STEPE
Sensitive Technologies and European Public Ethics
An EU-wide survey investigates issues such as trust, good governance and social values in relation to modern technologies.
The controversy over agricultural biotechnology showed that public attitudes play an important role when it comes to introducing the latest technologies. We could say that technologies that give rise to such debates are ‘sensitive’, pertinent concerns could be termed ‘public ethics’. STEPE, a collaboration of 13 research institutions, looks into those concerns.
Euro-barometer survey
A Euro-barometer survey among EU citizens in 27 EU countries and Turkey, which took place in February 2010, and expert interviews revealed insights into the public ethics on sensitive technologies. This series of surveys, which is carried out about every three years, investigates issues such as trust, good governance and social values in relation to modern technologies. ITA was involved in the phrasing of the questions, the interpretation of the results and the evaluation of the interviews.
The results: While entrenched views about controversial issues such as genetically modified foods were still evident, the crisis of confidence in technology and regulation that characterised the 1990s (ie BSE) was no longer dominant. Rather, the focus was on technologies themselves: Are they safe? Are they useful? And are there 'lite' alternatives with more acceptable ethical-moral implications? Europeans are also increasingly concerned about energy and sustainability. The participants did not reject innovation as such, under the condition that there need be an appropriate regulation to provide a balance to the market.
Citizens split on participation
In addition, many wished to be involved in decisions about new technologies when social values were at stake. In contrast to the survey results, stakeholders showed less enthusiasm for citizen participation as a governance tool. Even in Denmark, home of the ‘Danish model’ of participation, disillusionment had set in. Excessive demand of participation combined with growing disinterest as well as the lack of real connection to the political process appeared to be too big a problem.
Austrians rather sceptic towards new technologies
In the survey, Austria took in a particular position among comparable countries; as approval of new technologies was generally low except when it came to solar energy. Regarding agricultural biotechnology, Austria ranged in the lower middle field, as did the rest of the EU.
Publications
Publications
- . (2011). The 2010 Eurobarometer on the life sciences. Nature Biotechnology, 29, 113-114.
- . (2011). Participatory paternalism – Citizens’ conferences in Austrian technology governance. Science And Public Policy, 391-402.RISENWBIB Abstract
Citizens’ conferences as a form of participatory technology assessment (pTA) are said to increase democratic legitimacy, take up lay knowledge and improve technological solutions. Today it is part of science / technology policy rhetoric and, sometimes, practice. We confront some elements of the scholarly discussion on pTA with policy-makers’ understandings of the process in Austria. Here, participation often gets framed as a form of PR and a sensor for public sentiments rather than as a forum of multiple rationalities and co-development of policy projects. This understanding can be related to underlying conceptions of democracy and the public. As a conclusion, governance styles would have to change before pTA was to become more than a laboratory experiment.
- . (2010). Instructions for being unhappy with PTA – The impact on PTA of Austrian technology policy experts´ conceptualisation of the public (ITA-manu:script 10-02). doi:10.1553/ITA-ms-10-02DOIWebsiteDownloadRISENWBIB Abstract
Participatory Technology Assessment (PTA) is said to increase democratic legitimacy, take up lay knowledge and improve technological solutions. Today it is part of science/technology policy rhetoric and, sometimes, practice. We confront some elements of the scholarly discussion on PTA with policy-makers’ understandings of the process in Austria. Here, participation often gets framed as a form of PR and a sensor for public sentiments rather than as a forum of multiple rationalities and co-development of policy projects. This understanding can be related to underlying conceptions of democracy and the public. As a conclusion, governance styles would have to change before PTA was to become more than a laboratory experiment.
- . (2010). Europeans and Biotechnology in 2010: Winds of Change? A report to the European Comission´s Directorate-General for Research on the Eurobarometer 73.1 on Biotechnology; FP7 project 'Sensitive Technologies and European Public Ethics' [STEPE] (p. 176). London. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_winds_en.pdfWebsiteDownloadRISENWBIB Abstract
The latest Eurobarometer survey on the Life Sciences and Biotechnology, based on representative samples from 32 European countries and conducted in February 2010, points to a new era in the relations between science and society. While entrenched views about GM food are still evident, the crisis of confidence in technology and regulation that characterised the 1990s – a result of BSE, contaminated blood and other perceived regulatory failures – is no longer the dominant perspective. In 2010 we see a greater focus on technologies themselves: are they safe? Are they useful? And are there 'technolite' alternatives with more acceptable ethical-moral implications? Europeans are also increasingly concerned about energy and sustainability. There is no rejection of the impetus towards innovation: Europeans are in favour of appropriate regulation to balance the market, and wish to be involved in decisions about new technologies when social values are at stake.
- . (2009). Sensitive technologies in Austria - preliminary interview results (STEPE Workshop). Barcelona.
Conference Papers/Speeches
Conference Papers/Speeches
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04/02/2012
, Rome
Helge Torgersen:
Is synthetic biology new, and if so, why and for whom?
Round Table on Responsible Research and Innovation and European Public Ethics -
08/09/2011
, Geneva
Helge Torgersen:
Beyond risk governance – elite and lay perception of technology governance
ESA 10th Conference 'Social Relations in Turbulent Times' -
25/08/2011
, Reykjavik
Helge Torgersen:
Beyond risk governance – elite and lay perception of technology governance
6th ECPR General Conference