Tension has always been at the heart of STS studies, which is interested in power relations, synergies and dichotomies. Looking out the window at the current struggle between winter and spring here in Norway it seems fitting that tension is also at the heart of this issue of NJSTS. The cover art of this issue is designed by AnnaSofia Mååg and features a four meter tall ice sculpture of an elephant, aptly named "The Elephant in the Room", that Mååg designed for the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi,

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... n. In describing this sculpture, Mååg states: "At some point we all face an issue or situation that is commonly called 'the elephant in the room': an obvious truth that is either being ignored or not addressed. The elephant situation is adaptable on so many topics in our present world: from a large global scale down to a more personal one. To choose not see the obvious truth can turn into a hard lesson. So, do you have any elephant in your room? Open your eyes, what do they tell you? To look at something is not the same as to actually see something. But it is a good start. " 1 Taking this to heart, the first article in this issue "Stories of creation: Governance of Surrogacy through Media?" written by Nora Levold, Marit Svingen and Margrethe Aune deals with tension by analyzing the Norwegian media debate on surrogacy from 2010-2013 and discusses how this debate informed proposed revisions to the Biotechnology Act. Similarly, the second article in this issue: "Struggles over Legitimate Science: Science Policy Ideals of Excellence within the Field of Sociology", written by Johanna Hokka, deals with tension by looking at the struggles over legitimate science and science policy ideals of excellence within the field of sociology in Finland and Sweden. This is done through analyzing how the internal discursive struggles between scientific elites (here represented by sociology professors) show how different ideals for "excellence" are met in various, conflicting ways. 1 http://www.annasofia.se/portfolio-item/elephant-in-the-room The third article, "Inclusive Physical, Social and Digital Spaces in Vocational Rehabilitation", written by Gunnar Michelsen, Tor Slettebø and Ingunn Brita Moser, also deals with tension by discussing how job seekers with cognitive impairments are meeting difficulties in job markets by looking at vocational rehabilitation programs and working environments promoting inclusion. They do this by applying a social constructivist analysis through imagined future working situations scenarios and by looking at computer rooms as affinity spaces. After tension comes release, and the fourth article, "Happiness Studies: Co-Production of Social Science and Social Order", written by Margareta Hallberg and Christopher Kullenberg, deals with the growth and establishment of the interdisciplinary research field "Happiness Studies". This article focuses on how research on happiness has become a quickly growing and successful field and what it says about both the social sciences and contemporary social order. Finally, we round off the issue with a book review where Raphaël Nowak reviews "Digital Music Distribution: The Sociology of Online Music Streams", written by Hendrik Storstein Spilker. The book explores how digital music distribution has not been unprecedented, but how it has been shaped by many years of uncertainty due to actors' decisions, inventions and the imposition of new models and standards. We hope that you will enjoy reading the issue, perhaps taking a brief pause from navigating the tensions in your own academic context, wherever you are.