Paper short abstract:

How can technology and society be aligned? For over a half century, technology assessment (TA) has aimed to provide answers - and perhaps more importantly - facilitate action. However, the journey is far from finished. Reflection and evolution are needed to ensure TA can effectively contribute.

Paper long abstract:

The question how technology and society can be aligned, has been a topic for policy-makers and (STS) scholars for over half a century. Technology assessment (TA) was put forward to contribute to better alignment. Ever since the installment of the Office of Technology Assessment in the United States in 1972, the practice of TA has been institutionalized in many parts of the world. In the face of emerging (policy) problems, technological developments and scholarly insights, understandings of the role TA in fostering the alignment between technology and society have changed. Important reorientations include: which actors should be included or addressed, what types of issues should be considered, and when should interventions take place? Such reorientations expanded the plethora of TA-inspired interventions in a nested way, building on each other, rather than competing with or replacing existing modes. Accordingly, a wide variety of TA-inspired interventions are practiced at this day in time, which collectively may contribute to a 'technology governance ecosystem'.

However, the quest towards alignment of technology and society is far from completed. Accordingly, it is crucial to reflect on the desired evolution of TA - and ultimately an effective technology governance ecosystem. Learning from the historical development of TA is pivotal in this regard. This contribution presents Kingdon’s multiple streams framework (MSF) as a valuable framework to facilitate such learning. Drawing from experience in the Dutch TA context, this contribution aims to discuss the conceptual and historical development of TA, by applying the MSF to TA in the Netherlands.