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SOCTEC 2 REVIEWER - MODULES 2 - 4
Module 2
TOPIC/THEME: Science, technology and the human person and communities: impacts of
science and technology to the human personhood, social institutions and practices and power
relationsKEY CONCEPT POINTS FOR UNDERSTANDING:
Power and power relations in societyo Power could be defined as the capacity to do something. A person has power when s/he can
achieve something, and that something could either be bad or good, right or wrong. All persons
have potential power, in that all have the capacity to do/achieve something.o A person can convert potential power into actual power, and this is a function of the context
within which such person exists.
o Such context could be characterized by variables within which the person is differentiated andacquires his/her identity. Some of these variables are those in which the person is born into
(ascribe), and others are those in which the person become through social processes of learning
and achieving (acquired). These variables influence peoples capacity to convert potential power
into actual power, and become basis for the emergence of power differentials.
o Class, gender and ethnicity/race are some of these variables. Rich people have more power thanthe poor; men may posses more power than women; and dominant racial/ethnic groups mayposses more power than those who are in the minority.
o People are born to become part of a community and a larger society. Groups exist within thesecommunities and societies. Each group possesses a set of characteristics and interests which are
common to each member, but are distinct from other groups. Like individuals, a particular group
also possesses power, which is expressed as its capacity to do something. Such power emanates
from the nature of its members.
o Individuals and groups in a community or society interact with each other through a complex andintricate web of social ad power relations. Here, it is always possible that conflict emerge since
common grounds are contested. These could come in the form of conflicts emanating from
certain forms of entitlements over which individuals and groups competesuch asaccess to
benefits, resources, and privileges. In such situation, some individuals and groups eventually
become winners and some become losers. However, the situation may not always be a zero
sum condition wherein conflict producers only winners and losers. Other individuals and
groups may not even be directly involved in the conflict, while others could become free riders,
or become passive spectators waiting for collateral benefits that may accrue them.
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Approaches to the Analysis ofPowero Reputational Approach in assessing who has power in a communitybasing assessment on the
reputation of the group, as perceived
This is a helpful tool, but there is a limitation in the sense that what you perceive to bethe reputation of the group may simply be just a faade.
Real power may not be actually possessed by such a group in terms of their actual abilityto achieve certain goals.
Reputation could be an externally projected image that may evoke power, but may notnecessarily be a reliable determinant of who has actual capacity and influence.
o Decisional ApproachIn a situation when different groups and individuals interact, there is always the possibility
that common grounds are being contested.
These usually come in the form of entitlements to which individuals and groups competeaccess to benefits and resources, access to privilege.
Conflict may eventually ensue.yIn this context, power is analyzed as manifested in relations between A and B vis-
-vis a conflicting situation emanating from competition over entitlements.
yPower in this approach is analyzed vis--vis actors with different preferences.yUnlike the reputational approach, the identification of those who have power can
be done by analyzing the conflicts that emerge, the parties involved, and the
outcome of such conflict.
Distribution ofPoweroPluralistwhen power is relatively dispersed within the community or social collectiveoElitistwhen power is relatively concentrated to a few elite groups within the community or social
collective
Dimensions of powero First Dimension
The most visible manifestation of power occurs when A is able to make B do things thatB would not otherwise do. Robert Dahl defined power in this way, wherein the focus is
on the outcome of overt conflicts, seen in the winners and losers, and the ability of one
to influence the outcomes.
The assumption in this dimension of power is that overt conflict is resolved through adecision making process.
o Second Dimension Another dimension of power is seen in situations when A is capable of influencing the
process in a manner wherein conflict may not even exist. This is attained by creating or
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reinforcing social and political values and institutional practices which limit the scope of
contested issues to those which are safe to As interests. This effectively prevents B
from contesting the claim of A to such entitlement.
In this dimension of power, A mobilizes structural biases to confine the decision makingprocess to issues in which A holds an advantage, or are advantageous to his/herinterests. In this context, B is still aware of his/her interests contrary to As, but is
prevented from articulating it, or is denied a forum to express it, thereby shutting it out
from the decision making process.
In both the first and second dimensions of power, conflict still exists. However, in thefirst dimension, conflict is overt and evident, while in the second, it is covert considering
the fact that despite its existence, it is prevented from entering the public agenda for
decision-making.
o Third Dimension
A third dimension of power exists when A is able to influence the way B thinks so thatthe latter no longer consider his/her interests as in conflict with As. Here, Bs
consciousness is manipulated in a manner contrary to his/her real interests, of which
s/he may no longer be aware of.
