The Future of Science in Society

Summary

The ESF Standing Committee for the Social Sciences (SCSS) has initiated an strategic activity on ‘The Future of Science in Society’ that will produce a Science Policy Briefing report. Having raised interest across all scientific domains at ESF, this activity will also enter in dialogue with the ESF Member Organisation Forum on ‘Science and Society Relationships’ and with relevant science policy actors in Europe.

The framework for the activity, including the formulation of what is at stake, consists of the fact that multi-level governance is a crucial problem to be confronted in Europe, and this demands a good understanding of the different sites where science/technology/society relations take shape. How science, technology, innovation and society are intertwined and governed in Europe is undergoing quite substantial change with the creation of the European Research Area and even more so with recent efforts to position Europe as an innovation space by 2020.

Activities

Three workshops are planned in 2012 (see list below), with 20-25 participants each. All ESF Scientific Committees have been invited to the workshops, as well as a number of organisations dealing with science policy in Europe.  A discussion paper will be prepared by the two workshop co-chairs (from the Scientific Committee) prior to each workshop and revised and finalised subsequently.  These three papers will form the basis for a science policy briefing that will result from the activity, to take stock and provide conclusions and recommendations for the future.

  • Workshop 1: On the Diversity of European Publics and Political Cultures Rethinking publics, issues and governance processes 
    20-21 February 2012, Vienna
    Co-Chairs: Ulrike Felt and Teresa Stockelova
    Schedule and List of Participants

  • Workshop 2: Changes in and around science: their dynamics and their evaluation  
    3-4 May 2012, Vienna
    Co-Chairs: Arie Rip and Pierre-Benoît Joly
    Schedule and List of Participants

  • Workshop 3: Science in Society issues and the scientific community  18-19 June 2012, Vienna
    Co-Chairs: Daniel Barben and Alan Irwin
    (Schedule and List of participants forthcoming)

Participation in these workshops is upon invitation only

Publication of the Science Policy Briefing report is expected before the end of 2012.