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Comparing regulatory processes in genome editing and autonomous vehicles: How institutional environments shape sociotechnical imaginaries

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  • Meghna Mukherjee
  • Konrad Posch
  • Santiago J. Molina
  • Ken Taymor
  • Ann Keller

Abstract

This study compares the regulation of two emerging technologies, the CRISPR genome‐editing system and Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) in the United States. The study draws on 33 in‐depth interviews with innovation and governance experts to study the relationship between their regulatory environments and developing beliefs about these technologies. Using sociotechnical imaginaries as a framework, we explore how social actors envision technologically driven futures and the social order that enables them. These imaginaries are essential to emerging technologies, where experts build a framework of potentialities for innovation still underway. While scholarship has documented how sociotechnical imaginaries arise among policymakers, groups of scientists, state and local stakeholders, and public actors in different countries, less has been said about how regulatory organizations and their actors shape expectations around technologies that are in the early and middle stages of development. This article finds that regulatory institutions shape emerging imaginaries along three related axes: the distribution of authority, technological novelty, and risk. Interviewees negotiate these three contingencies differently based on relevant extant regulatory structures and ideologies, resulting in distinct imaginaries around each technology. CRISPR actors envision genome editing as largely diminishing biomedical harm and eventually suitable for health markets, while CAV actors diverge on whether self‐driving cars alleviate or exacerbate risk and how they may enter roads. That organizational structures and practices of regulation inform broadly held sociotechnical imaginaries bears significance for studies of innovation trajectories, suggesting regulators can take an active role in shaping how risks and benefits of emerging technology are defined. Este estudio compara la regulación de dos tecnologías emergentes, el sistema de edición del genoma CRISPR y los vehículos autónomos y conectados (CAV) en los Estados Unidos. El estudio se basa en 33 entrevistas en profundidad con expertos en innovación y gobernanza para estudiar la relación entre sus entornos regulatorios y el desarrollo de creencias sobre estas tecnologías. Utilizando imaginarios sociotécnicos como marco, exploramos cómo los actores sociales imaginan futuros impulsados por la tecnología y el orden social que los posibilita. Estos imaginarios son fundamentales para las tecnologías emergentes, donde los expertos construyen un marco de potencialidades para la innovación aún en marcha. Si bien los estudios han documentado cómo surgen los imaginarios sociotécnicos entre los encargados de formular políticas, los grupos de científicos, las partes interesadas estatales y locales y los actores públicos en diferentes países, se ha dicho menos sobre cómo las organizaciones reguladoras y sus actores dan forma a las expectativas en torno a las tecnologías que se encuentran en etapas tempranas y medias. de desarrollo. Este artículo encuentra que las instituciones reguladoras dan forma a los imaginarios emergentes a lo largo de tres ejes relacionados: la distribución de la autoridad, la novedad tecnológica y el riesgo. Los entrevistados negocian estas tres contingencias de manera diferente en función de las estructuras e ideologías regulatorias existentes relevantes, lo que da como resultado imaginarios distintos en torno a cada tecnología. Los actores de CRISPR visualizan la edición del genoma como una disminución en gran medida del daño biomédico y eventualmente adecuada para los mercados de la salud, mientras que los actores de CAV divergen sobre si los automóviles autónomos alivian o exacerban el riesgo y cómo pueden ingresar a las carreteras. Que las estructuras organizacionales y las prácticas de regulación informen imaginarios sociotécnicos ampliamente aceptados tiene importancia para los estudios de trayectorias de innovación, lo que sugiere que los reguladores pueden desempeñar un papel activo en la definición de cómo se definen los riesgos y beneficios de la tecnología emergente. 本研究比较了美国CRISPR基因组编辑系统和网联自动驾驶车辆(CAV)这两种新兴技术的监管。本研究对33位创新和治理专家进行了深度访谈,以研究其监管环境与“形成对这些技术的信念”之间的关系。通过将社会技术想象作为框架,我们探究了社会行动者如何设想技术驱动的未来以及使其成为可能的社会秩序。这些想象对于新兴技术而言至关重要,其中专家为“仍在进行的创新”构建一个潜力框架。尽管现有研究记录了社会技术想象如何出现在不同国家的决策者、科学家团体、州和地方利益攸关方以及公共行动者之间,但很少有研究聚焦于监管机构及其行动者如何影响关于技术的期望,这些技术正处于早期和中期开发阶段。本文发现,监管机构沿着三条相关轴塑造新兴的想象,这三条轴分别是:权力分配、技术新颖性和风险。受访者根据相关的现存监管结构和意识形态,以不同方式协商这三种可能发生的事件,从而导致关于每种技术的独特想象。CRISPR行动者设想基因组编辑能在很大程度上减少生物医学危害并最终适用于健康市场,而CAV行动者就自动驾驶汽车是减轻还是加剧风险以及它们如何进入道路一事存在分歧。监管的组织结构和实践为广泛持有的社会技术想象提供了信息,这对创新轨迹研究具有意义,同时表明监管机构能积极影响新兴技术的风险和收益的定义方式。.

Suggested Citation

  • Meghna Mukherjee & Konrad Posch & Santiago J. Molina & Ken Taymor & Ann Keller, 2023. "Comparing regulatory processes in genome editing and autonomous vehicles: How institutional environments shape sociotechnical imaginaries," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(3), pages 433-457, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:revpol:v:40:y:2023:i:3:p:433-457
    DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12532
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nils C. Bandelow & Johanna Hornung & Ilana Schröder, 2023. "Institutional environments and innovation in digital policy," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(3), pages 338-340, May.

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