There can be two kinds of definition as "social technology". One is
the technology for solving social problems, the other is the societal governance
toward science technology. We will focus on the latter viewpoint. Many arguments
over this societal governance toward science technology have been made also in the past.
However, since the share and accumulation of basic knowledge are lacked, the
present condition is having repeated primitive argument for every subject or
scene. It is the situation that we always have to argue the same kind of
problems from scratch, because experts of each field discussed individually and
did not share the framework mutually. In order to overcome such problems, the
share and accumulation of theoretical knowledge about societal governance for
science or technology is required. This research should be aimed to analyze and
share the structure or framework of of case study.
First, being exceeded the conventional assailant-victim
model, co-governance by various interest groups in opened public sphere will be
considered. Second, we will aim to construct theoretical structure combining
with the researches which have been discussed individually (eg. technology
policy (country level), community theory, civic movement theory (local
level), scientific philosophy and science theory) with each other. Third, we
will take the approach to reconsider academic business from public problems
through the process of structural extraction of case studies and making common
framework.
The main purpose of these approaches is to develop Japanese Science and
Technology Studies. There are strong needs towards public problem solving and decision making under uncertainty, in which even scientists
cannot provide the absolute answers. Governance of science and technology
means the establishment of sound knowledge base for supporting such decision making in public sphere, a common place in which members of society meet to
discuss matters of mutual interests. Although such kind of problem solving in public sphere had been handled as a single, unique case in each field,
this study aims to construct knowledge base in which we can share the “common frame” across the fields and cases to encourage comprehensive
“stakeholder” debates and to enhance the productive dialogue between scientific community, citizens, policy-makers, and industrialists.
The research plan includes research integration, mobilization of social
studies and humanities as well as policy studies, and transdisciplinary collaboration in science studies. Research procedure includes theoretical
analysis for classification of case studies as well as accumulation of important
concepts for societal-oriented knowledge, for editing the handbook on
"governance of science and technology" for the establishment of
knowledge base.The expected results of this study can be utilized for
re-examination on the research evaluation system considering knowledge
production for public as well as for refining education system on science,
technology and society
<References>
We will study the following procedures.
1) Organize the concept of public sphere or classification of case studies
2) Choose the cases
3) Case studies
4) Extract the common concept
5) Compare them with the international case studies and present them
internationally
6)
Construct the theory of "social technology"
The research results will be presented or
published not only domestically but internationally through some
workshops. Moreover,
we will edit the Handbook on governance of science and technology, which will be useful to reconstruct the concept
of social technology.
Annual research schedule is as follows.
Jan. 2002-Dec. 2002 | Making framework for the Handbook (discussion of concept and case studies which will be adopted) |
Jan. 2003-Dec. 2003 | Start the case studies. Japanese case studies will be presented at domestic and international workshops. |
Jan. 2004-Dec. 2004 | Organize and analyze the case studies to publish the Handbook |
We will take basic preparation for some cases expected to
develop studies through 1)Arrange the concept of public space, 2)Classification
of case studies and 3)Accumulate the related information.
1)Arrange the concept of public space
Based on the research which was funded by 1998-2001 Allocation between Monbu Kagakusho and JSPS for Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
(C) "Social epistemic research on integrated analysis framework of the production,
distribution and consumption of knowledge based science and technology",
we will arrange the related social studies such as politics through these
procedures.
2)Classification of case studies
3)Accumulate the related information
There may be two way of information collection in this process.
3-1)Collect data for
editing the Handbook, 3-2)Collet public data which will be adopted as case
studies.
3−1)Collect data for editing the
Handbook
Collect and analyze STS Handbooks which are published in Japan or
abroad.
Ina and Price(eds.) Hand book(1977)
SISCO Text
3−2)Collet public data which should be adopted as case studies
about BSE
Compare Japanese cases with Harry Collins and Trevor Pinch "The golem at large : what you should know about technology"
Accumulate the related information toward the publication (Overseas Research: HIRAKAWA, TSUKAHARA)
3−3)Prepare for the making methodological lists of case studies
3−4)Prepare for research of scientific epistemic mapping by public
We will discuss the frame of Handbook on "governance of
science technology" (concepts and cases) through 1)Arrange the concept of public space,
2)Classification
of case studies, 3)Accumulate the related information. These
processes will be reflected on the contents of the Handbook.
1)Arrange the concept of public space
Based on the research which was funded by 1998-2001 Allocation between Monbu Kagakusho and JSPS for Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) "Social epistemic research on integrated analysis framework of the production, distribution and consumption of knowledge based science and technology", we will arrange the related social studies such as politics through these procedures.
The members of this project will participate in international workshop "Science and Democracy" at Berlin on June an discuss "Japanese public sphere" Referring to the comments and questions there, we will refine the concept on "public sphere" which is expected to solve the problems in the field of STS.
2)Classification of case studies
We will argue about them every month, inviting researchers who analyze "Japanese case studies". The cases such as "STS analysis of process for environmental assessment: Comparative analysis of Fujimae Tidal Flat, Sanbanze and Isahaya Bay", "BSE in Japan", "Case of Minamata Disease", "Case study of Japanese Reproductive Medicine", "Report of Itaiitai disease" etc are planned.
Referring to these project meetings, we will discuss what is necessary concept on Japanese cases, what point should be refined in editing Handbook.
At the same time, we will research international cases by making mainly foreign research group. Especially considering the concept for cases, we intend to argue whether they are applicable in Japan or how to grasp Japanese peculiar cases.
3)Accumulate the related information
There are two way of information collection such as 3−1)Collect data
for editing the Handbook, 3−2)Collet public data which will be adopted as
case studies in this process.
3−1)Collect data for editing the Handbook
Collect and analyze STS Handbooks which are published in Japan or
abroad.
3−2)Collet public data which will be adopted as case studies
The framework of the Handbook (the concept and case studies which should be adopted) will be argued based on the procedures of 1)-3).These works will be the basis of final output.
last updated:Jun.18,2002