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- Convenors:
-
Jussara Rowland
(Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa)
Ana Delicado (Instituto de Ciências Sociais ULisboa)
Clara Venâncio (Faculdade de Belas Artes, Universidade do Porto)
Send message to Convenors
- Chair:
-
Jussara Rowland
(Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa)
- Discussant:
-
Clara Venâncio
(Faculdade de Belas Artes, Universidade do Porto)
- Format:
- Combined Format Open Panel
Short Abstract:
This panel brings together researchers to explore creative methods, STS, and public engagement in science and technology. We aim to highlight innovative ways of engaging non-academic audiences and how creative methods promote active participation beyond traditional forms of involvement.
Long Abstract:
This panel aims to convene researchers to explore the intersections of creative methods, STS, and public engagement in science and technology. Our focus is on diverse perspectives that illuminate the dynamic nature of citizen inclusion in STS. We welcome papers and reflections showcasing innovative and creative methods for engaging non-academic audiences and how these intersections actively contribute to shaping new scientific and technological agendas. Additionally, we aim to examine the implications of citizen involvement and the role of creativity in mediating these interactions, including how creative techniques bridge the gap between experts and the general public, and how creative methodologies can foster active participation and engagement that extends traditional forms of involvement. Furthermore, we encourage contributions that investigate the role of creative methods in reaching and including traditionally excluded groups, such as marginalized and underrepresented communities. We also seek to explore the ethical considerations that arise when using creative methods to promote equity and inclusivity. Through a critical examination of the potentialities, power dynamics, ethical considerations, and cultural sensitivities associated with these methods, our goal is to advance our understanding of how creative methods can bridge the gap between the realms of science and the broader public. This is a combined format open panel with a strong emphasis on the role of making and doing through creative methodologies. It will accept submissions in the form of 1) Traditional academic paper presentations, 2) Contributions to a workshop on zine-making and other creative experiments for citizen engagement, and 3) Other workshops and performances that explore innovative creative methods for citizen engagement and inclusion.
Accepted contributions:
Session 1Laura Scheepmaker (Saxion University of Applied Sciences)
Short abstract:
Citizens are expected to make a significant contribution to achieve sustainability goals, others experience energy poverty. I explore how creative and inclusive participatory citizen activities can empower citizens to share their perspectives with their municipalities and support them saving energy.
Long abstract:
During the panel I would like to share my experiences from my research project Sustainable Neighborhoods (in the Netherlands) in which we develop creative and inclusive participatory methods to engage citizens in energy transition discussions. Through inclusive research and participatory activities and technology, we support less engaged and vulnerable residents in adopting sustainability behavior and implementing sustainability measures. Next to citizen activities, we co-design technical inventions (i.e. an easy-in-use and entertaining energy-feedback monitor). I am particularly interested to share and explore other creative ideas to support inclusive citizen engagement and how those methods can be applied in a multi-stakeholder context.
Examples of our citizen activities:
1.Wishing tree and free fries on the street:
The wish tree was deployed to stimulate discussion among residents about their dreams and visions for a sustainable future. We asked children to draw ideas a more climate adaptive (and fun!) neighborhood and put them on a washing line. We rented a French fries car and gave away free fries as a conversation starter and attention-grabber, while talking with adults about their experiences with energy-saving measures for their homes.
2. Emotion networking:
To explore the emotions of citizens in relation to a heating grid in their neighborhood and their feelings towards the municipality, we organized an emotion network workshop with citizens and representatives of the involved organizations and municipality. Citizens were asked to (re)place playing pieces on a fabric, showing a range of emotions from mild to strong and positive to negative while talking to the representatives.
Kayla Schulte (Imperial College London) Echo Wan (Imperial College London) Andrew Grieve (Imperial College London)
Short abstract:
This paper introduces the Awair project creative co-design workshops, where design artefacts served as boundary objects to integrate diverse perspectives, enabling local neighbourhoods to create community-led air quality displays in London, challenging traditional environmental infrastructure design
Long abstract:
Environmental research increasingly acknowledges the importance of participatory approaches in engaging non-academic audiences and fostering inclusivity in scientific agendas. However, these approaches often lack reflexivity, failing to address knowledge hierarchies and bridge gaps between experts and publics. This paper presents an empirical case study where creative modalities were leveraged to dismantle knowledge hierarchies and co-create a series of novel, reproducible, solar-powered outdoor air quality displays for communicating local air quality conditions. Throughout four participatory design workshops, the Awair project brought together community members, artists, researchers, and the more-than-human (MTH) socio-technological dimensions of air quality governance in London, UK. Workshops were hosted in areas experiencing intersecting inequities, including high air pollution levels, poor health, and high digital inequality. Presented with a selection of materials and invited to play boldly, participants were encouraged to envision how air pollution could be materialised and communicated cogently and impactfully in their neighbourhoods.
We found that artistic media served as “boundary objects” or a sticky surface for materialising imaginaries emerging across the collaborative space. Encouraging “nonarrogant collaboration with all those in the muddle” around the Awair devices problematised traditional approaches towards erecting public environmental informational infrastructures (Haraway, 2017). That is, who and what knowledges are involved in determining the design, aesthetic, content, and location of urban infrastructures? How is the consent of residents assumed and what are the ethics surrounding this? Through these questions, this paper reflects on the potential for creative modalities to collapse knowledge hierarchies and bridge gaps between traditional technoscientific actors and publics.
Sarah Lugthart (Centre of Applied Research for Art, Design and Technology) Nina Kramer (Avans University of Applied Sciences)
Long abstract:
“The doors of the Mapping Center slide open and I am greeted by McCass, our ever-friendly Mapping Center Computer Assistant. I follow it to the central mapping room, which holds a huge-scale representation of the city of New Canterbury, a combination of 3D-printed buildings, parks, and landscapes, layered with AR representations of data. I ask McCass to show me how the city is feeling today, are we happy?”
