TA-Database-Newsletter No. 3, October 2000, online available [19.10.2000]
The main feature section of the October issue is devoted to the question: "Participatory Technology Assessment - where will it go?"
| The contributions come from |
| the United Kingdom, Gary Kass, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology A. Stirling, University of Sussex and Genwatch S. Mayer, University of Sussex and Genwatch |
| the Netherlands, R. van Est, Rathenau Institute |
| Denmark, A. Hansen, University of Lyngy Ch. Clausen, University of Lyngy |
| and Germany P. Wiedemann et al., Forschungszentrum Jülich E. Wienhöfer, TA-Akademie Stuttgart F. Gloede, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe U. Riehm, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe |
| with an introduction by A. Grunwald. |
Main issues discussed are the methodological and theoretical approaches of participatory technology assessment (pTA) and their realization in practice, a.o. within the framework of consensus conferences, Public Fora, and expert-stakeholder pTA. Current problems, learning processes and differentiations in pTA are outlined and perspectives of its further development are discussed. A preliminary resumee of the EUROPTA-project "European Participatory Technology Assessment. Participatory Methods in Technology Assessment and Technology Decision Making" seems to indicate that the introduction of different types of participatory TA methods is generally successful in spite of different national political cultures.
The section on TA institutions includes contributions on the institutionalization of TA in Switzerland and on the establishment of the Enquete Commission of the German Parliament on "Globalisation". The ecological tax reform in Europe, Sustainable Agriculture and "Green" Genetic Engineering as well as two international expert surveys on the "Future of the Internet" and "Future Competitiveness" of selected nations are the subjects of the TA projects presented.
Apart from book reviews, conference reports and numerous event announcements the article by A. Grunwald in the discussion forum on "TA - policy consulting or industrial consulting. Some remarks on an ongoing discussion" invites the readers of the readers of the TA-Datenbank-Nachrichten to participate in the discussion of the relationsship between TA and industry and send contributions or position papers to the editors.