Publics & Participation

What it is about

You learn how science and technology create challenges for modern democracies and which forms of participation have been developed to democratize these processes. In the end you will be able to assess various participation procedures and design a participatory process for a controversial question yourself.

What you will be able to do

• analytical reading and engagement with central social science texts
• distinction of different contemporary participation approaches
• assessment of participation concepts in the context of democratic debates in STS
• evaluation of the public usefulness of participation and development of participation experiments
• knowledge of practical design of participatory methods and their theoretical contexts
• design of a participatory procedure in response to a controversy

What the module consists of

• Seminar / VorlesungIntroduction to debates from Science and Technology Studies and democratic theory; joint text work and discussion
• Gruppenarbeit / PraxisübungenAnalysis, design and testing of participatory procedures in team work
• PräsentationenShort presentations to present own designs and to practise scientific presentation techniques
• SelbststudiumPreparation and follow-up of the texts as well as the development of the research project

Teaching method

• Lesen und Diskussion zentraler Textefor critical engagement with methods and theories
• Vorlesungenfor conveying background knowledge from STS and democracy theory
• Gruppenarbeitto practically design and reflect on participatory procedures
• Studentische Präsentationento present one's ideas clearly and precisely to an audience
• Regelmäßige Gespräche mit der Dozentin/dem Dozentento accompany and develop the research project