This dimension of power produces a form of latent conflict, wherein there exists apossible conflict wants or preferences between A and B if B was aware of its interests.
This third dimension of power operates through ideology, and the ideologicalinstitutions that attend to it. Ideology is the collection of belief systems that justifies the
existence of a certain social arrangement or action. A dominant ideology justifies the
present prevailing system, while a counter-ideology justifies the challenges to the
prevailing system.Ideologies are manifested in the operations of ideological institutions
which shape peoples consciousness. Religion, which is a powerful institution that
conditions peoples way of thinking about things, is one of these institutions. Religion
can influence people to accept things as they are, in which case they act as a venue for
the operation of dominant ideologies to operate. The natural power of religion lies in its
capacity to preach humility, acceptance of fate, forgiveness, poverty as a virtue, and the
privileging to the male. This serves as a strong influence on people to accept their fate
as God-ordained. However, religion could also serve counter-ideological functions, in as
much as it could also become a bearer of challenges against the present state of affairs.
There are certain methods for analyzing power relations within households, as well as in communities,such as
o Stakeholder Analysiso Access and control profiling
The details of how these are done are given inBox 1 below.
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Box 1.
Stakeholder AnalysisStakeholders refer to individuals, groups or organizations with an interest in a given
action or situation. There are three types of stakeholders:yPrimary stakeholdersthere are the direct impact recipients, either as direct
beneficiaries, or those who will directly bear the costs of negative impactsySecondary stakeholdersthere are third party mediators, and are usually not
based in the locality where the action or situation occursyKey stakeholdersthere are either primary or secondary stakeholders whose
involvement is significantKey stakeholders could be analyzed for their relative power and social influence. The
following are the key steps for using stakeholder analysis in analyzing power:yIdentify the stakeholdersyF
or each stakeholder, specify their specific interest in the action or situation
yIdentify the primary, secondary and key stakeholdersyFor the key stakeholders, conduct an access and control profiling (discussed below)
oStakeholders are most powerful if they have access to and control overresources, benefits and burdens, and decision-making
oStakeholders are less powerful if they only have access to but no controlover resources, benefits and burdens, and decision-making
oStakeholders are least powerful if they do not even have access toresources, benefits and burdens, and decision-making
yAnother method of stakeholder analysis that could facilitate the analysis of poweris through conflict analysis. Stakeholders are most powerful if they are able to
determine the mechanisms for conflict resolution and/or if they benefit from the
resolution.oIdentify key conflicts that occuroIdentify the stakeholders that are involved in the conflictoIdentify how the conflict was resolvedoIdentify from among the stakeholders the following:
Who determined the means for conflict resolution?Who benefited from the resolution? Who did not?
Box 1. ContinuedAccess and Control ProfilingThis is done both at the household and the community levels of analysis.There are three types of profiles: a) resource access and control, b) decision making
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profiles, and c) benefits and burdens.y Resource Access and Control ProfileA profile of who has access and control
over productive and reproductive resourceso
Resourcerefer to any material entity that can be used for productiveand reproductive activity
Productive resourcea material entity used to generate incomefor the household or the community
Reproductive resourcea material entity used to conducthousehold maintenance activities, including the provision of
services to the welfare or leisure of its memberso Access and Control to resources
Accessthe ability of a member to use a resource Controlthe ability of a member to control the use, i.e., to decide
over the use, of a resourceo Presented in Tabular form, wherein the main row headings are the
resources (productive, reproductive) while the column headings are the
members of the households, or the major stakeholders in a communityResource Access and Control Profile Template
Resources Household Members or Community StakeholdersProductive Resources1.2..Reproductive Resources1.2.
Legend: A = access; C = control
Box 1. Continuedy Decision Making ProfileA profile of who has access to and control over
decision-making in the household or in the communityo Decision-makinginvolves the process of disposing of issues that require
decision; includes decision issues related to:
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Productive activity-related issuesissues that involve thegeneration of income for the household or the community
Reproductive activity-related issuesissues that pertain to theeveryday maintenance and welfare of the members; include
matters of education, health, and social-psychological welfare ofmembers
Community management-related issuesissues that pertain tothe participation in community and societal activities; includes
participation in social, cultural and political activities and
processeso Access to and Control ofDecision-Making
Accessthe ability to participate in the process of making adecision on an issue
Controlthe ability to have the final authority to decide over an
issue when there is divergence of opinions or in the event of
conflict; also includes the ability to exclude/include members in
the decision making processo Presented in Tabular form wherein the main row headings are the
decision issues (productive, reproductive, community-management)
while the column headings are the members of the households or
stakeholders in the communityDecision Making Profile TemplateDecision-Making Issues Household Members or Community StakeholdersProductive Activity
Related1.2..Reproductive Activity
Related1.2.Community
Management Related1.
