Reflections of a Participant-Observer The Technocratic/Democratic Contradiction In the Practice of Technology Assessment

摘要

The concept of technology assessment arose in the United States in the early 1970s in conjunction with other social movements of the era that era that promoted increased democracy and the application of a wider set of values to public decision making. However, citizen participation in the policy process concerning new technologies has been resisted by some government institutions. The actual practice at the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) did not demonstrate very much involvement by citizen organizations; corporate and technocratic interests appeared to be dominant.