Zacher, Lech W. | Poland

Born in 1942, Warsaw, Poland

Educated in Warsaw University (M.A. in Economics, 1965), and Polish Acad. of Sci. (Ph.D. in Economics, 1971 and in Sociology, 1977), now full Prof. of Sociology

Worked in Warsaw University (1965-68); Polish Academy of Sciences (1970-1987); University of Maria Curie-Sklodowska (in Lublin, 1987-1995); also in the Prime Minister Office (1991-92); Military Academy of Technology (1992-1995); Kozminski University, Warsaw (1995-present); University of Silesia, Dept. of Radio and TV (Katowice, 1996-2001); Government Center for Strategic Studies (1998-2001); National Defense Academy, Inst. of Humanistic Sciences (2004-2007)

Foreign experience: res. fellow in France (1972-73, 5 months) and in the US (1976-77, 7 months); guest lecturer in various European and American universities (e.g. Harvard, Princeton, U. of Michigan, Yale, IUPUI, CalState, MIT); Salzburg Seminar in American Studies alumnus; visiting scholar in Science Center, Berlin, FZ Karlsruhe, also IAS-STS Graz; participant in numerous int’l conferences

Teaching experience: Courses taught currently: general sociology and sociology of politics, science-technology-society course, global and future problematique, sustainable development

Ongoing research: Projects: on Technology, Democracy and Environment; on Technology, Power and Conflicts; future studies (information society); political philosophy, global problems and transformations (especially in Eastern Europe)

Selected responsibilities: Research coordination. Supervising M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Lech W. Zacher is permanent Visiting Scholar of IAS-STS since 2009/2010.

Fmr. chairman of annual international workshops on Science, Technology and Politics. Founder and president of the Educational Foundation TRANSFORMATIONS, and Editor-in-Chief of its interdisciplinary journal TRANSFORMATIONS (in Polish and English); fmr. Assoc. Editor “Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society” (STS Press, Univ. Park, Pa), and “Technology Analysis & Strategic Management” (U. of Manchester);

Scientific Secretary of the Committee “Poland 2000 Plus” at the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Grants: 1994-1996 Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation) - res. project: Technology in Civil Society

Affiliations (selected): Int. Council for Science Policy Studies; Int. Assoc. for Impact Assessment; EASST; Int. Studies Assoc.; Society for Philosophy and Technology; Int. Society for Universalism, Int. Sociological Association

Listings: Dictionary of International Biography (Cambridge); Who’s Who in the World (Marquis, USA); Who’s Who in Europe (Database S. C., Belgium)

Project at IAS-STS: Understanding technology

The research project “Understanding technology” will deal with the issues of perception (both scientific and popular) of technology – society relations. The overview of the ideas, concepts, theories and policy experiences will be presented. The problematique will be elaborated from the point of view of its evolution, change and the future perspectives. The approaches to research on technology and its multifaceted and multidimentional impacts will be presented as the comprehensive models.

Some basic concepts should be in this context discussed and re-evaluated, e.g.technological determinism, technological modernization, scientific and technological revolution(from Bernal to Richta), intermediate and appropriate technology(Schumacher), technology assessment, sustainable technology, global technological capitalism, technological risk, technologization of power, posthuman era technologies. My lecture will be the summary of my research project in the IAS-STS.

Project at IAS-STS (2010/211): Literature studies in the area of science, technology and democracy with special attention to environmental problems and ICT.

Selected  Publications

Technological vp. Political Modernization – Interactions and Feedbacks, in: I. Modi (ed.) Modernization, Globalization and Social Transformation, Jaipur 2012, Rawat Publications

Society, Market and Technology Nexus as Contexts of ICT Policies and Applications: Some Issues and Reflexions, “International Journal of Information – Communication Technologies and Human Development”, July – September, 2012, Vol. 4, No. 3, p. 32-42

Toward an Information – Communication Equity: Challenge for the 21st Century, „Transformacje”, 2010, 3-4 (66-67), p. 238-258

The Future As a Space, Where Knowledge, Imagination and Interests Clash, in: D. Zalewska (ed.) Limits of Knowing the Future, Wrocław 2010, Wyd. OPSIS, p. 47-74

Technology-driven Generational and Demographic Incompatibilities (The Future Perspective), in: P. Karner, G. Getzinger (ed.) Critical Issues in Science and Technology Studies, Conf Proc. (2-4 May 2010), Graz, IAS-STS Universität Klagenfurt, p. 228-247, CD ISBN 978-3-9502678-3-9