAL HISTORY OF SCIENCE - AN OVERVIEW WITH REFLECTIONS

The increased popularity of the label ''cultural'' within science stud ies, especially in relation to ''cultural studies,'' invites considera tion of how it is and can be used in historical work. A lot more seems now to be invested in the notion of ''cultural history.'' This articl e examines some recent historiography of science as a means of conside ring what counts as cultural history in that domain and attempts to co ordinate it with the sociologically informed studies of the past ten o r fifteen years. The label ''sociocultural'' seems a more useful term by which to capture recent developments.