University of Groningen Involvement of civil society actors in nanotechnology Krabbenborg, Lotte

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University of Groningen

Involvement of civil society actors in nanotechnology
Krabbenborg, Lotte
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Download date: 11-02-2018
INVOLVEMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACTORS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY:
CREATING PRODUCTIVE SPACES FOR INTERACTION

Lotte Krabbenborg
© Lotte Krabbenborg 2013

Printed by Ipskamp Drukkers BV, Enschede, Netherlands

Cover by Artiq concept & design

Photo cover Daisuke Hiraiwa, Skin of Spaces 02 (2009)

This thesis was printed with financial support from the Netherlands Graduate Research School of
Science, Technology and Modern Culture (WTMC)
RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN

Involvement of civil society actors in nanotechnology:
creating productive spaces for interaction

Proefschrift

ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de
Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen
aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
op gezag van de
Rector Magnificus, dr. E. Sterken,
in het openbaar te verdedigen op
vrijdag 29 november 2013
om 16.15 uur

door

Lotte Krabbenborg

geboren op 6 december 1980

te Groenlo
Promotor: Prof. dr. M.P. Gerkema

Copromotores: Em. prof. dr. A. Rip
Dr. H.A.J. Mulder
Dr. H.J. van der Windt

Beoordelingscommissie: Prof. dr.ir. W.E. Bijker
Prof. dr. H.C. Moll
Prof. dr. T.E. Swierstra

ISBN: 978-90-367-6554
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in

Leonard Cohen

Contents

Chapter 1 Nanotechnology as a topic for deliberation ........................................................................ 5
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Upstream public engagement ......................................................................................................... 8
The context of upstream public engagement: deliberation and aggregation at different levels . 12
Section 1.1 Evaluation of upstream public engagement ............................................................. 17
Section 1.2 A background requirement: an adequate public sphere ......................................... 20
Section 1.3 Research design and methodology ........................................................................... 24
Philosophical study ........................................................................................................................ 25
Empirical study .............................................................................................................................. 27
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 2 Spaces for assembly in and for a changing world ............................................................. 32
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 32
Section 2.1 Dewey and Arendt on indeterminacy as a human condition .................................... 35
Section 2.2 John Dewey ............................................................................................................... 38
Section 2.3 Hannah Arendt .......................................................................................................... 45
Section 2.4 Dewey and Arendt and newly emerging technologies.............................................. 49
Section 2.5 The CTA approach: spaces to inquire into indeterminacies ...................................... 53
Section 2.6 In conclusion .............................................................................................................. 56
Chapter 3 Challenges for co-construction projects between industry and CSOs .............................. 60
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 60
Structure of the chapter ................................................................................................................ 63
Data collection ............................................................................................................................... 63
Section 3.1 Establishing a partnership ......................................................................................... 65
Section 3.2 Interaction processes during the partnership ........................................................... 68
Consultation processes with the ‘wider world’ ............................................................................. 70
Section 3.3 The wider world: reactions at the collective level .................................................... 71
Section 3.4 In conclusion .............................................................................................................. 73
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Characteristics of the space for interaction .................................................................................. 74
Public-sphere type interactions..................................................................................................... 75
Occasion to extend the public sphere? ......................................................................................... 78
Chapter 4 Spaces for capacity building for civil society organizations .............................................. 79
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 79
Inclusive, deliberative governance for newly emerging nanotechnology .................................... 80
Structure of the chapter ................................................................................................................ 83
Data collection ............................................................................................................................... 84
Section 4.1 The NanoCap project ................................................................................................. 85
Section 4.2 Interaction processes in the NanoCap project .......................................................... 86
Inquiry and articulation of issues .................................................................................................. 87
Section 4.3 Aggregation of discussions in developing position papers ....................................... 89
Section 4.4 The closing event: a confrontation with the wider world ......................................... 91
Section 4.5 In conclusion .............................................................................................................. 93
Characteristics of the space for assembly ..................................................................................... 93
Public-sphere type interactions..................................................................................................... 94
Occasion to extend the public sphere? ......................................................................................... 96
Chapter 5 Dutch Societal Dialogue on Nanotechnology .................................................................. 100
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 100
Involving citizens in societal dialogues on NEST ......................................................................... 100
Aim of the chapter ....................................................................................................................... 102
Data collection ............................................................................................................................. 102
Section 5.1 Design and orchestration of the National Dialogue ................................................ 103
Section 5.2 The Committee and its work ................................................................................... 105
Call for proposals ......................................................................................................................... 106
Developing selection and evaluation criteria .............................................................................. 108
Monitoring of projects ................................................................................................................ 110
Section 5.3 The projects ............................................................................................................. 111
Interaction processes in the interaction spaces .......................................................................... 112
Projects providing materials ........................................................................................................ 116
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Projects creating face-to-face or online deliberations ................................................................ 118
Section 5.4 From individual projects to official reports and policy documents ........................ 120
Section 5.5 In conclusion ............................................................................................................ 122
Occasion to extend the public sphere? ....................................................................................... 126
Chapter 6 CTA+ workshops designed as microcosms ...................................................................... 128
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 128
Bridging gaps between science and society ................................................................................ 129
Design requirements to realize the aim of CTA+......................................................................... 130
Structure of the chapter .............................................................................................................. 132
Data collection and methodology ............................................................................................... 134
Section 6.1 Workshop 1 - The lithium chip ................................................................................ 136
Real-world dynamics ................................................................................................................... 136
Sociotechnical scenario and selection of participants ................................................................ 137
Preparing and rehearsing futures: interaction dynamics in the workshop................................. 139
Effects of the workshop in the real world ................................................................................... 145
In summary .................................................................................................................................. 147
Section 6.2 Workshop 2 - Self-testing ........................................................................................ 149
Real-world dynamics ................................................................................................................... 149
Sociotechnical scenario and selection of participants ................................................................ 151
Preparing and rehearsing futures: interaction dynamics in the workshop................................. 153
Effects of the workshop in the real world ................................................................................... 157
In summary .................................................................................................................................. 158
Section 6.3 Workshop 3 - The ECG patch ................................................................................... 159
Real-world dynamics ................................................................................................................... 159
Sociotechnical scenario and selection of participants ................................................................ 160
Preparing and rehearsing futures: interaction dynamics in the workshop................................. 163
Effects of workshop in the real world ......................................................................................... 165
In summary .................................................................................................................................. 168
Section 6.4 Concluding Analysis ................................................................................................. 169
Occasion to extend the public sphere? ....................................................................................... 178
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