Parallel session from the WP3 AFINO research school – Anne Bremer

AFINO workshop, Selbu, 18th October, 15:45 – 16:50.

This parallel session is designed as a space to reflect on the difficult alignment of intentions and actual outcomes in research, and its implications for RRI.
For various reasons, from the complex and uncertain nature of the issues we are dealing with, to the changing expectations and requirements from research institutions, and the complicated navigation between our different roles, identities, and interests, there is often a gap between our initial intentions for our research or practice, and the actual outcomes of it.

This gap has important implications for RRI research and practice, that demands altogether reflexivity and transparency about the research processes, timely inclusion of relevant publics and voices, responsiveness relative to the different social and institutional expectations, and anticipation relative to potential (emergent) outcomes.

In this parallel session, we will discuss implications that this gap between intentions and outcomes has for our everyday RRI research and practice.
These might include navigating tensions within ourselves, between our ideals of emancipatory, creative, caring RRI research and the injunctions for excellence, competition, and control for instance. Or indeed wider structural concerns about the system and institutions of scientific research; from over-promising in research proposals, to tendencies toward only publishing positive results, and growing pressure on scientists to demonstrate impact in complex, messy and uncontrollable social contexts.

This session will start with some brief reflections from different standpoints in the scientific system, before inviting discussion among all participants about their own experience with the gap between intentions and outcomes, and what it means for them.

Everyone welcome!