A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Iranian Researches in the Field of Social Studies of Science and Technology

In resent decade, the publication of many scientific works has contributed to the constitution of the field of social studies of science in Iran. Presenting a clear and vivid image of scientific research is a significant starting point for policy-makers in Iran. This meta-analysis aims at demonstrating the accumulation of science in the field of sociology and social studies in the country. The study reveals some new ideas for managers and policy-makers of this field. The main research questions are how much science has been produced and accumulated in the field of social studies of science in the country; and what are the formal, methodological and content characteristics of this accumulation. To have a systematic review, the research has employed a qualitative/quantitative meta-analysis. In doing so, the written works of Iranian authors such as books, articles and theses in the last two decades, were studied, coded and analyzed. The results of the study show that social studies of science are lagged far behind the Iranian multiapproach sociology. They also reveal that most of the works are descriptive and done by the second generation of Iranian sociologists.