230158 VO Politics of Innovation and its Institutional Dimensions: Central Issues, Questions and Concepts (2013W)

This lecture offers an introduction to politics of innovation and its institutional dimensions in the light of a major policy trend in current academia, namely: the rise of ‘strategic science’. Policy initiatives in terms of strategic science usually entail the concentration of research in a small number of areas deemed ‘strategic’ by government, science, and industry. These initiatives are often promoted under the twin auspices of ‘excellence’ and ‘relevance’ that is, appeals to ‘cutting edge’ research are complemented with promises of ‘technological innovation’, where a new device, model, or drug is promised to serve wider social interests, to open up new markets, or both. Recent examples of such areas include nano- and biotechnology, ICTs, and neuroscience, each of which has fueled (and continues to fuel) computing, pharmaceutical, and medical industries at least in terms of big promises and raised expectations.
The present lecture takes an instrumental and interpretive approach to the modes of (public) research policy promoting and supporting ‘strategic science’. What kinds of policy instruments have been put in place for this purpose? How, when, and where have they been introduced? How are they currently legitimized? Which kinds of expertise, evaluation and ‘ethno-epistemic assemblages’ (Irwin & Michael, 2003) does this legitimation rely on? And what are the consequences of those instruments and these assemblages on if not as actual research practices? The lecture addresses these and related questions.
Drawing upon science and technology studies (S&TS), the lecture develops a ‘constructivist’ and ‘reflexive’ approach to politics of innovation, including both old and new tensions between institutional framings and practical requirements of research.