Responsible societal impact (without) evaluation: reflections from Ireland

In Ireland, the discourse of societal impact has largely been shaped by the need of accountability after the financial crisis. Impact is assessed in the peer review process of grant applications, whilst societal impact is promoted in academic institutions using the impact case studies method. Less discussed are societal impact in the sense of responsibility and the potential unintended consequences of societal impact evaluation on research and scholarship. In this chapter, I discuss some recent developments of societal impact evaluation in Ireland and reflect on the notions of accountability and responsibility in the societal impact discourse. I will also suggest responsible societal impact without evaluation for nurturing research cultures where the creation of a common good is valued and recognised.