EUROpTA
Participatory methods in technology assessment and technology policy
The objective of the research project under the EU/DGXII-TSER programme was to evaluate participatory technology assessment (pTA) and its contribution to European policy. It scrutinised the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that underlie both theoretical discussions and practical initiatives of pTA. By doing so it compared the (potential) contribution of different forms of pTA at different societal levels and in different cultural settings. At the same time, it investigated the various cultural conditions that may or may not be conducive to pTA. In essence, the results of the research project are:
- to improve the overall understanding of and experience with pTA, and to design a theoretical and conceptual framework
- to characterise the inter-relationships between pTA and different socio-political cultures in Europe, to evaluate the potential and limitations of pTA in science and technology policy;
- to issue guidelines for practice in pTA.
A revised version of the report was published as book.
See also the project homepage of the Danish Board of Technology.
Publikationen
Publikationen
- . (2002). Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London.RISENWBIB Abstract
Since the early 1990s, an increasing number of citizens, stakeholders and user groups have become involved in assessing new scientific and technological developments. This involvement has taken various forms, including citizens' panels, scenario workshops, round tables and consensus conferences. The aim of such 'participatory technology assessment' is to provide advice to policy-makers and to encourage wider public debate about socio-technological developments.
This volume gives a comprehensive overview of recent developments in participatory technology assessment in a variety of European national and institutional contexts. It includes a research framework that provides a basis for both theoretical and practical analysis; contains studies of 16 participatory initiatives in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kngdom; and offers in-depth, cross-country comparisons focusing on important issues such as the methodological design, political role and impact of participatory technology assessment.
This book is based on a two-year European Commision-funded research project (EUROPTA). - . (2002). Theoretical Perspectives – Analytical Framework – Research Protocol. In S. Joss/S. Bellucci: Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London (pp. 15-58).
- . (2002). Conclusions and Recommendations. In S. Joss/S. Bellucci: Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London (pp. 276-287).
- . (2002). Austria: Methodological Innovations from a Latecomer. In S. Joss/S. Bellucci: Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London (pp. 61-74).
- . (2002). Implementing Participatory Technology Assessment – from Import to National Innovation. In S. Joss/S. Bellucci: Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London (pp. 157-178).
- . (2002). The Role of Participatory Technology Assessment in the Policy-making Process. In S. Joss/S. Bellucci: Participatory Technology Assessment – European Perspectives. Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at University of Westminster in association with TA Swiss, London (pp. 233-256).
- . (2000). The role of participatory technology assessment in policy-making. In Klein, J. T., Grossenbacher-Mansuy, W., Häberli, R., Bill, A., Scholz, R. W., Welti, M. (Ed.): Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem Solving among Science, Technology and Society. An Effective Way for Managing Complexity, Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser.
- . (2000). European Participatory Technology Assessment, Participatory Methods in Technology Assessment and Technology Decision-Making, Project Report for DGXII. Retrieved from http://www.tekno.dk/pdf/projekter/europta_Annex.pdfWebsiteDownloadRISENWBIB Abstract
From March 1998 to December 1999, the EUROPTA project "Participatory Methods in Technology Assessment and Technology Decision-Making" was carried out on the issue of participatory technology assessment (PTA). The project received funding from the European Commission (Directorate General XII), TSER Programme. It was co-ordinated by the Danish Board of Technology (Denmark) and included partners from Austria, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and an associated partner from Switzerland.
Technology assessment (TA) traditionally has an analytical approach with the aim to “speak truth to the power”. Since the eighties, PTA has been established with the aim of “finding solutions together” or “generating dialogue”. There has been an increasing call for PTA world-wide. In this situation, the project was prompted by a relative lack of relevant theoretical and empirical analysis.
The overall aim of the project was to advance the understanding of the role of PTA by critically assessing the experiences to date of different European national participatory initiatives, to identify criteria for the practical implementation of participatory methods, and to contribute to the development of participatory methods and practices in technology assessment.
The project pursued three key objectives:
1) develop a theoretical and analytical framework on the role and function of PTA, as a basis of normative-conceptual discussion and empirical analysis.