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2.
Legend: A = access; C = controlBox 1. Continued
y Benefits and Burdens ProfileA profile of who has access to benefits andburdens in the households or in the community
o Benefits and Burdens Benefits are the positive entitlements that a household or
community receive in their participation in productive,
reproductive and community management activities Burdens are the negative factors (risks, obligations and duties)
that a household or community incurs or are exposed to in their
participation in productive, reproductive and community
management activitieso Presented in Tabular form wherein the main row headings are the
benefits and burdens while the column headings are the members of the
householdsBenefits and Burdens Profile Template
Household Members or Community StakeholdersMale
Adult 1Female
Adult 1Child 1 Etc.
Benefits1.2..Burdens1.2.
Science, technology and power relationso A can use science and technology as resources to make B do things against Bs interests. As
control of technology could enable A to influence the policy agenda through the first dimension
of power.
o In the context of the second dimension of power, As control of technology can enable A tomanipulate processes or to prevent others from participating in such processes. Examples of this
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include the use of sophisticated technologies which would effectively bar the participation of
other parties who are not used to or familiar with the technology (e.g. computerization which
would bar those who do not have computers or are not computer literate), or could prevent
others to access vital information which they would need.
o Through the third dimension of power, science and technology can also enable A to manipulatethe consciousness of some people through ideological mechanisms.This would influence them to
accept the present power arrangements as unproblematic, even if such are against their real
interests. Examples of these include technologies of mass communication are also examples of
this.
The following box (Box 2) presents detailed discussions of how power relations, in terms of class, genderand cultural relations could be influenced by science and technology. The texts here are drawn from the
module on Science, Technology and Society published by the UPOpen University, written by Antonio
Contreras.
Box 2.Science, technology and class relationsOne of the most fundamental power relations in society exists across classes.What are social classes? There are two ways to interpret classes. One is to see them in
terms of social positions vis--vis wealth. Thus we speak of income classes. A variation of
this is to see them in terms of power positions in societythat is, as elites and non-
elites.Another way of interpreting social classes is to see them in the context of their role in
the mode of production, particularly in terms of their position vis--vis the productive
process. For example, in capitalism, there are two fundamental classesthe capitalist
class and the working class.How do we see science and technology in the context of class relations?Definitely, and as applied in both definitions of classes, science and technology are
resources that are usually in the hands of the elites or those who control the production
process (that is, the capitalists). In fact, the class position of the capitalist is achieved
through the ownership of the means of production, which include technology.The development of capitalism, as a mode of production, depended on technology. And
it can now be said that the development of capitalism was not without its victims.
Critical theorists such as Horkheimer and Adorno have argued that science and scientific
knowledge eventually became part of the system of domination that is inherent in
capitalist systems. Science became formal, conformist and instrumental in its support of
the interest of the present system, thereby losing its potential for critic and for fostering
alternative ideas. Lukacs, another critical theorist, explains this by saying that science is
an important ingredient for capitalist development, in that its main ethic is consistent
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with the requirements of capitalist for control and rationality.Capitalism was launched through the exploitation of natural resources and, in some
cases, through forced occupation of territories and relocation of peoples, particularly
those living in regions needed for their resources. These processes have had severe
social consequences on the class relations between elites and non-elites, with theformer benefiting from the process even as the latter became victims unable fully enjoy
the benefits of industrialization. For example, the developments in agricultural
technologies (such as machines, chemicals, and biotechnology) led to the growth of
agribusiness enterprises and enhanced the production of capital. However, these same
developments further drove a wedge between the rich and the poor in the rural areas.
Agricultural mechanization and the use of chemicals have only created burdens to poor
farmers who cannot afford the costly technologies.
Box 2. ContinuedIn the development of bureaucratic organizations, the use of the scientific management
principle espoused by Taylor is an example of the application of scientific theory to
control the working class through the mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation. The
conveyor belt system of production not only made it easier to monitor workers; it also
increased their efficiency.One of the impacts of technological development on class relations is what Marx termed
alienation of the working class. This emanates from the loss of control by the working
class of the technologies of production. The industrialization process, coupled with
science, has considered labor as simply an object and the worker as a factor of
production in addition to land and capital.The mechanization of work brought about by developments in machines as well as in
information technology has also had adverse impacts. These include reduction in the
natural skills of the labor force, and the emergence of technological unemployment
wherein workers are displaced by machines. Furthermore, while the use of machines
has increased the productivity necessary to foster capitalist development, it also greatly
reduced the level and quality of social interactions among workers in the workplace.
