Getting the Best of Both Worlds
24
© Deining 2010-2011 Getting the Best of Both Worlds A Personal Note on Doing Science CSG Research Meeting Berg en Dal, September 29 th 2010 Lucien Hanssen Deining Societal Communication & Governance [email protected]
Transcript of Getting the Best of Both Worlds
© Deining 2010-2011
Getting the Best of Both WorldsA Personal Note on Doing Science
CSG Research MeetingBerg en Dal, September 29th 2010
Lucien HanssenDeining Societal Communication & [email protected]
TopicsTopics
●● Working in two worlds apartWorking in two worlds apart
●● Some observations on social scientistsSome observations on social scientists
●● Some observations on natural scientistsSome observations on natural scientists
●● Getting the best of both worldsGetting the best of both worlds
© Deining 2010-2011
Personal Background Personal Background
●● MSc biologyMSc biologygenetics, microbiology, communication sciencegenetics, microbiology, communication science
●● PhD technology governancePhD technology governancebiotechnology, genomics, nanotechnologybiotechnology, genomics, nanotechnology
●● Professional careerProfessional careerbiologist, communication & governance scholarbiologist, communication & governance scholar
© Deining 2010-2011
Working in Two Worlds ApartWorking in Two Worlds Apart
(() Natural sciences study aspects of natural ) Natural sciences study aspects of natural phenomenaphenomena
(() Social sciences study human relations and ) Social sciences study human relations and societiessocieties
(()) Humanities study intellectual products of Humanities study intellectual products of humans humans
© Deining 2010-2011
Working in Two Worlds ApartWorking in Two Worlds ApartNatural sciences in a nutshellNatural sciences in a nutshell
Propose hypotheses as explanations of natural Propose hypotheses as explanations of natural phenomena;phenomena;design (repeatable)design (repeatable) experiments to test these;experiments to test these;data and methodology are available for scrutinydata and methodology are available for scrutiny(falsification)(falsification)
TheoriesTheories bind independently derived hypotheses bind independently derived hypotheses togethertogetherin a coherent, supportive structure;in a coherent, supportive structure;this in turn may help to form new hypothesesthis in turn may help to form new hypotheses
© Deining 2010-2011
© Reid, Geleijnse & Van Tol
Working in Two Worlds ApartWorking in Two Worlds ApartSocial sciencesSocial sciences in a nutshellin a nutshell
Some social scientists use quantitative methodsSome social scientists use quantitative methodsresembling those of natural sciences, based on resembling those of natural sciences, based on empirical research: empirical research:
e.g. empirical analytical approache.g. empirical analytical approach
Others by contrast, use qualitative methods Others by contrast, use qualitative methods rather than constructing empirically falsifiable rather than constructing empirically falsifiable hypotheses:hypotheses:
e.g. symbolic interactionismsymbolic interactionism
© Deining 2010-2011
© Reid, Geleijnse & Van Tol
Some Observations on Natural Scientists (1)Some Observations on Natural Scientists (1)
●● There is a lack in understanding main There is a lack in understanding main approaches fromapproaches fromsocial science and its qualitative methodologysocial science and its qualitative methodology
© Deining 2010-2011
● ● If useful, they see this research as marketing If useful, they see this research as marketing tool and think of researchers as social engineerstool and think of researchers as social engineers
●● They experience social science research as They experience social science research as wordywordy & woolly& woolly, , lacking sense of reality, yet as lacking sense of reality, yet as personal hobbypersonal hobby
Some Observations on Natural Scientists (2)Some Observations on Natural Scientists (2)
Some have learned hard lessons and see it is Some have learned hard lessons and see it is not about not about
technology alone but people using technology, technology alone but people using technology, they have they have
become sensitive to societal issuesbecome sensitive to societal issues
to theto the society agendasociety agenda
© Deining 2010-2011
Some Observations on Social Scientists (1)Some Observations on Social Scientists (1)
●● There is a lack in understanding basic There is a lack in understanding basic principles from natural science and its principles from natural science and its quantitative methodologyquantitative methodology
© Deining 2010-2011
● ● Assessments of implications of science and Assessments of implications of science and technologytechnologycan end in societal fiction, without tangible can end in societal fiction, without tangible guidanceguidance
● ● There is a tendency to threat normative There is a tendency to threat normative descriptions of technological practices as self-descriptions of technological practices as self-evident or objectiveevident or objective
Some Observations on Social Scientists (2)Some Observations on Social Scientists (2)
Some have experienced that input from Some have experienced that input from natural natural
science is essential for a better and timely science is essential for a better and timely
understanding of the significance of understanding of the significance of technologytechnology
of theof the technology agendatechnology agenda
© Deining 2010-2011
Getting the best of both worldsGetting the best of both worlds
1. Practical advices from my teachers1. Practical advices from my teachers
2. Focus on the socio-techno-interaction2. Focus on the socio-techno-interaction
3. Combine competences3. Combine competences
© Deining 2010-2011
Getting the best of both worlds into my researchGetting the best of both worlds into my research Practical advices from my teachers (1)Practical advices from my teachers (1)
