Abstract
Technology assessment (TA) is an analytic and interactive practice that produces evaluative judgments about the societal implications of technology. Despite this distinct evaluative disposition, “normativities” inherent in TA programs and practices often remain hidden. Therefore, TA practice and outcomes often overlook a range of methodological, ethical, and political issues. In an attempt to remedy this shortcoming, this article explores how TA aims to improve political decision making in science and technology (meta-normativity) and is imbued with the values, norms, and moral positions of both participants and TA practitioners (in-normativity). It provides recommendations to render these normativities in TA more visible, and thereby amenable to reconsideration and change.
Highlights
Since the 1960s, technology assessment (TA) approaches have emerged that seek to facilitate interactions between technological experts, citizens, civil society organizations, and other relevant social groups, to enable the collective management of technology
Utilizing a range of participatory methods and techniques, TA engages these parties to deliberate towards socially robust decision outcomes and incite social learning among them
As TA seeks to be of “service to policy making and decision making more generally” (Rip 2015, p. 125), TA is normative in character
Summary
Technology assessment (TA) is an analytic and interactive practice that produces evaluative judgments about the societal implications of technology. Despite this distinct evaluative disposition, “normativities” inherent in TA programs and practices often remain hidden. Die Technikfolgenabschätzung (TA) ist eine analytische und interak‐ tive Methode zur wertenden Beurteilung der gesellschaftlichen Auswir‐ kungen von Technik. Er gibt Empfeh‐ lungen, wie die der TA inhärenten Normativitäten sichtbar und damit offen für neue Erwägungen und Veränderung gemacht werden können.
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