Back to the Roots of Technology Assessment

For the first time, central TA articles from Germany, which were published from the late 1970s to the 1990s, are brought together in an English anthology. The texts recall important conceptual discussions, which are of high relevance until today.

The early development of technology assessment (TA) in Germany occurred during the turbulent final decades of the 20th century. It was influenced by environmental crises, the end of the Cold War and an increasing awareness of technological risks. TA emerged as a practical and theoretical response to these challenges, engaging deeply with influential thinkers such as Jürgen Habermas, Niklas Luhmann, and Hans Jonas. Their ideas on communication, systems theory, risk and ethics have shaped the debate surrounding the role of TA in democratic participation, policy advice and moral responsibility. This era also saw the emergence of constructive and participatory TA, which actively engage citizens and other stakeholders, as well as the establishment of scientific institutions such as the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) in Karlsruhe in 1995.

Just in time for ITAS’s 30th anniversary, this volume makes foundational German TA texts from that period accessible to an international audience, emphasising their continued relevance to today's discussions on global TA and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Structured around the themes of risk, advice, participation and theory, the volume demonstrates how German TA combined conceptual depth with practical reflection. The compiled articles range from Herbert Paschen’s early examination of TA as a participatory and argumentative process in 1975, to Renate Mayntz’s analysis on problems of TA among political decision-makers, and Meinolf Dierkes and Katrin Hähner’s contribution to the development of the TA concept in 1999. (10.11.2025)

Bibliopgraphic information:

Grunwald; Armin, Krings; Bettina-Johanna; Lösch, Andreas; Scheer, Dirk Scheer (Hrsg.)
Back to the Roots. The Conceptual Development of TA in Germany: Nomos, 2025, p. 449, ISBN: 978-3-7560-3343-0 (Gesellschaft – Technik – Umwelt, Neue Folge)
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