Work has become a mechanized, impersonal process.However, it should also be mentioned that scientific knowledge and technological
advances have also created developments that have improved the welfare of workers.
The development of technologies in the workplace has created new methods that have
reduced the stress that comes with work. Office equipment and gadgets and
developments in information technology such as the Internet and e-mail have brought
convenience to workers.
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In terms of benefits, science and technology have improved the production process and
the work environment, increasing the efficiency of the worker and reducing stress in the
work environment.In terms of the negative impacts, the following can be said: Agricultural technologies widened the gap between the poor farmers and the rich. The worker was alienated as a result of loss of control technology, which is now in
the hands of the technocratic elites. Technological unemployment brought about by the displacement of manual labor by
mechanical labor. Alteration of the social nature of work and its transformation into an impersonal,
mechanical process.
Box 2. ContinuedScience, technology and gender relationsWe now turn to the next domain of power differentiationthat of gender.Gender relations refer to the relationships between men and women in society.What is the role of science and technology in gender relations? Has science and
technology brought equality between men and women?Surely, science and technology have in some ways fostered gender equality and
promoted the welfare of women.For example, advances in medical science, particularly in the field of obstetrics andgynecology, have greatly reduced the cases of maternal mortality during pregnancy and
childbirth. Medical advances have also increased the capacity of couples, particularly
women, to have control over the timing, frequency and possibility of pregnancy. These
medical advances include in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination, as well as birth
control technologies, in both their natural as well as artificial variants.There are also technological developments that have fostered equality in the sense that
tasks previously dominated by mothers are now made easier and more attractive to
fathers, who traditionally shied away from these tasks. For example, developments in
the technology for child care, such as disposable diapers, instant baby foods, instantmilk formula, and even artificial breasts that contain milk to simulate breastfeeding,
make it easier from women and allow men to participate more in child rearing. Also
included in this category is the Lamaze method, which allows men to participate more
actively in the process of birthing. Furthermore, there are now birth control pills for
men.In the domain of housework, technological advances, such as microwave ovens, washing
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machines, ready-to-eat foods, and others, have reduced the drudgery of domestic work
for women, and has increased the participation of men in performing house chores.There are also technologies that build the self-confidence of women, and lately, men.
These include vanity products and plastic surgery, as well as other technologies in health
and recreation. The increasing number of men patronizing these products is evidence ofthe gender-equalizing effect of these technologies.
Box 2. ContinuedHowever, there are also disadvantages, particularly for women and for the cause of
gender equality. Feminists who are critical of science and technology point out that
science and technology foster a patriarchal system in society, where social relations are
structured in such a way that women are subordinate to and controlled by men. The
following are the arguments of feminist critics of science and technology. Science and technology are masculine disciplines dominated by men. While there are
some women in the fields of science (such as Marie Curie and Barbara McClintock),
most of the scientists, particularly the ones who are more recognized, are men. In fact,
the women who thrive in the field of science eventually adopt a male perspective.
Also, most of them are scholars (that is, they teach science) in the biological sciences,
and very few are in the other fields of science. The male domination of science and technology stems from the fact that the scientific
ethos thrives on control and rationality. These are male attributes. The scientific work
ethic subsists on the need to predict, control and dominate nature, propensities
associated with the masculine ethic as opposed to the feminine ethic that rests on
emotions, feelings, and solidarity. Science and technology also become instruments for the objectification of women.
