Democratizing Nanotechnology Dialogs: From Attitude and Knowledge to Trust and Communication for a Sustainable Development of Nanotechnology
Abstract: Nanotechnology is big business. With rapid innovation and expansion of the field, financial stakes are high. This study is based on the assumption that the development of nanotechnology in Sweden today is controlled by economic interests rather than democratic values and sustainable development. This is considered problematic, and the overall aim with this study is to propose alternative principles for governing nanotechnology development. Three concrete questions are answered: Which social actor(s) should be entrusted with governing nanotechnology? How well does communication about nanotechnology work within and across different groups of social actors? How could communication about nanotechnology be improved to further democratic principles and a sustainable development of nanotechnology? These questions will be answered in both descriptive (narrative) and interpretive (theoretical-analytical), as well as normative (with suggestions for improvement) ways. A limited, semi-structured, qualitative interview study has been conducted with nine respondents as a basis for descriptive answers. Findings from the theoretical field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) are applied in order to find theoretical answers. Normative answers are based on the theoretical STS framework, the author’s personal expertise as an engineer in the field of nanotechnology, and other researchers’ studies from primarily the UK and the USA. The conclusions show that the traditional categories 1) attitude towards, and 2) knowledge about nanotechnology are considered inappropriate for studying social aspects of nanotechnology. The author puts forward trust and communication as alternative and more democratic measures. The participants’ accounts are used to argue why it is important that public participation permeates all levels of daily life, rather than being confined to specific events such as consensus conferences or citizen forums.
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