EASST2022 Panel 030 Policy instruments and the making of sociotechnical futures
Dear all,
We invite contributions to our open panel Policy instruments and the = making of sociotechnical futures: production, circulation and effects = convened by = Aykut Stefan (Universit=C3=A4t Hamburg), Bilel Benbouzid (Universit=C3=A9 = Gustave Eiffel), Marlyne Sahakian and myself (Universit=C3=A9 de = Gen=C3=A8ve) at the 2022 EASST Conference=C2=A0 = in Madrid (July 6=E2=80=939). = Abstracts are expected by February 1, 2022, using the submission = platform: https://easst2022.org/callforsubmissions.asp = .=20
Policy-making and public debate in technological societies are = characterized by heavy reliance on science-based visions of probable, = desirable or potentially catastrophic futures. Policy instruments play a = key role therein, as sites where such futures are produced, circulated = and put to work in the governance of very diverse sociotechnical matters = at multiple sales. As such, they offer an interesting vantage point from = where to examine the politics of technoscientific futures.
In keeping with fruitful developments at the crossroads of political = sociology and science and technology studies (Voss & Freeman 2016, = Halpern et al., 2014), our panel seeks to shed light onto instruments = and future-making practices in different policy sectors (climate change, = energy, agriculture, digital technologies, urban development, and = industries) and thereby on how instruments and future-production devices = circulate from one sector to another.=20
Papers are invited to consider instruments and issues at different = scales - global, national and local. We welcome in particular = comparisons across sectors and levels of intervention. They can focus on = their production, circulation or effects in regard to future-making = practices, techniques, or knowledge. Papers can deal with one specific = policy instrument or compare different instruments, in one or in = multiple sectors. We welcome, for example, papers examining the use of = impact assessments or scenarios in one sector (i.e. in environmental or = digital governance) and / or looking at how they migrate across sectors.=20=
Authors are invited to explore, among other issues:=20 What kinds of knowledge, actors, and scales are privileged by / for = different policy instruments in the production of futures?=20 How do different instruments frame temporal and geographical scales in = the production of futures?=20 What tensions and conflicts can be observed? How do different policy instruments foster the circulation of futures = across social arenas? What effects do they produce in public debate?=20 How is the production of future-knowledge imbricated in conflictual = processes of collective construction of futures?=20
We hope to cover as many instruments and sectors as possible to foster = potential comparisons during the debate and in future work. On this = basis, this panel aims at initiating a research programme gathering = scholars from STS and other thematic domains of expertise, raging from = energy to AI, around policy instruments and future making practices.
Paper submissions should be in the form of abstracts of up to 300 words = in English. They should include the paper=E2=80=99s main arguments in regard with = the panel proposal, its empirical basis, as well as its contribution to = STS.=20 When submitting your paper on the submission platform = (https://easst2022.org/openpanel.asp = ), please select panel 030.=20 Papers will be reviewed by the convenors.=20 The submitting author will be considered as the presenting author.=20
For any inquiries concerning the panel topic to write to: = nicolas.bayalaffite@unige.ch
Please do not hesitate to circulate through your relevant networks.=20
Best wishes,=20 Nicolas Baya-Laffite, Aykut Stefan, Bilel Benbouzid, Marlyne Sahakian =E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2= =80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93 Nicolas Baya-Laffite Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies Department of Sociology, School of Social Science University of Geneva=20 UniMail - bureau 4324 40, bd du Pont-d=E2=80=99Arve CH - 1211 Geneva 4 +41 (0) 2237 98887=