Objectification is a process wherein women are seen as objects. Vanity products, for
example, affirm the societal bias on womens appearances and reproduce the view of
women as objects of sexual desire.In the development process, the emergence of agricultural mechanization has also had
some adverse impacts on women. In some cases, the entry of machines, most of which
are designed by male engineers with the image of a male farmer as its user, could
displace women farmers from their productive work.Science, technology and cultural relationsAnother domain of power relations lies in what can be called as, for lack of a better
term, cultural relations, or the manner by which different people possessing different
cultural beliefs due to race/ethnicity, creed, or lifestyle interact within society.The very first, and most obvious, effect of science and technology on cultural relations is
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in the way science and technology have altered the way of life of traditional
communities. Science and technology were bearers of, as well as were borne by,
colonialism. That is, they were instruments as well as outcomes of the imposition of
alien and modern cultures on traditional societies.The ethos of science and technology in this context were based on control not only ofpeoples, but also of nature. It is based on the establishment of a universal worldview
that upholds the scientific method as the only valid source of knowledge. This naturally
did not consider as legitimate the traditional systems of knowledge that existed in
traditional societies.Box 2. ContinuedTechnological developments produced artifacts that were used to facilitate the process
of colonization. Colonizers liberally used technologies of violence and modern warfare in
their expansionist projects in the new world, other artifacts that were used to tantalize
and seduce the natives to acquiesce to the modern worldview, even to a point thatimages of power were created by their mere possession.For one, modern technologies possessed the power to alter the foundations of society.
Cultural symbols were radically altered, and traditional logic lost meaning as these
succumbed to the power of the new technologies. This eventually led to the
transformation of social relations of production, as well as the power relations in
society. The traditional leaders lost their power; traditional production practices yielded
to modern agricultural technologies; traditional rituals yielded to modern lifestyles.For example, the entry of mechanized farming not only displaced the indigenous
farming systems, but also altered the social relations of production. Traditional relationsof reciprocity wherein kinship ties were relied upon to provide collective labor, such as
the Bayanihan, were displaced by a more commodified system of work.The entry of new technologies can also create new problems. For example, the entry of
canned goods in traditional societies has led to the emergence of what can be called as
diseases of modernity, such as hypertension and diabetes.Modern technologies also operate on assumptions that may be radically different from
those that existed in traditional societies. Let me cite a funny example here: Families in
Samoa have relatives in New Zealand, in the same way that Filipinos in
theP
hilippines have relatives in theU
S. Samoans, likeF
ilipinos, have strong kinship tiesand like to maintain contacts with their relatives. Cognizant of this, the Samoan
government invested in the installation of a direct-dial system between Samoa and New
Zealand. The innovation was a hit...well, initially, at least. Relatives in Samoa called
relatives in New Zealand. However, since the New Zealandrelatives were perceived to
be richer, calls were made by the Samoan relatives on a collect basis. This was fine, until
the New Zealand relatives got their bill. This is when they started refusing to take the
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calls. This hurt the feeling of the relatives in Samoa. The result was tragicomic. A
technology designed to bridge the distance between relatives even caused that distance
to further widen. This is because the technology forgot one important factorthat of
cost. Conversations are usually free. But not when you use a telephone service,
particularly long distance.Technological change even at present can alter the way people live their lives, from the
way they produce commodities to the way they entertain themselves. Technological
developments in popular culture have altered the lifestyles of people to a point that
there are even some who argue that technology, far from being a mere instrument of
human beings, now have the power to shape human behavior. Here I cite myself as an
example. The advent of computers and of word processors has drastically changed the
way I write. Prior to this development, I used to write using my hand. Now, I am so
helpless when I do not have my laptop with me. My flow of thought seems to hit a snag
when there is no keyboard and computer screen in front of me.F
urthermore, myhandwriting, which was already bad before, has become worse, to a point that
sometimes, and to my horror, I cannot even read it anymore.Box 2. ContinuedCellular phones also illustrate the profound way in which technologies can alter social
and cultural relations in society. On the positive side, it is now easy to connect with
people. On the negative side, the heavy use of cellular phones has drastically altered
face to face communication to a point that some people find more meaning in texting
their thoughts than in expressing it personally. Texting has also created a new language
that though ingenuous, also threatens to further erode the grammatical skills ofstudents. I have encountered student essays with some words spelled out in encrypted
texts.I am not saying that modern technologies are bad or good. In fact, the issue is complex
and there are no easy answers.Module 3TOPIC/THEME: Science, technology and the environment: assessing the environmental impacts of
science and technologyKEY CONCEPT POINTS FOR UNDERSTANDING:
Environmental
Impact Assessment (E
IA)
oA decision-making tool for analyzing a specific intervention, usually in the form of a project, interms of its impacts to the social and bio-physical environment.It could also be in the form of a
particular technology.
