The EPSRC’s Policy of Responsible Innovation from a Trading Zones Perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID10283293
AuthorsJoseph Murphy (0000-0001-6215-5188, University of Glasgow, corresponding author), Sarah Parry (0000-0002-9730-3547, University of Edinburgh), John Walls (University of Glasgow)
Year2016
Volume54
Issue2
Pages151-174
Publication date2016-03-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMinerva (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0026-4695 • E-ISSN: 1573-1871
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11024-016-9294-9
PMID27340294
OpenAlexW2298091442
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited44

Responsible innovation (RI) is gathering momentum as an academic and policy debate linking science and society. Advocates of RI in research policy argue that scientific research should be opened up at an early stage so that many actors and issues can steer innovation trajectories. If this is done, they suggest, new technologies will be more responsible in different ways, better aligned with what society wants, and mistakes of the past will be avoided. This paper analyses the dynamics of RI in policy and practice and makes recommendations for future development. More specifically, we draw on the theory of 'trading zones' developed by Peter Galison and use it to analyse two related processes: (i) the development and inclusion of RI in research policy at the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); (ii) the implementation of RI in relation to the Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (SPICE) project. Our analysis reveals an RI trading zone comprised of three quasi-autonomous traditions of the research domain - applied science, social science and research policy. It also shows how language and expertise are linking and coordinating these traditions in ways shaped by local conditions and the wider context of research. Building on such insights, we argue that a sensible goal for RI policy and practice at this stage is better local coordination of those involved and we suggest ways how this might be achieved

Context (archaeology · Economics · Engineering ethics · Management · Momentum (technical analysis · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Science policy · Sociology · Computer Science · Education, Healthcare and Sociology Research · Engineering · Innovation, Technology, and Society · Public Administration · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance

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