Short abstract:

We explore the possibilities of STS observatories for remaking participation and democracy, through developing a framework for this new kind of observatory and reflecting on its application in work to establish a public engagement observatory for energy and climate change.

Long abstract:

Observatories have a long history in relations between science, participation and society. While observatories have traditionally studied natural phenomena, they have increasingly turned to focus on social things and developed across the social sciences and science and technology studies (STS). In this paper we explore the possible contributions of STS-related observatories in remaking participation and democracy. Building on paths for remaking participation, we present a framework for a new kind of observatory that takes a co-productionist approach to studying and intervening in public participation and sociotechnical transformations based on four interrelating components: (i) mapping ecologies of participation; (ii) experiments in participation; (iii) reflexive learning and anticipation; and (iv) responsiveness. We reflect on the application of this framework in work to establish a public engagement observatory for energy and climate change in the UK and its translation into other areas such as AI and biodiversity. We show how such formations cultivate more systemic and distributed approaches to participation and responsible innovation. We draw lessons and consider prospects for STS-related observatories in remaking participation and democracy, emphasising the need for more public, distributed and experimental formations that work with, in and for - not on or above - science, democracy and society.