c/o Marschalek (2017) Public Engagement in Responsible Research and Innovation

This blog often features EU research initiatives and conferences and a European project (2014-2016) to build a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Toolkit also has a conference series and various publications. Marschalek's dissertation is a invaluable resource on RRI, drawing on the need for reflection, reflexivity, critical thinking and highlighting many models within sciences and participative methods. Reading the following you will hopefully glean the basis for my interest in the document and what might follow the project overall.

1.2 The Relevance of (Self-)Reflection and Reflexivity  

Scientists are not typically asked to anticipate future societal effects of their work. ...  

... But reflections, particularly on non-intended effects, are rarely undertaken. Reflection is not (yet) viewed as an integral part of scientific work. Many other more important issues need to be addressed within a scientific career. ...  

... Studies like this and others have revealed that researchers are rarely encouraged to self-reflect. ... 

... What is needed is to »step into the helicopter« (Schuurbiers, 2011, p. 784) to look at one’s own work from a distance. A look from the outside and feedback also help reflection. »Researchers are not accustomed to viewing their decisions from a normative perspective or discussing the normative aspects of decisions explicitly. ... 

... Unfortunately, not many reflection tools are available as yet. Quality standards and codes of conduct should »stimulate the reflection of the relation between one’s own values and that of external parties« (Asveld, Ganzevles & Osseweijer, 2015, p. 585) and there are self-reflection initiatives to motivate individuals to reflect on the impact of their work, e.g. a »Hippocratic Oath for individual scientists« (Sutcliffe, 2011), but even fewer ask organisations for self-reflection. Marschalek (2017) pp.15-16.

Marschalek, Ilse. (2017). Public Engagement in Responsible Research and Innovation.
A Critical Reflection from the Practitioner’s Point of View. University of Vienna, Vienna.
https://www.zsi.at/object/publication/4498/attach/Marschalek_Public_Engagement_in_RRI.pdf


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