Xenotransplantation policy and participatory technology assessment in Switzerland

from the Table of Contents: Introduction; The Swiss Xenotransplantation Debate; Technology Assessment; PubliForum; Social Practices; Conclusions; Annexes

Participatory technology assessment of xenotransplantation: experimenting with the Neo-Socratic Dialogue ; Austrian experiences

Like many developments in modern science and technology (Bonß 1995) xeno- or animal to human transplantation involves enormous potentials as well as high risks and serious ethical problems (e.g. OECD 1997, Hüsing 1998 et al. Schicktanz 2002). Such ethical problems are a major challenge to political decision-making mechanisms: how can they be appropriately and legitimately discussed and resolved? Are the usual democratic institutions adequate and is it sufficient to include only (bioethics)-experts in decision-making? Or do we need broader debates on ethics, involving also other actors as well as civil society. However, if a broad public discussion is necessary, how can we debate and resolve these questions, and which decision-making procedures can we use? This article presents first results of the Austrian part of an ongoing EU research project, which experiments with the Neo-Socratic Dialogue, (in the following NSD), a method for resolving ethical questions primarily used in teaching and consultancy, as a means of discussing ethical problems of xenotransplantation with the respective stakeholders. In this discussion paper we will first sketch several ethical problems of xenotransplantation. Drawing on Marteen Hajer (2003), we will then distinguish several aspects of "institutional void" in the Austrian xenotransplantation "debate". In the next part we will outline the concept of NSD and we will describe the Austrian experiment to discuss ethical problems of xenotransplantation using the instrument of NSD. In the subsequent part we will present first evaluation results of this experiment and in the last part we will draw preliminary conclusions from our experiment

Social sustainability: a catchword between political pragmatism and social theory

The sustainability concepts of the 'Brundtland-Report' and the 'Rio documents' call for a combination of ecological, economic, social and institutional aspects of social development. This paper describes briefly several models of sustainability and discusses social sustainability as conceptualised in selected sustainability indicators. In an attempt to remedy the lack of sociological theory, the paper proposes a sustainability concept, which is based on the concepts of needs and work, as an activity to fulfil these needs and as the principal exchange process between society and nature. Moreover, this paper argues to recognize social sustainability as both a normative and analytical concept as well

Entwicklung des österreichischen Gentechnikgesetzes: Policy-Analyse im Hinblick auf die Genanalyse am Menschen und genetische Beratung

Abstract: This study shall contribute to a better understanding of the development and implementation of the Gene Technology Act 1994 (GTA) and its reform in 2005. The paper focuses on the regulation of genetic counselling in postnatal predictive genetic diagnostics on humans. Research addresses the following questions: In which way does the GTA regulate genetic diagnostics of humans, in particular with regards to genetic counselling? How did relevant actors in the early 1990s negotiate and regulate genetic diagnostics? Which actors were relevant in this respect? Which political processes led to the GTA? After discussing data and sources used in the analysis, the paper presents the relevant regulations of the GTG and sketches the typical process of Austrian law development. Moreover different stages and processes in the development of the GTA are described (informal and formal consultation of the draft bill by privileged stakeholders, parliamentary enquete commission, governmental bill, parliamentary commission and sub-commission and plenum of the National Assembly).

D9.10. Final List of RRI Publications (scientific)

Deliverable D9.10. provides information about the efforts taken by the NewHoRRIzon consortium to disseminate project results in publications and presentations to different audiences in various settings (conferences, workshops, etc.)

From a “half full or half empty glass” to “definitely a success”. Explorative comparison of impacts of climate assemblies in Ireland, France, Germany and Scotland

In recent years many countries, including Austria, have commissioned citizen assemblies in response to the complex issue of climate change. Based on an explorative qualitative study, this paper examines the impact of climate assemblies on policy making and looks at elements that further or impede their impact. In addition, the paper identifies several other impacts of climate assemblies such as those on deliberative democracy and quality of discourse around contentious topics. The paper compares climate assemblies in France, Germany, Ireland and Scotland