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Contested Visions for Transformation—The Visions of the Green New Deal and the Politics of Technology Assessment, Responsible Research and Innovation, and Sustainability Research

Author

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  • Christoph Schneider

    (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Niko Wilke

    (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Andreas Lösch

    (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany)

Abstract

Societal transformations are contested. The goals and visions of transformations, as well as the means and strategies to achieve them, are born in political conflict and power constellations. Which transformations are seen as desirable and possible by democratic majorities changes throughout history. This is the political reality where research for transformations finds itself. Technology assessment (TA), responsible research and innovation (RRI), and sustainability research (SR) are a part of such contestations. They engage in envisioning, debating, analyzing, and evaluating different visions of and options for the future. In this article we turn to visions of the future as a key aspect of societal contestation and the shaping of interfaces between research for transformations and society. Based on the approach of vision assessment developed in TA, we situate TA, RRI, and SR within visions of research and social order. We argue that in these politicized times it is increasingly necessary to understand how research relates to larger visions of society and the contested nature of transformations. We turn to one of the major contemporary visions for societal transformation: The Green New Deal (GND). This vision imagines a large-scale transformation of society and the economy towards sustainability and justice and is currently debated in major political institutions and social movements. It presents an ongoing case of the “making of the future”, which is highly relevant for TA, RRI, and SR. We show how this vision is creating new knowledge and social arrangements and how it is opening up new possibilities for transformational research. The article discusses the implications that a possible further impact of GND visions in politics may have for TA, RRI, and SR, and, relatedly, how expertise and insights from TA, RRI, and SR could significantly add to the GND debate.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Schneider & Niko Wilke & Andreas Lösch, 2022. "Contested Visions for Transformation—The Visions of the Green New Deal and the Politics of Technology Assessment, Responsible Research and Innovation, and Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1505-:d:736247
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mario Pianta & Matteo Lucchese, 2020. "Rethinking the European Green Deal," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 52(4), pages 633-641, December.
    2. Max Ajl, 2021. "A People’s Green New Deal: Obstacles and Prospects," Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy, Centre for Agrarian Research and Education for South, vol. 10(2), pages 371-390, August.
    3. Mastini, Riccardo & Kallis, Giorgos & Hickel, Jason, 2021. "A Green New Deal without growth?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
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