Latour's Pasteurization of France: Science and Politics

Science, Society, and the Mystery of Knowledge

Since its inception, science as a field of systems, methods, and knowledge has dominated and led the intellectual development of societies. As early as the sixteenth century and continuing to the present day, science is considered a driving force that is both exclusive and encompassing. It is exclusive because, as a specialist field, science is understood and developed by scientists and experts in its disciplines. At the same time, it is encompassing, affecting the lives of people and both the social and physical environments they inhabit. In virtually all aspects of life, science is present — not only in the body of knowledge being studied, but also in the systems and methods that societies use to think, act, and behave rationally.

Because science is a highly specialized field of knowledge and systems, its creation and development is often shrouded in mystery. Only those who pursue and succeed in becoming specialists or experts in science are able to demystify it. Further reinforcing this mystery is the fact that people need science to explain phenomena — or, more relevantly, they need it to resolve a problem or difficulty. Medical doctors, for example, help sick people recover through medicines, procedures, and tools. Through thorough research and exploration, science has improved the quality of life of societies around the world, and as a result, both society and science have been mutually influential in shaping the progress and direction of scientific development — as illustrated, for instance, by ongoing research into a cure for cancer, a disease that continues to afflict many people.

It follows, then, that society and science are interdependent. The cancer example demonstrates the observation that science — or trends in science — reflects the concerns and needs of society at any given time. Indeed, this has been the case for most major scientific developments of past centuries, such as the discovery of vaccines to prevent people from being afflicted with a host of diseases and illnesses. This scientific breakthrough, originated by Edward Jenner and later generalized and institutionalized during Louis Pasteur's era, is one of the best examples of society's influence on scientific development.

Latour's Challenge to Social Determinism in Science

This observation, however, was challenged by Bruno Latour, author of The Pasteurization of France. In his book, Latour refuted the notion that science can be explained completely by looking at society. He argued instead that the course of scientific development was determined primarily by political forces or groups whose broader agenda involved utilizing science as a tool so that society would perceive them as credible and objective. To support his argument, Latour used Pasteur's success as an example of a scientific development that was politically motivated more than socially determined. In the Pasteur example, the author posited that there is a political force shaping the future of scientific development. Specifically, he identified the hygienist movement as the primary mover that highlighted and greatly amplified Pasteur's recognition in science.

The Hygienist Movement as Political Force

As a political force, the hygienist movement — or hygienists — was described as a group of people whose self-interest lay in the extreme belief that, in order to eradicate diseases, "all precautions of general hygiene" must be strictly followed (Latour, 21). While this belief may seem extremist today, Pasteur's era (the nineteenth century) had yet to achieve the medical developments that contemporary societies are privileged to have. It is not surprising, therefore, that the hygienists campaigned for Pasteur and pasteurization as the solution to disease eradication. Fear of disease became the central communication message of the hygienists, with Pasteur at the forefront, symbolizing the solution to cleanliness and, ultimately, disease control.

Reference

Latour, B. (1988). The Pasteurization of France. Harvard University Press.