DEWISS – Delphi-Verfahren in den Gesundheits- und Sozialwissenschaften. Konzept, methodologische Fundierung und Güte

This research network addresses epistemological and methodological issues of the Delphi procedure and develops guidelines for the procedure’s use and reporting. The network comprises more than twenty scholarly members from various disciplines and pursues four objectives:

1. To establish a network among scientists and researchers from different disciplines who share an interest in the Delphi method;
2. To allow for an erudite exchange on theoretical, methodological, philosophical, and technical considerations related to Delphi;
3. To carry out methodological tests and surveys to improve the methodological foundations of Delphi procedures; and
4. To develop guidelines that establish a consensual standard on how to carry out and report on Delphi studies in an international context.

This research network is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

Duration: November 2020 to October 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Mag. Dr. phil. Christian Dayé

For more information, see https://delphi.ph-sg.de/

The sociology of sociological knowledge

How can sociological knowledge be analyzed using sociological tools and models and what social processes and practices constitute sociological knowledge production? These questions have been addressed repeatedly by diverse sociological approaches. However, such debates were often discontinued, they remained insulated or were unrelated to more common issues in academic sociology. To integrate and to further develop sociological approaches to sociological knowledge, this research network focuses on five interrelated topics:

1. Prospects and problems of transferring models of science and technology studies (STS) into the study of sociological knowledge;
2. structures and processes of paradigm shifts in sociology;
3. sociological analysis of sociological methods and methods for analyzing sociological knowledge;
4. structure and transformation of academic and non-academic publics of sociological knowledge; and
5. changes and continuities in the disciplinary identity of sociology.

This research network is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

Duration: May 2017 to April 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Mag. Dr. phil. Christian Dayé

For more information, see http://sociologyofsociology.com/

ON-MERRIT – Observing and Negating Matthew Effects in Responsible Research and Innovation Transition

Equity is a key aim of Open Science, but Open Science for the few is just the extension of privilege. Open Science needs resources (funding, time, knowledge, skills), and institutions/individuals traditionally advantaged usually have more of them. This dynamic of cumulative advantage, known as the Matthew effect, has first been described in the 1960s by the sociologist Robert K. Merton. Responsible Research and Innovation, and in particular Open Science, promise a more equitable scientific system whose outputs are more accessible and understandable to the public at large. One concern associated with RRI is that instead of contributing towards equity, responsible research practices might actually worsen existing inequalities.

The project ON-MERRIT investigates the impact of open science practices in academia, industry, and policy with a particular focus on institutions and individuals working in the areas of agriculture, climate and health (key pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Goals). A multidisciplinary team of sociologists, computer scientists, information scientists, cognitive scientists, etc. uses a combination of qualitative and computational methods, complemented by stakeholder engagement and co-creation in order to examine the advantages and disadvantages in responsible and open research practices. ON-MERRIT aims at eventually suggesting a set of evidence-based recommendations for science policies, indicators and incentives, which could address and mitigate Matthew effects.

The use of publicly available scientific outputs by policymakers has been claimed to be one of the benefits of Open Science. However, there is yet little empirical evidence as to the impact of OS practices on research uptake by policymakers. In fact, the relationship between evidence and policy is frequently described as a “gap”, highlighting the difficulties that prohibit the use of scientific evidence in policy making. How can OS impact on policies, then, if policy makers do not make sufficient use of scientific outputs as it is? Based on a comprehensive review of existing literature, Work Package 5 of ON-MERRIT, led by the STS Unit, uses surveys, focus groups and workshops to study possible Matthew effects in policy advice, e.g. whose voices are heard respectively excluded, and for what reasons. The Work Package 5 addresses this question by systematically summarizing the evidence to date on how policy makers use scholarly resources with a special focus on open research practices.

Duration: October 2019-March 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Assoz. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wieser

For more information, please visit https://on-merrit.eu/

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are routinely assessed by national and EU Competent Authorities (CAs) for their environmental and health risks before market authorisation. The aim of this project is to develop an assessment approach with a broader perspective that could - on a case-by-case basis - complement the statutory health and environmental risk assessment and be employed in CA contexts. To this end, technology assessment and socioeconomic impact assessment approaches of GMOs will be examined for potentially useful assessment approaches as well as for criteria.

Project Manager at the Organizational Unit: Dr. phil. Armin Spök
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Funding sources

• Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn

External Partners

• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
• GenØk – Centre for Biosafety, Tromsö

Start: 16.12.2019
End: 31.10.2021