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The inherently democratic nature of technology assessment

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  • Armin Grunwald

Abstract

Technology assessment (TA) emerged more than fifty years ago to provide information supply, decision support, and orientation for democratic processes and institutions in many democratic countries. This historical observation alone, however, does not justify speaking of an inherent relationship between TA and democracy. The latter requires taking a conceptual view. Arguments supporting the thesis of the inherently democratic nature of TA will be given based on pragmatist approaches developed by John Dewey and Jürgen Habermas. This perspective on TA has specific implications for the inclusion of the knowledge and perspectives of stakeholders, people affected and citizens involved in TA processes, as well as the necessity to develop or strengthen thinking in alternative options. Furthermore, it makes clear that in the current crisis of democracy in many countries, TA cannot take a distant and neutral position.

Suggested Citation

  • Armin Grunwald, 2019. "The inherently democratic nature of technology assessment," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(5), pages 702-709.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:46:y:2019:i:5:p:702-709.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/scipol/scz023
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    Cited by:

    1. Joshua B Cohen, 2022. "Institutionalizing public engagement in research and innovation: Toward the construction of institutional entrepreneurial collectives [Limits of Decentered Governance in Science-society Policies]," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 49(5), pages 673-685.
    2. Miltos Ladikas & Julia Hahn & Lei Huang, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Technology Assessment, Responsible Research and Innovation and Sustainability Research: Towards a Common Methodological Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.

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