oIn its usual practice, an EIA is conducted prior to the implementation of a project or adoption of atechnology (i.e., it is an ex-ante analysis, as contrasted to an ex-post analysis which is conducted
after or during a projects implementation
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oAn EIA is conducted by a multi-disciplinary team of experts from the natural and social sciencesCore activities in the EIA process
oScopingThis involves the determination of the scope, depth and terms of reference for the EIA. Itis conducted as a consultative process which involves the participation of the different
stakeholders. It seeks to identify the following:The stakeholders and their concernsThe effective area for assessing impacts, which may not necessarily be just limited to the
physical area of operation of the project or the immediate users of the technology, but
would include even those areas outside it or those other sectors that may that may
potentially receive impacts, either positive or negative, from the project or the use of
the technology. This expanded scope is referred to as the ecological footprint
The threshold limits for adverse impacts, or those levels of impacts beyond which aparticular impact becomes unacceptable
oConduct of the E
I
AThis would involve both document research and the conduct of fieldwork doneby the multi-disciplinary team.
Bio-physical impacts are to be assessed in terms of the impacts of the project ortechnology on, but not limited to, the following:
yAir qualityyWater quality and quantityySoil qualityyWildlife and biodiversityyVegetation levels and qualityyOver-all aesthetics
Social impacts are to be assessed in terms of the impacts on, but not limited to, thefollowing:
yEmployment, income (level and distribution) and livelihoodsyPopulation size and distributionyPower relations, social capital and community cohesionyLocal practices and indigenous knowledgeySecurity, peace and orderyPublic health
Usually, what is given priority is the assessment of impacts on marginalized sectors, such asthe poor, indigenous communities, and women
Social acceptability is also an important parameter for assessing impactsoFormulation of mitigating and enhancing measuresMitigating measures are concrete proposals
for steps which are to be taken to minimize adverse impacts, while enhancing measures are
those proposed to be taken to optimize important positive impacts
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The conduct of EIA can be enhanced by other impact assessment techniques, such as Benefit-Cost Analysis,Class Analysis, Gender Analysis and Cultural Analysis
oBenefit-Cost AnalysisThis type of analysis is concerned with the efficiency of a particular project or technologyIt measures the net gain (or loss) which a particular project or technology brings to a
society
It requires an enumeration, evaluation and valuation of the different benefits and costs ofa project or technology, and comparing this to determine whether society will gain or
lose
Benefits and costs could be seen in two ways:yFinancialrefers to the actual financial benefits and costs associated with the
project or technology, i.e. how much money is earned and spent
yEconomicrefers to the economic benefits and costs, which include the monetary
equivalent of resource gains and losses which may not necessarily be expressedas actual financial gains or expenditures, i.e. the cost of a polluted environment,
or the benefits of a healthy population
oClass AnalysisThis type of analysis is concerned with the impact of a project or technology on the social
structure of society
Class is interpreted in two ways:yLiberal-pluralists interpret class as simply a function of ones income and wealth
(upper, middle and lower income classes), or of position vis--vis political
power (political elites, non-elites)
yMarxists interpret class as a function of ones relative position in the mode ofproduction, i.e. as land-owner or peasant, or as capitalist or worker
Class analysis in the Liberal-Pluralist contextyThis entails the identification of the impacts of the project or technology on the
distribution of benefits and costs to the different social classes
yA project or technology is considered acceptable if it promotes equality/equityand would lead to the closing of the gap between the rich and the poor
yFor example, a technology that is seen as increasing the income of farmers wouldbe seen as a good technology since it would promote class equality. On the
other hand, a technology that would only benefit the wealthy would not be
good since it would further widen the gap between the rich and the poor
Class analysis in the Marxist contextyThis involves an inquiry into the impacts of the project on the mode of
productions, as well as on the social relations of production
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yThe following are some of the key focus of class analysis using a Marxistframework:
oWhether the project or technology promotes the transformation of themode of production, i.e. agricultural mechanization could change
agriculture from subsistence farming to commercialized farming, andcould have some serious impacts on small farmers
oWhether it has some effects on the social relations between theeconomic classes, and could lead to the alteration of these social
relations, i.e. the entry of some technologies may change what used to
be reciprocal relationships (such as free labor, or exchange labor
practices) into commodified relations (people will now have to be paid
to work); or it is also possible that the entry of technologies could
change the way communities are organized, from communal farming
to more individualized farming practicesoWhether it promotes labor exploitation, by introducing technologies that
would further drive profit up without guaranteeing labor welfare
oWhether it promotes labor displacement, by displacing manual laborwith mechanical labor
oGender AnalysisThis type of analysis is concerned with the impact of a project or technology to the
structure of the relations between women and men in society
One focus of gender analysis is to evaluate the gender dimensions of the benefits and costs,particularly on how gender-differentiated are these in terms of who gets most of the
benefits and who shoulders most of the burdens
Another focus is to assess the impacts of projects or technology to the participation ofwomen in decision-making processes, and in the promotion of gender equality, i.e. does
the project or technology enable women to participate in activities beyond the
household and into the public sphere?