The above excerpt is part of the story of Morvyn, a fictional city consultant living in the year 2070, and one of the many citizens of New Canterbury. These citizens are all part of the New Canterbury Project, which focuses on the use of immersive storytelling to facilitate shared visions of future cities.
As a society we will have to deal with a number of complex challenges. But how will these challenges translate to our daily lives? By using immersive storytelling methods, participants can embody different roles and explore what the future mundane could be like. One of these immersive design methods is the Grand Hearing: by playing the role of one of the citizens of New Canterbury, participants can explore together how to respond to issues raised within the community. Themes of past sessions have for example been: ‘End of live: Who Decides?’ and ‘The Voice of Nature’.
Format: 1. Grand Hearing (60-120 min, max. 7 role-players excl audience), or 2. Presentation about NCT project and why we focus on a imaginary city in 2070 (20 min).
Funded by ClickNL: https://www.clicknl.nl/en/case/new-canterbury-tales/
Josina Kist (Erasmus MC) Michelle Kasprzak (Hogeschool Rotterdam) Wendy Geuverink (Amsterdam UMC) Diewertje Houtman Sam Riedijk (Erasmus Medical Centre) Martina Cornel Lidewij Henneman
Long abstract:
Human Germline Gene Editing (HGGE), the altering of genetic information in human germ cells, has been made possible with the advent of CRISPR-cas9 systems. This technology has significant societal implications and therefore necessitates careful consideration of its desirability through societal engagement beyond scientific circles. In the Netherlands, The DNA-Dialogues employ the creative method of confrontational theater in collaboration with Stichting Confro to engage diverse audiences, including underrepresented groups, in dialogue. Stichting Confro specializes in theater on controversial topics, encouraging greater engagement with their audience through trust-building. This study evaluates the effectiveness of this approach in eliciting successful dialogue and exploring ethical norms surrounding HGGE. The first twelve dialogues were conducted in different settings within Rotterdam, including schools and community centers. We assessed dialogue success depending on pre-defined conditions and analyzed recorded dialogues thematically to identify emerging ethical themes. Preliminary results show the success of confrontational theater as it promotes a safe space for fruitful discussion. Still, it requires a lengthy build-up, and information provided on HGGE and consequently topic of the dialogue varied depending on the dialogue-facilitators. We identified diverse medical ethical themes (e.g. autonomy, non-maleficence), influenced by participants’ background (including education, religion, disability). This study shows that confrontational theater is a promising tool for public engagement on controversial topics yet may still benefit from methodological fine-tuning, with specific attention to the delicate balance between the creative ownership of the maker and goals of the researcher. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in shaping policy decisions regarding HGGE.
Wen-Ling Hong (National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology) Jr-Ping Wang (National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology)
Long abstract:
The 2020 Taipei Biennial themed "You and I Don't Live on the Same Planet" set up "New Diplomatic Encounters" public workshops, curated by Eva Lin with Bruno Latour and Martin Guinard. Taiwan STS Association teamed up and provided five Negotiation Theater programs for technoscience-laden cases. STS scholars derived from their research, teaching experience, and public services to implement programs about offshore wind power, climate footprint, reproduction, plasticizer scandal, and nuclear waste. The preparation and final "performance" were carefully integrated with related courses from 5 universities for the Fall term of 2020, and more than 120 students were human and non-human "actors" and "negotiators." More than 700 exhibition visitors and real-life roles mingled with the "actors," where they spoke up their opinions, raised questions, and voted to steer the direction of the theaters. The Negotiation Theater originated as "A political, diplomatic, scientific, pedagogical and artistic experiment" at Nanterre-Amandiers in May 2015, before COP21 in Paris. Bruno Latour initiated the event, and Philippe Quesne implemented it with SPEAP. The Taiwan version involved students from a broader range of disciplines and incorporated longer preparation processes, shorter performances, diverse simulated "events," and more format of audience involvement. A documentary (on YouTube subtitled in English) and a book (in Mandarin) are available detailing the process of the initialization and agenda setting of the projects, preparation of coursework, challenges, and shortcomings of the curation. The work has inspired similar productions in middle school classrooms to college and civil groups.
Ana Delicado (Instituto de Ciências Sociais ULisboa) Jussara Rowland (Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa) Clara Venâncio (Faculdade de Belas Artes, Universidade do Porto)
Long abstract:
Societal Engagements with the Internet of Things was a research project, funded by Portuguese agency FCT, which aimed to examine the socio-technical imaginaries of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the practices of using these objects (from robot hoovers to smart watches, from voice assistants to home automation) in a domestic context.
A typical STS project, somewhat distant from the interests and concerns of non-specialised audiences, but at the same time visually and textually rich (the materiality of objects, the experiences of everyday life), it lent itself to going beyond the usual scientific articles and academic publications. Several products were developed to disseminate the results to non-academic audiences: an animated video, a leaflet and a zine.
This presentation will focus on the process of creating the zine, in collaboration between researchers and a graphic artist. Science dissemination zines are inspired by the craft publications popular throughout the 20th century. Combining different types of content (texts, collages, poetry, photographs, drawings), they are often based on art/science collaborations and/or co-created with the public. Being handmade, production costs are low and they are made to be easily circulated, either digitally or in low-cost prints. Zines have been being made by both science communicators (e.g. C. Liu’s zines on neuroscience) and by STS scholars (A. Pasek’s zine on data centres, E, Dawson’s zine on science communication for excluded audiences). We will discuss how a zine can engage the public with the unfamiliar results of an STS research on a familiar digital technology.