12-25-2025, 04:02 AM
I'm teaching an undergraduate seminar on the history of science, and I'm trying to move beyond the standard "great men" narrative to focus on the social and cultural contexts of discovery. For the unit on the Scientific Revolution, I want to highlight how patronage, print culture, and global trade networks (not just genius) enabled figures like Galileo and Newton. I'm looking for accessible primary sources or secondary readings that effectively illustrate this more nuanced view for students who may not have a strong background in history. Can anyone recommend specific articles, book chapters, or even documentary clips that do a great job of showing science as a deeply embedded social practice during this period?