Technology Assessment Copyrighted Material In the series Labor and Social Change, edited by Paula Rayman and Carmen Sirianni Copyrighted Material Technology Assessment A Feminist Perspective Janine Marie Morgall Temple University Press Philadelphia Copyrighted Material Temple University Press, Philadelphia 19122 Copyright © 1993 by Temple University. All rights reserved Published 1993 Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984 @> Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Morgall, Janine Marie, 1947- Technology assessment: a feminist perspective / Janine Marie Morgall. p. cm. - (Labor and social change) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 1-56639-090-7 (c1 : alk. paper). - ISBN 1-56639-091-5 (pb : alk. paper) I. Technology assessment. 2. Feminism. 3. Technology-Social aspects. I. Title. II. Series. T174.5.M665 1993 303.48' 3'082-dc20 93-9447 Copyrighted Material To my mother and father Copyrighted Material Copyrighted Material Contents Acknow ledgmen ts ix Abbreviations xi Introduction: On the Importance of Gender Analysis PART I Technology Assessment I Evolution 13 2 Organization 35 3 Methods and Their Limitations 55 4 Problems Perceived by Proponents 75 PART II Women and Technology 5 A Feminist Perspective on Technology 95 6 A Feminist Approach to Assessment 125 PART III Women and Technology: Examples 7 The Clerical Sector 155 8 Reproductive Technology 177 Conclusion: Drawing Out Criteria for a Critical Feminist Approach 199 Notes 211 Bibliography 227 Index 245 Copyrighted Material Copyrighted Material Acknowledgments A complete list of my sources of inspiration is impossible. It would be presumptuous of me to think that I could trace the flow of information that has been transformed into knowledge, or even to remember when and how it happened. In writing a book like this, which draws upon literature in several fields, I have necessarily accumu lated a large number of intellectual debts. Various people have referred me to new work, challenged my interpreta tions, and offered encouragement in many ways. The in fluence of my teachers and colleagues, the intellectual stimulation of women's studies, the fields of sociology and policy research have all contributed to this work. Saying thank you, although inadequate, is the only way I can express my appreciation. First and foremost I am indebted to the Department of Sociology at the Uni versity of Lund, in Sweden, for providing education, ad vice, encouragement, and support. I thank Anna-Lisa Lin den, Hilary Rose, Aant Elzinga, Birgit Krantz, and Sara Goodman for their critical comments on this manuscript; Andrew Jamison and Tarja Cronberg for informed, inspir ing, and constructive critique at crucial times. A special thanks to Boel Berner, whose detailed comments, chal- Copyrighted Material