Venue: Alpen‐Adria‐Universität Klagenfurt
Date: 17-19 September 2018
The dynamics and interrelationships between innovation and social change are one of the key topics in STS (Science, Technology & Society Studies), as well as a key issue in the exploration of sustainable futures. Around the globe and in many diverse ways, innovation has become a persistent concern—be it with regard to the competitiveness of research and business; the expected economic, environmental or social impacts; or the controversies around perceived future challenges, opportunities and ramifications. While the predominant notion of innovation is considered linear and primarily technoscientific, STS analyses aim at better understanding the material, temporal and social complexities of innovation across various domains of contemporary societies. On this basis, the goal is to enlighten public debate and equip actors to be better able to contribute to the governance of innovation in society.
We would like to analyze and discuss the overall conference topic from three distinct perspectives:
‐ Innovations as drivers of societal change, societal change as a driver of innovations
‐ Innovations for societal transformation towards sustainable futures
‐ New deal for societal transformation, new social contract for transformative science and policy