Specific to technologies, one of the main concerns of technology impact assessment is toevaluate its effects on the work of women.The important concern is to asses whether
the technology is gender-friendly, and that its design takes into consideration the
specific needs of women (and men). A technology would be good if it makes womens
work easier, but would not be acceptable if it displaces womens labor. An example of
this would be a technology that is designed with a male user in mind, when in fact the
actual work is mainly done by women.
oCultural AnalysisThe main concern of this type of analysis is to determine the impact of a project or
technology on the culture of a community
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The main focus would be the effects on local institutions, particularly on the norms, mores,belief systems, local knowledge and practices, rituals, and other cultural practices that
govern the everyday life of the community
The introduction of new technologies undoubtedly has adverse impacts on traditionalsocieties. Thus, one of the task in cultural analysis is to identify the level of adverseimpact, and the long-term effects of this on the social and cultural life of the community
One area of concern is level of control which the community has over changes occurring intheir societies. Considering that change is inevitable, the only safeguard left for the
community is for them to be able to control the changes happening in their lives. It is
therefore useful to assess the impacts of any project or technology on the manner by
which local communities are able to control the decision-making processes on matters
involving their future. Key to this is the design of the technology and its compatibility
with the capabilities of the local communities or users.
Module 4
TOPIC/THEME: Science and Governance: the interplay between science, technology and governance and
the prospects for science-based governance, the role of epistemic communities,
science-policy connections, the role of science and science-based institutions in
policy makingKEY CONCEPT POINTS FOR UNDERSTANDING:
Science and technology are important inputs to the development process, specifically in politicaland economic development. They perform a significant role in the development of the state and
of capitalism. In this context, the scientist became an important national resource for
development.
However, there is a prevailing perception that scientists, whose work is important in identifyingand analyzing problems confronting the state and its citizens, find difficulty in becoming useful
in identifying solutions. Scientists are seen to be isolated in their ivory towers, lost in their
explorations and unmindful of the problems of the real world, thereby rendering them too
detached from the policy-making process,
In the same context, while science and technology have marched across the face of history,altering societies, and have created profound changes in our lives, the scientist and the
technologist are nevertheless still perceived by most citizens as politically irrelevant, if not
useless.
The Philippines, just like any other country, is confronted with many serious problems, most ofwhich have diverse causes and even more diverse consequences. These problems together
threaten the security of society and its peoples.
o Poverty threatens the security of our economy
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o Conflict among groups, especially between anti and pro Government forces, andbetween ethnic groups, the rebellion in Mindanao and the insurgency problemare
serious threat to our nations political security.
o Agricultural problems caused both by human and natural factors pose serous threats toour food security.
o Continuing pressures on the environment resulting from the needs of developmenthave led to environmental degradation, and have severely threatened our
environmental security.
The State, which is the institution whose main function is to oversee the welfare of its citizen, isconfronted with these serious problems.What complicates the situation is the fact that these
problems emerge in the context of globalization, wherein a global system of market forces and
the demands of global partners could provide limits to the options of an independent and
sovereign state like the Philippines.
Traditionally, the state was considered to be the only institution with the sole responsibility toadminister the countrys vast resources to promote the welfare of the people and to pursue the
common good. Recently, however, civil society institutions and non-government institutions,
such as NGOs, as well as the private sector, have increasingly participated, either as direct
service providers, or as partners of the state in development interventions designed to address
the various issues and concerns, from poverty reduction, to environmental management, to
political rights. This has led to an institutionalization of the essence of governancein
which both the state and civil society are now involved in governing society to maintain social
order and to address the problems of development.
Ideally, society responds to public problems, such as those associated with the developmentprocess, through the formulation and implementation of public policy. Traditionally, the policy
process has been usually seen as a domain of the politician. However, this is not entirely
correct.The policy-making process involves the participation of three key actors:
oThe policy maker, who is usually an elected politician, or public officer who is accountable directlyto the voters, or someone who is appointed by a public authority. The policy maker is assumed to
be serving the public interest when s/he makes decisions as to what policy should be adopted
vis--vis a particular problem.
oThe policy advocate, who is usually a group representing a sector of civil society. The main work ofthe advocate is to mobilize support in favor or against an issue or a policy, and to influence the
nature and content of public policy through various techniques of political advocacy and
mobilization.
o The policy analyst, who is usually an individual who has technical background on aparticular issue. The analyst contributes to the policy process by making an objective
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assessment of the nature and causes of a problem, as well as in analyzing the impacts of
a policy proposal or of an existing public policy.
