 Evolving science, technology and innovation policies in Belgium: a comparative studyCharlier, Nathan  Conference (2013, April) Science, technology and innovation (STI) policies have gone through deep changes since the early 80’s. Multiple scholars have shown that there are new forms of links, or a renewed “contract” between ... [more ▼] Science, technology and innovation (STI) policies have gone through deep changes since the early 80’s. Multiple scholars have shown that there are new forms of links, or a renewed “contract” between science, as an institution, and the society: effects of neoliberalism, public controversies or technology assessment (TA) practices are some common features of this transformation. Innovation is pushed forward by policymakers as a crucial tool for economic growth and competitiveness of political entities. In other words, there is a new regime of STI governance. As a PhD student, I investigate the policies of science and innovation in Belgium. Since the regionalization of these competences in the 1980’s, the STI regimes have evolved separately in Flanders and Wallonia. The goal of my research is to depict and compare how constitutive elements of the regimes such as discourses, tools, institutions, networks, etc. have changed in the two Regions. Adopting a cognitive approach in policy analysis, I focus on the imaginaries or master narratives that shape programs and individuals at different policy levels. These levels range from the “micro” (individual interactions in the institutions) to the “macro” (the EU and OECD), the “meso” level being the core of the research question (regional programs and institutions). I seek to point out the local enactment of ideas such as “regional competitiveness”, “innovation-led growth”, “clustering” and its impact on STI regime. The research relies on document analysis, participant observation, and in depth semi-structured interviews designed as life stories of key STI informants. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 8 (1 ULg)Mapping the interplay of policy paradigms and technology assessment in Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium)Van Oudheusden, Michiel ; Charlier, Nathan ; Rosskamp, Benedikt et alConference (2013, March 13) This paper empirically assesses how science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies in the regions of Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium) are affected by, and possibly transformed through, technology ... [more ▼] This paper empirically assesses how science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies in the regions of Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium) are affected by, and possibly transformed through, technology assessment (TA). Broadly defined, TA encompasses activities and programs that seek to expand and deepen the knowledge base of contemporary knowledge-based economies (KBEs), typically by including new actors (e.g. trade unions), ideas (e.g. science in society), and rationales (e.g. participatory techniques) in STI processes. The paper thus seeks to render concrete how TA ideas and programs unfold with, and potentially steer, new articulations of knowledge, which are imperative to present-day STI processes. Drawing on TA case studies in the two regions, the paper illustrates how TA takes on various shapes and forms, including that of mediating instrument, policy-oriented decision-making tool linked to Parliament, and experimental-deliberative mechanism. It is argued that while these TA forms engender new kinds of knowledge and knowledge production, the extent to which TA discourses and practices are effectively taken up in STI is contingent upon how TA taps into, and aligns itself with, global and regional dynamics. The former comprise the convergence of technology research and innovation around the KBE and the advent of strategic science, with its emphasis on real-world problem solving (relevance) and basic research (excellence); the latter entail constitutional reforms that spurred the regionalization of STI policy in Belgium. Our analysis brings a macro-sociological and political sensitivity to bear on TA. Rather than conceiving of TA as a mere management tool or governance technique, we suggest that TA processes enact, as well as counteract, dominant innovation policies. How TA positions itself or is positioned in relation to these policies, is particularly relevant to consider in view of the Flemish Government’s recent decision to abolish its parliamentary TA institute and the Walloon Government’s intention of erecting one. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 14 (6 ULg)La mise en place du management de la qualité à l’Université de Liège : étude de cas. Quand la médiation entre les acteurs de l’université prend le pas sur les recommandations expertesCharlier, Nathan ; Vangeebergen, Thomas Conference (2012, June) Detailed reference viewed: 15 (7 ULg) Can you Turn Tomorrow Regionalist if you were Yesterday Federalist? A Qualitative Assessment of Federal Preferences' Changes in Francophone BelgiumReuchamps, Min ; Charlier, Nathan Conference (2011, August) Detailed reference viewed: 16 (1 ULg) |
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