Technology assessment in science and engineering: theory, policy and practice of integration research

Calls for ‘integration’ in policy, funding, and technoscientific practice have been accompanied by an academic debate about the possibility to integrate socio-ethical considerations into science and engineering. Some humanities scholars and social scientists tasked with achieving integration across socio-technical divides argue that it is impossible due to power asymmetries, epistemological and cultural differences, and other obstacles. In light of uncritical and critical emphases on integration, this chapter reviews its theory, policy, and practice histories. To exemplify interrelations between these histories, Socio-Technical Integration Research (STIR) is presented as a practical approach to Technology Assessment. STIR is situated in the literature and history of integration to clarify its theoretical underpinnings, carve out its methodological features, and elaborate on its achievements, challenges, and perspectives. The chapter concludes by suggesting that pronouncements on the success or failure of socio-technical integration must be contextualised within a broader cultural change unfolding in science, engineering, and society.