Institutional Echoes: the Laboratório Químico Municipal do Porto (1884-1907) as a Model for the Dynamics of Scientific Institutionalization
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This article explores the institutionalization process of scientific organizations, with a focus on the case-study of the Laboratório Químico Municipal do Porto (LQMP). Within the context of Institutionalization Theory (IT) and framed by the history of chemistry, the LQMP’s lifecycle is examined to propose a new model for the institutionalization of scientific entities. The article reveals the dynamic interplay between historical developments in chemical science, micro-level scientific practices and macro-level societal changes, offering a comprehensive understanding of how scientific institutions influence public policy and societal norms. Through the lens of IT, the article provides a nuanced exploration of the LQMP’s inception, development, and closure, shedding light on the broader implications of scientific institutionalization. This research addresses a gap in LQMP’s institutional understanding as a historical peripheral landmark in the emergence of science-based legislation. Its findings contribute to the theoretical discourse on the institutionalization of scientific practices, with implications for policy formulation on public health and food regulation.
Source: Substantia
Author: José Ferraz-Caetano
Institutions: Universidade do Porto, Rede de Química e Tecnologia, LAQV Requimte
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409118244