Lucy Suchman

Papers

Total Citations

230

H-Index

About

Lucy Suchman is a prominent scholar whose work sits at the intersection of science and technology studies, human-computer interaction, and critical robotics. Best known for her foundational contributions to situated action and workplace studies, her more recent research has turned a probing eye toward the cultural imaginaries and political stakes embedded in the design of humanoid robots and autonomous weapons systems. In her widely cited article "Subject Objects" (2011, 91 citations), Suchman interrogates how notions of the "Human" are constructed and reproduced through the engineering of anthropomorphic robots, challenging assumptions that designers bring to their model organisms. This thread continues in "Robot Visions" (2013, 42 citations), where she traces resonant figures of primates, children, and robots to interrogate technoscientific ideas of the "almost human." Her work on warfare and technology, particularly "Situational Awareness" (2015, 66 citations), extends these critiques into urgent geopolitical territory, analyzing the logics and material practices behind remotely controlled weapons systems and their troubling claims to machine perception. Through papers like "Demystifying the Intelligent Machine" (2019) and "Reconfiguring Human-Robot Relations" (2006), Suchman consistently reveals how cultural myths animate technological design, making her an indispensable critical voice for anyone studying AI, robotics, or human-machine relationships.