Experiments in interdisciplinarity: Responsible research and innovation and the public good

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003921
• Publication Date: 2018-03-26T13:24:59Z
• Authors: Ana Delgado; Heidrun Åm
• Keywords: Technology; QH301-705.5; 9. Industry and infrastructure; Research; Science; Interdisciplinary Research; 05 social sciences; Social Sciences; 06 humanities and the arts; 0603 philosophy, ethics and religion; 3. Good health; Humanities; Perspective; Biology (General); 0509 other social sciences

In Europe, responsible research and innovation (RRI) has emerged as a science policy measure that demands the early integration of a broad range of social actors and perspectives into research and development (R&D). More collaboration of the social sciences and humanities (SSH) with science and engineering appears within this policy framework as a crucial element that will enable better technological development. However, RRI is new to both natural scientists and SSH scholars, and interdisciplinary collaborations are challenging for many reasons. In this paper, we discuss these challenges while suggesting that what RRI can be in a particular project is not a given but remains an empirical question. Natural scientists and SSH scholars need to coresearch RRI in an experimental mode.