Social Confrontations, European Democracy and the Future of Resource Governance

Publikation: Beitrag in Buch oder TagungsbandVortrag mit Beitrag in TagungsbandBegutachtung

Abstract

Social confrontations signify the struggle about how we want to shape our futures. Rooted in different narratives represented by different social groups they are often competing for the sovereignty of interpretation of what a particular future may look like and how we are to achieve it. These diverging perspectives are usually rooted in past collective experiences and value systems and their interpretations and constitute a point of reference for a personal identity that reinforces a person belonging to a certain group. Social confrontations are not a singular phenomenon; instead, we live in a world of multiple social confrontations, and they co-exist, overlap, and compete. The divides social confrontations create can go across all spheres of life: education, care, health, nutrition, energy, mobility, communication, race, gender, political power, migration, etc.
The paper explores how these developments have been perceived in capaitalist economies, science and society and how they are likely to impact the futures of democracy in Europe and the future economic system. To this end, it presents four scenarios that chart diverging pathways on how social confrontations could evolve in the next 15 years under various drivers and trends and what role they could play for democratic development in the EU. Finally, we present implications for R&I policymaking from the scenarios.
The four scenarios explore divergent possibilities and do not depict preferable futures. From our point of view, scenario 1 (“A Resilient and Consensual European Confederation”) is the most positive one of the four and it is helpful to filter the preferable developments that can be influenced by R&I policy-making. But also, the other three, less preferable scenarios (“European Democracy defending itself against totalitarian tendencies”, “The European Fortress”, “Cultural Hegemony Through Global Capitalism”) contribute to thinking through negative developments that could be contained or prevented by future policy-making.
In drawing implications for future policy we focus on the relationship between the economic system, especially research and innovation (R&I) and some root causes of current as well as future confrontations. These include inequality and the climate and environmental crises, some emerging areas of social confrontations with a strong technological character, and efforts to democratise science and technology which relate to avoiding social confrontations. These implications are presented in four parts. The first part raises the question of how R&I policy on the macro-level can have an impact toward more equity and equality. This part discusses how to apply social criteria for public R&I funds, such as human dignity, solidarity and justice, environmental sustainability, transparency and co-decision-making and their relevance for projects and companies. Further consideration is given to marginalised groups and how they could profit from social and technological innovations.
The second part is dedicated to the notion of more democratisation and participation in the process of R&I priority setting and funding and how different social groups can be involved to include broader societal perspectives in the decision-making process. This includes, for example, structures that prepare decision-making on R&I investments. New approaches to democratize the decision-making processes on how investments in R&I are taken may lead the way forward but may also contribute to more social confrontations. To such end, it might be important to include employees and other social groups in the decision-making process, so as to have a better representation of people who will be affected by the consequences in the future, e.g. the younger generation. An additional set of suggested changes involves the governance structures of decision-making processes as such: new procedures need to be learned and taught to achieve results that are acceptable for society as a whole and for social groups in particular.
How R&I policy could be geared towards the stimulation of more socio-ecological transformation is the focus of the third part, discussing the point on how to limit the footprint of R&I outcomes. The climate crisis might be a major cause of adversity and desperation in our society in the future. It could bring about more inequity, more inequality and more social confrontation. Accordingly, containing and mitigating the effects of the climate crisis needs to be the focus of socially responsible R&I policy that gives answers to the question if ecological
The fourth and final part of the policy implications looks into some future European R&I focus areas of relevance to the four scenarios, especially on artificial intelligence and technology platforms as well as on alternative forms of living. The latter one is discussing options for adapting housing to changing demands – individually as well as collectively, e.g. responding to changing lifestyles as well as the climate change paradigm. Topics for Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology include new approaches to assess the quality and reliability of information and sources as well as socially responsible products that pay tribute to our diverse populations and cultures.
The paper is the result of one of a deep dive foresight study in the project ‘European R&I Foresight and Public Engagement for Horizon Europe’ conducted by the Foresight on Demand’ consortium for the European Commission during spring of 2023. It provides input for future EU Framework Programmes and other research and innovation policy schemes.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
TitelFUTURES OF NATURAL RESOURCES 
UntertitelThe governance of natural resources on local and global levels in the future
ErscheinungsortTurku
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 14 Juni 2024
VeranstaltungFFRC : FUTURES OF NATURAL RESOURCES  - University of Turku, https://futuresconference2024.com/, Finnland
Dauer: 13 Juni 202414 Juni 2024
https://futuresconference2024.com/

Konferenz

KonferenzFFRC
Land/GebietFinnland
Stadthttps://futuresconference2024.com/
Zeitraum13/06/2414/06/24
Internetadresse

Research Field

  • Societal Futures

Fingerprint

Untersuchen Sie die Forschungsthemen von „Social Confrontations, European Democracy and the Future of Resource Governance“. Zusammen bilden sie einen einzigartigen Fingerprint.

Diese Publikation zitieren