Introduction

The topic for this special issue grew out of discussions I have been involved in the past few years about the structure of interdisciplinary programmes and in particular the role that cultural studies can play in rethinking humanities education for the twenty-first century. I bring to these discussions both a research interest in feminist cultural studies and a pedagogical interest in developing courses and classroom materials in the study of science, technology and culture. Since 1985, the date that marked the initial publication of Donna Haraway's essay, 'A manifesto for cyborgs', these two areas of interest have become increasingly intertwined for many cultural studies scholars as we have turned our collective attention to the critical analysis of science, technology and medicine as the dominant institutional sites for the production and circulation of contemporary global culture.