MASIS
Challenging Futures of Science in Society
Emerging trends and cutting-edge issues
1
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
The MASIS Expert Group
reporting to the European Commission (2009)
Chair:
Karen Siune
(Denmark)
Rapporteur: Eszter Markus (Hungary)
Members:
Marina Calloni,
(Italy)
Ulrike Felt,
(Austria)
Andrzej Gorski,
(Poland)
Armin Grunwald, (Germany)
Arie Rip,
(The Netherlands)
Vladimir de Semir, (Spain)
Sally Wyatt
(UK/The Netherlands)
2
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Motto:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 27:
Everyone has the right freely
to participate in the cultural life of the community,
to enjoy the arts and
to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
3
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Mandate of the MASIS Expert Group
From Science and Society (FP6)
To
Science in Society (FP7)
› What are the challenges?
› What are the trends?
› What are the cutting edge issues?
4
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Action lines in SiS
› From public understanding to public engagement
› Governance
› Communication
› Strenghtening potential
› The role of law
5
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Questions we discussed in MASIS expert group:
› What is the role of science in society?
› What is the place of science in society?
› What are the trends?
› Is there something that is European?
› What are the cutting edge issues?
› What are the challenging futures?
6
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
What is the place of science in society?
› Ongoing transformations
› Recontextualisation of science
› Strategic research
› Tensions and frictions
› Cultural diversity
› Revival of excellence
› Democratisation of science
7
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Uses of science in society
› The innovation dimension; ensuring economic growth
› The quality of life dimension; health
› The political dimension; expert advice to policy makers
and to the public
› The cultural dimension; respecting cultural diversities
› The intellectual dimension; sustainable development!
8
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Social actors as stakeholders
› What is at stake?
› Who are the stakeholders?
› Increase in number of stakeholders!
› Different types of stakeholders
› Cutting edge issues:
› Disagreements about the role of science between
different types of stakeholders
9
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Governance and the Role of Science in Society
› Science and policy making
› Governance of scientific institutions
› Scientific integrity, academic freedom
› Ethicisation, the role of norms
› The role of law?
› The role of technology assesments
› Democratisation
10
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Governance
› A theme in research-policy studies
› Governance includes structures and processes within
decision making
› Who is trying to influence the policy process?
› How to engage citizens in research policy?
› Good research is something that can make citizens life
better!
› Good research is something that can give economic
growth to Europe
11
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Strengthening potential
› Strengthening ERA!
› Global mobility
› Human capabilities
› Science carreers
› Cutting edge issue: Industrialized science?
12
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Inclusiveness, equal treatment and equal chance
› Women in science:
A new quality of science? Capabilities!
› Young people in science:
Making science more attractive!
› Minorities:
Diversity as richness!
13
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Science communication
From transmission to transaction (trend)
Communicating science:
› – Why and what?
› – By whom, to whom and how?
Public understanding of science (cutting edge issue)
Challenges in the internet age!
14
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
A European model of SiS?
Components of a European model:
› Joint policies
› Researchers educated across Europe
› Networks European and global
› Mobility globally
› Awareness of the opportunities in a European model
› Willingness and interest at national/European level
› Problems related to a standardized European model
15
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Challenging Futures:
Will values that unify EU prevail?
or will values that show differences prevail?
Differences acknowledged are:
› Cultural
› Social - educational
› Political
› Economic and in research traditions
16
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Emerging European identity?
Science in society can have a role to play
in creating greater European identity
by embracing the diversity of national values.
That is a challenging future!
17
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Increased communication
Dissemination of all scientific results is necessary
All means of communication shall be used:
› Traditional media as well as
› New internet based forms.
It is a challenge to engage and activate citizens!
18
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
How to engage citizens?
› Information provided is not enough!
› Public understanding is not enough!
› Citizens must be empowered! How?
› Democracy can take many forms!
› What difference can law make?
› Will European citizenship increase participatory
practise? Cutting edge issue!
19
KAREN SIUNE
MASIS
Challenging futures
› Diversified Europe
› Growing number of stakeholders
› Not all want publicity – differences in values
› Growing public distrust
› Changing mode of knowledge creation
› Accountability requirements
› How to allow for dynamic governance?
20
KAREN SIUNE