2) characterise and compare 16 participatory arrangements in the countries involved, allowing for the study of a broad range of methods, as well as of comparable projects.
3) make recommendations about the use of PTA at a national as well as a (European) transnational level.
The policy recommendations made by the EUROPTA project support the following tasks:
1) To understand and implement PTA as a necessary methodological complementary to traditiona - . (1999). Traffic Forum Salzburg, Case Study for EUROpTA. Retrieved from http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?article=799&language=uk&category=11&toppic=kategori11
- . (1999). The Austrian Technology Foresight Delphi, Case Study for EUROpTA. Retrieved from http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?article=798&language=uk&category=11&toppic=kategori11
- . (1999). The Ozone Consensus Conference in Austria, Case Study for EUROpTA. Retrieved from http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?article=797&language=uk&category=11&toppic=kategori11
- . (1999). Partizipative TA – der erfolgreiche Ausbruch aus dem Elfenbeinturm. Ita-Newsletter, 8.
- . (1998). Consensus-Konferenz, Radio1476. Retrieved from http://www.oeaw.ac.at/ita/audio/9807_con.ram
- . (1998). EUROpTA – Workshop; Kopenhagen, 3.-4.September 1998. Ita-Newsletter, 16-17.
- . (1997). Konsens-Konferenzen für Österreich?, Kurzgutachten für die Bundesministerin für Frauenangelegenheiten und Verbraucherschutz im BKA.
Konferenzbeiträge/Vorträge
Konferenzbeiträge/Vorträge
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23/10/2000
Helge Torgersen:
What Participation – And Why.Does Public Participation in Biotechnology Work?
Paper at the conference "Building Bridges between the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention and the EU accession process: Access to information and public participation in decisions related to GMO matters" at The Regional Environmental Center for Centra
Other Lecture -
27/02/2000
Michael Nentwich:
The Role of Participatory Technology Assessment in Policy-Making
Contribution to the International Transdiciplinarity Conference "Joint Problem-Solving among Science, Technology and Society", Zürich, 27 February – 1 March
Other Lecture -
04/10/1999
Walter Peissl:
The Austrian Technology Foresight: a participatory approach to foresight
Second EUROpTA workshop "Evaluation of participatory Technology Assessment Methods", Den Haag/Scheveningen
Other Lecture -
04/10/1999
Michael Nentwich:
The role of pTA in the political system – preliminary results from the EUROpTA project
contribution to the Second Workshop of EUROpTA (participatory technology assessment in Europe) in The Hague, 4-5 October
Other Lecture -
04/10/1999
Helge Torgersen:
Introduction of pTA
Second EUROpTA workshop "Evaluation of participatory Technology Assessment Methods", 4/5.10., Den Haag/Scheveningen.
Other Lecture -
04/10/1999
Helge Torgersen:
Case study: Traffic Forum Salzburg
Second EUROpTA workshop "Evaluation of participatory Technology Assessment Methods", 4./5.10., Den Haag/Scheveningen.
Other Lecture -
03/09/1998
Michael Nentwich, Helge Torgersen, Walter Peissl:
icipatory Technology Assessment – Its Features,Functions
Limitations and Impacts in Modern Developed Societies. A Theoretical FrameworkProposed. First EUROPTA workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark
Other Lecture -
27/05/1998
Michael Nentwich, Walter Peissl:
Partizipative Verfahren in der Technikfolgen-Abschätzung – Möglichkeiten für Österreich
Präsentation für das Forum Mobilkommunikation, ÖAW 27.5., Wien
Other Lecture -
03/10/1996
Helge Torgersen:
Ist Österreich reif für die Consensus Conference?
Referat bei der Ersten österreichischen Konsens-Konferenz im Rahmen des Jugend-Umwelt-Plans (JUP) des BM f. Umwelt, 3.-4. 10., Wien
Other Lecture
Duration
01/1997 - 09/2000
Contact
- Helge Torgersen
Funding
