Making technology accountable - citizen’s conferences in the era of public accountability

Joss, S. (2009) Making technology accountable - citizen’s conferences in the era of public accountability. Revista Diacrítica, 23(2), pp. 299-316.

Abstract

Over the last thirty years or so, various forms of citizens’ conferences have been increasingly used to assess science and technology (policy) across diverse national and institutional contexts. This article discusses citizens’ conferences, against the background of a widely perceived ‘democratic deficit’ in contemporary science and technology governance, as an institutional response to demands for greater public accountability. It analyses the various methodological, organisational, and institutional factors conditioning, and frequently limiting, citizens’ conferences as public accountability mechanism both conceptually and in practice. Following from this, it argues for further methodological innovation, in order to address and overcome the temporary, event-based nature of citizens’ conferences, as a way of consolidating institutional efforts to render science and technology more publicly accountable.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Joss, Professor Simon
• Authors: Joss, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Revista Diacrítica
• Publisher: Centro de Estudos Humanísticos da Universidade do Minho
• ISSN: 0807-8967