Albert Kroon, biologist:Albert Kroon, biologist:
Never use brackets in your textsNever use brackets in your texts
© Deining 2010-2011
Be short and to the point in your Be short and to the point in your wordingswordings
Getting the best of both worlds into my researchGetting the best of both worlds into my research Practical advices from my teachers (2)Practical advices from my teachers (2)
James Stappers, communication scholar:James Stappers, communication scholar:
A term requires a clear definitionA term requires a clear definition
© Deining 2010-2011
Make sure that all mean the Make sure that all mean the samesame
Getting the best of both worlds into my researchGetting the best of both worlds into my research Practical advices from my teachers (3)Practical advices from my teachers (3)
Arie Rip, sociologist:Arie Rip, sociologist:
A diagnosis needs theoretical backupA diagnosis needs theoretical backup
© Deining 2010-2011
Keep distance to your object of Keep distance to your object of researchresearch
Getting the best of both worlds into my Getting the best of both worlds into my researchresearch Focus on the socio-techno-interaction (1)Focus on the socio-techno-interaction (1)
How is technology shaped by societal forces; How is technology shaped by societal forces; this opens up the this opens up the context of application context of application society into agenda of technology enactorssociety into agenda of technology enactors
© Deining 2010-2011
In the same process,In the same process,
How does technology shape human relations;How does technology shape human relations;this opens up the this opens up the context of implicationcontext of implication
technology into agenda of societal actorstechnology into agenda of societal actors
socio-techno-socio-techno-interactioninteraction
© Deining 2010-2011
society
technology s
t
interaction interaction integration integration
Getting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchGetting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchCombine competences (1)Combine competences (1)
Requires insight in (1) technological pathways as equires insight in (1) technological pathways as well aswell as(2) governance commitmentsgovernance commitments & (3) societal societal appraisalsappraisals
More specific, gather impartial information onMore specific, gather impartial information on (1)(1) direction of innovation direction of innovation (2) (2) power & controlpower & control (3) safety, effectiveness & regulation(3) safety, effectiveness & regulation
© Deining 2010-2011
Getting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchGetting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchCombine competences (2)Combine competences (2)
Tools to study socio-techno-interaction, use a Tools to study socio-techno-interaction, use a combination from deliberative toward analytical combination from deliberative toward analytical methodsmethods
●● vision assessmentvision assessment●● forward studyforward study● ● scenario makingscenario making●● multi criteria analysesmulti criteria analyses● ● facilitated modeling (system dynamics)facilitated modeling (system dynamics)
© Deining 2010-2011
Getting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchGetting the Best of Both Worlds into my ResearchCombine competences (3)Combine competences (3)
Tools characteristics:Tools characteristics:
●● looses from institutional contextslooses from institutional contexts●● acknowledges multiple legitimate perspectivesacknowledges multiple legitimate perspectives●● addresses uncertainty, ambiguity, ignorance uncertainty, ambiguity, ignorance●● interactions get more symmetrical●● creates common ideas and languagecreates common ideas and language
© Deining 2010-2011
Example1: technology is shaped by societal Example1: technology is shaped by societal forcesforces
Societal Interface Group (CBSG)Societal Interface Group (CBSG)
Points to and discusses early signals from Points to and discusses early signals from society by integrating outsiders and insiderssociety by integrating outsiders and insiders
Brings in creative potential of future users in Brings in creative potential of future users in genomics genomics applicationsapplications, at a time when it can , at a time when it can still influence research trajectoriesstill influence research trajectories
© Deining 2010-2011
Enactors search for more shared aims, Enactors search for more shared aims, meanings and starting points for their research meanings and starting points for their research agendaagenda
Example 2: technology shapes human Example 2: technology shapes human relations relations
Art of nanotechnology (CieMDN)Art of nanotechnology (CieMDN)
Artistic research reveals - and empathizes - Artistic research reveals - and empathizes - how how humans relate to the nano scalehumans relate to the nano scale
Takes us from this scale in a perceivable way Takes us from this scale in a perceivable way to think about possibleto think about possible implicationimplications of s of nanotechnology in our own environmentnanotechnology in our own environment and our relationships
© Deining 2010-2011
Conversations about the complicated and Conversations about the complicated and messy way in which a society deals with messy way in which a society deals with technological changetechnological change
Getting the best of both worldsGetting the best of both worlds
1.1. Practical advices from my teachersPractical advices from my teachers attitude as researcherattitude as researcher
2.2. Focus on the socio-techno-interactionFocus on the socio-techno-interaction conceptual and theoretical thinkingconceptual and theoretical thinking
3.3. Combine competencesCombine competences skills and methods for science in practiceskills and methods for science in practice
© Deining 2010-2011
