Including societal actors in R&D - Different expectations, different responsibilities

Abstract

The outcomes of research and development (R&D) have profoundly influenced mod- ern societies. Not all outcomes have been good or beneficial. It is against this back- drop one can understand the call for governance of R&D. Because R&D is viewed to have great powers and potential to solve current or future challenges but also for the outcomes of R&D to turn out to have significant negative side-effects. This chapter in- vestigates the role of societal actors, citizens, and stakeholders in such governance processes. It will discuss why societal actors are and should be involved, what are the drivers and barriers against the inclusion of them, and how inclusion can be done ‘better’ or more productively. Norway has an egalitarian and democratic culture, and there are strong norms surrounding social equality. This implies that there are ex- pectations and anticipations from society in general to be included in matters of deci- sive importance. These expectations are also reflected in the guidelines for grant applications on emerging technologies from the Research Council of Norway, where the inclusion of stakeholders and members of the public is stressed.