Scientific Social Responsibility

Rapid advances in new technological areas have made science the global focus for high expectations and very large investments, but the troubled history of technologies like nuclear power and biotechnology have led to an awareness of the need to consider social acceptability. At the same time, global changes in the organization of knowledge production have sparked discussion of the societal role of universities as organizations, which compete for resources and talent. When scientific knowledge production is seen as a fundamental resource for growth in modern societies, it is necessary to discuss the way in which its actors should be socially accountable and responsible towards a greater good. This also represents a substantial challenge to the social sciences and humanities: how can we enlarge the ethical, economic and social capacity of the emergent knowledge societies.

In this situation, various actors have called for science-society engagement, reflexivity and dialogue and other ways of increasing the social responsibility of scientific knowledge production. Despite the widespread interest in this area, there is a striking uncertainty about how scientific social responsibility is and should be exercised at the different levels. For example it is unclear how institutional policy statements (at the macro-level) impact the management of research settings and laboratories (at the meso-level) or impact the actual 'bench practice' of working researchers (at the micro-level). It might be that the micro level of scientific practice is completely decoupled from institutional calls. It is also possible that individual bench scientists and researchers are more aware of social responsibility issues within their areas than their institutions are. We know that many scientists are seeking to conduct their professional lives in a socially responsible manner as well as seeking activities and outlets where their competencies are given proper weight in policy discussions.

The practical issues, their impact on managerial practice and the political implications of scientific social responsibility will be at the top of the agenda at this conference June 17, 2010. It is hosted by CBS, SDU/ISSP, DEA/FUHU, ATV.

Conference organizers: Maja Horst (CBS), Line Gry Knudsen (DEA), Tage Koed Madsen (SDU/ISSP), Steen Rasmussen (SDU/ISSP), Mark Bedau (SDU/ISSP) & Diana Mangalagiu (SDU/ISSP)

For more information: www.dea.nu