The participatory strategy EAAP 2017 Lars Klüver Director of Danish Board of Technology Foundation
Breeding is not uncontroversial And will probably never be New gene techs will not help Are we able to establish a societal dialogue, which allows for (some) use of new gene techs as they are developed? Are gene tech scientists and companies able to go into such a dialogue, accepting wider societal aspects, and willing to compromise?
What s new in the use of gene tech? From 1970 s Risks perceived widely Asilomar 1975 DK gene tech and environment regulation 1986 EU regulation 1990 Uncertainty in many shades Religion, taste, aesthetics Diverse visions for future Controversies inside science From now? Technical uncertainty lower General tech accept higher Speed and price of tech New technical options Environmental uncertainty? Science controversy? Religion, taste, aesthetics? Future visions?
Not about literacy The deficit model If they knew science better they would accept it is widespread but useless The controversy is between interacting and competing literacies/rationalities: Different science disciplines gene techs / development economists / ecologists / evolutionary biologists / philosophy / different strands of ethics. Literacies of welfare human-animal relations / backto-nature / low-risk living / nature conservation. Policy literacies If marked won t have it / if democracy won t / if we can make it without.
The Danish paradox The more they know, the more scepticalthey get, and the more they accept Danes in the 1990 s were most knowledgeable about both the technical and the societal aspects of gene tech Very hesitant towards some use very accepting towards other use In fact not a paradox, but exactly the situation where a society can take mature decisions
Dialogue influence on positions Danish opinion movement was followed by Oslo and Roskilde University researchers: Not a change in fundamental attitude but a new readiness for finding solutions Made on a background of early gene tech law and investments in societal dialogue
Other (rich) cultures failed UK: Public Understanding of Science approach. No accept. Germany: Hesitant policy intervention. No accept; heated human genomics crash. All campaigns to convince failed - everywhere But countries with potential bigger marginal gains were more positive i.e. in Southern Europe
What can we learn from history? Facing problems of the tech creates accept Campaigns and Science-knows-best attitudes don t work Investment in dialogue and mutual understanding works Compromise is the best you can get Act on it and respect it If you do it to win you will lose
In other words implement Responsible Research and Innovation Anticipation: Be ahead of things be proactive Reflection: Challenge own assumptions and roles Inclusion: Involve multi stakeholders and citizens Responsive: Act loyally on what you learn
Engagement and inclusion is key Input to proactive thinking Adds many forms of knowledge Facilitates self-reflection Develops and filters options for action Improves chances for finding common ground Creates ownership to action across actors Provides legitimacy in the end
Engagement & assessment& communication Breaks with the old disseminationand communication standards Takes new engagement skills Needsaccept of the factthatengagement always involves assessments it is 2-way
The methods are there Well tested all over the world. A tool for selecting engagement methods in R&I http://actioncatalogue.eu
So, wherearewenow? The most new in the situation is technical Other aspects have not moved much? Opposition is not about illiteracy Convincing and campaigning don t work Proven results from dialogue strategies Methods for such strategies are present
The participatory strategy Team up with independent facilitators Create citizen consultations On future useof new technologies On research and innovation agenda setting On policies, risk management, environment. Feed these with proper, balanced and honnest information Trust that citizens can make fair and informed judgement Communicate togetherwith otherstakeholders with policymakers Accept and implement loyally the compromise that comes out of it
What are the gains? You become a collaboration partner Insteadof an enemy You still have your legitimate interests But yourespectthatothershave theirs You find the compromise that enjoys support Insteadof losinga fight thatcannotbewon Yourproducts willfitthe future market You save resources on conflict management You increase the chances of political support Because you only claim what is generally accepted
Thanks! lk@tekno.dk Tekno.dk DBT_Foundation teknologiradetdbt(only in Danish) The danish board of technology foundation