Ida-Elisabeth Andersen and Gy Larsen, The Danish Board of Technology

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Structure of presentation and exercise

• What is a good topic for citizen participation in science and technology – and what is not?
• Why must citizens participate – and what contributions can we expect?
• How can we involve citizens – which approach and method?
• Who should be involved – and what outcome do we expect?

What is a good topic?

• New applications to gene technology – new gene plants
• Toxicology and Nanotechnology
• Sustainable urban living
• Surveillance and privacy
• Energy system – future development
• Brain Science – new development and uses
• Priorities in the health care system

Knowledge roles: examples

• Provide an overview of existing knowledge and new developments of the topic: threats and possibilities –
• Put light on the topic from different professional and value perspectives
• Take on board the insight, experience and credibility of citizens and provide a platform to voices, seldom heard in the public room

Bridgebuilding roles: examples

• Create new rooms for dialogue across professional and social groups
• Uncover and discuss norms and values
• Help actors reflect and communicate – help dialogue and bridge building
• Introduce new agenda, new visions

Policy making roles: examples

• Create legitimate and accepted solutions
• Produce recommendations for policy makers
• Propose new regulation – legislation
• Propose new procedures - new orientations for managing etc.

Exercise A

To formulate a topic

• What is a good topic for you? - Propose and discuss examples+criteria
• Which role would citizens play in the examples?
• Which role do you see for your project: create knowledge? – bridgebuilding? – give advise/recommendations?

How can we involve citizens - which approach and method?

To consider:

• Are new knowledge and solutions needed?
• Do we know too little about public opinion?
• Is it time for new agenda setting?
• Is there a conflict in society dealing with the issue?
• Do politicians need an advice from citizens?
• Or?

What can we expect from citizens?

• Laypeople are ”lack of knowledge” – a vessel to be filled with expert information
• No, citizens are laypeople with knowledge and engagement in society – and in their daily lives
• Citizens have their own perspective on science and technology – useful for society

Considerations on methods in science and technology

• Expert group process
• Stakeholder involvement
• Citizen consultation
• Involving politicians
• Or?

Poster session showing a row of different methods

Exercise B

To choose a method

• How can we work with a topic?
• Which methods focus on involving citizens?
• What kind of role for the involved citizens – and what outcome do we expect?
• Use inspiration from poster - session and your own experiences!