Scientists and engineers neither just strive for truths and scientific laws, nor are they working in a space far from politics. Science and engineering have contributed to what we now call the Anthropocene, the first time in the history of mankind when essential cycles of the earth system, e.g. carbon cycle, climate system, are heavily influenced or even shattered. Furthermore, Peak oil is indicating the end of cheap fossil energy thus triggering the search for alternatives such as biomass.
Systems of knowledge, science and technology in the OECD countries have since roughly 30 years increasingly become divided. On the one hand new technologies such as modern biotechnology, IT or nanotechnology are developing rapidly, bringing about many innovations for industry, agriculture, and consumers. On the other hand scientific studies from earth, environmental, climate change, agricultural and social sciences deliver increasingly robust evidence on more or less severe impacts on society, environment, global equity, and economy resulting from innovations during the last 50 years. Technological innovation thus is no longer an uncontested concept. And many protest movements demonstrate that the introduction of new or the enlargement of existing technologies (e.g. airports, railway stations, highways, high-voltage power lines surveillance) isn’t at all a matter of course.
It is important to bear in mind the fact that all processes of technological innovation are made by humans, individually and collectively. Industrial, social, and political organizations as actors from the local to global level of communication, deliberation, and decision making interact in diverse arenas, struggling to promote their respective corporate and/or political agenda. So innovations are as well a problem of technology as a problem of politics. Innovation and technology policies aren’t the same in all countries. We can observe conceptual and practical variations.
Since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro Agenda 21 constitutes a normative umbrella, indicating Sustainable Development (SD) as core cluster of earth politics on all levels from local to global. Meanwhile other documents such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) have complemented the SD agenda. SD can be interpreted as operationalization of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 by the General Assembly of the United Nations and since amended many times.
Engineers and scientists as professionals can’t avoid to become confronted with many non-technical and non-disciplinary items, challenges, and dilemmas. So they have to choose between alternative options for action, as individuals and as members of organizations or employees. Therefore the seminar will address core elements of the complex interrelations between science, society and politics. Reflections on experiences of participants - e.g. from other countries as Germany - during the seminar are very welcome.
The goals of the seminar include:
- Raising awareness and increasing knowledge about the political implications of scientific work and institutions;
- Improving the understanding of different concepts and designs of innovation and technology policies;
- Increasing knowledge about the status and perspectives of sustainable development as framework concept for technological and scientific progress;
- Understanding core elements of recent arguments, conflicts, and crises on technological innovations, e.g. geo-engineering or bio-economy;
- Improving the understanding of scientists’ responsibility for impacts of their professional activities;
- Embedding individual professional responsibility in social and political contexts.
The seminar will deal with current problems from areas such as innovation policy, energy, food systems, and raw materials. Issues will include the future of energy, food security and electronics. Historical issues will also be addressed.
The seminar will start with a profound overarching introduction. Issues will be introduced by a short presentation and a Q & A session, followed by group work on selected problems. All participants will have to prepare a presentation during the weekend seminar. The seminar will use inter alia interactive tools of teaching such as focus groups, simulations and presentations by students. Regular and active participation is required at all stages.
