The choice of a place to store garbage or to build up a thermo-electric station, traffic limitation’s measures to reduce pollution, experiments and trading on GMOs, the use in medicine and research of embryo’s staminal cells: the public agenda and the one of political decisions, even at local level, get full of complex questions related to research and innovation. The result is the emerging of deep conflicts and strains that lead to both citizens’ mobilization and claim for freedom raised by research institutions and enterprises dealing with innovation.
But can we face them with the traditional political methods? Should we leave them to experts? Paradoxically, the more difficult decisions are, the more citizens claim for involvement.
Within the First Italian Forum on Science and Society, Observa organizes a workshop on The importance of involving citizens in research and innovation policies. Research institutions, entrepreneurs’ associations, educational institutions and customers’ representatives are invited to discuss on the possibility of promoting the involvement of citizens on research and innovation decisions.
For more information, send an email to forumscienza@observanet.it