While there may be scientists who become politicians, since they are also citizens, and while some scientistsbecome advocates (something which some scientists, particularly those who adhere strictly to the science
work ethic of neutrality and detachment, will not be comfortable with), the natural domain of a scientist
is policy analysis. Scientists have the technical capability to act as policy consultants, or to participate in
technical policy working groups, and act as advisers to policy makers.
Science-Governance interplayoParticipation is an important aspect of governance, which has been defined in the context of
development and democratization. A core principle that has emerged is a focus on rights-based
mechanisms which seek to mainstream the participation of and focus on the rights and needs of
marginalized sectors, including women, the poor, indigenous peoples and children.
oGovernments address the challenges of globalization, such as the impacts of market liberalizationon the lives of these marginalized sectors. In this context, policies emerge no longer through top-
down mechanisms, but through venues which enable these sectors to organize to affect
fundamental policy changes. Thus, a space emerges where alternative political actors and
processes challenge traditional politics in addressing social issues using democratic, gender-equal,
and participatory perspectives.
oAn important ingredient that has to be mainstreamed in this alternative type of politics is torecognize the role of a deconstructed science in the process of governance.
oIt is of common knowledge that development problems require both political as well astechnological solutions. Ideally, scientific knowledge leads to the development of technologies
that are used in the development process.
oScience has been seen as a neutral, and therefore an apolitical force. However, this view is notat all accurate.
oAs pointed out in SOCTEC1, science, while projecting itself in the context of an ethic of neutrality, isactually a political domain in which power relations influence the production of truth.Scientific
knowledge is produced as influenced by certain rules, rules that are by nature exclusionary. Thus,
science emerges in the context of an alienating, mostly male and elite dominated world, wherein
the production of knowledge is prone to elite control, both within countries as well as
transnationally in the global community.
oFor example, biotechnology is largely in the hands of transnational science-industry complexes. Bigcorporations sequester control over scientific knowledge, and even traditional knowledge,
through the mechanisms of patenting. When traditional knowledge is patented, it effectively
leads its alienation from the indigenous societies in which they are located and nurtured.
oAnother issue is that governance mechanisms fail to effectively utilize in problem solving andpolicy-making.
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oOn the other hand, scientists, particularly those in the natural sciences but including even somesocial scientists, are unable to translate their research into readable forms that can become
accessed by policy makers and advocates who are not technically equipped. Many scientists are
perceived to be too detached from political realities.
oThis weak link between science and policy in the national context is further worsened by lack ofstate support for scientific research. This leads to a situation wherein scientists become
dependent on external funds coming from transnational sources, most of which carry their own
agenda.
oThe weakness of the science-policy linkage is also attributable to the cultural difference betweenpoliticians and policy makers and civil society advocates (or those actors who are directly
involved in the policy and governance domain) on the one hand, and the scientists on the
other. This constrains the development of science-based governance mechanisms for addressing
problems of society.
oIt is therefore important to point out that while there are now mechanisms that enable the
mainstreaming of participatory and alternative politics in governance, there is still much to be
done to mainstream science, and more importantly, a deconstructed science in governance.
This mainstreaming will enable the critical engagement by alternative political movements the
exclusionary, elitist and patriarchal discourse that dominates Western science, even as it also
enables a critical engagement of the exclusionary, elitist and patriarchal discourse that equally
dominates traditional politics. Thus, the are two important tasks:
The development of mechanisms to mainstream science in governanceThe development of mechanisms to deconstruct science
oIt is, therefore, clear that we need a new kind of science, one that would be more involved inpolicy and governance. This can only be achieved if one begins to see science no longer as a
neutral domain of knowledge, but is more as a prescriptive activity that emerges to respond to
the issues and problems of society.
oThe following table compares the features of this new science to the old scienceOld Science New Science
Emphasis on individual researcher Emphasis on teams of researchersAcademic control over research
directionResearch direction shaped by
interaction with usersC
uriosity and discipline driven P
roblem and issue-based, multi- andinter-disciplinary
Problems defined to minimize
uncertainty in resultsProblems all contain large and
pervasive uncertaintiesLocal organizational knowledge base Diverse sources of knowledge and
networks of informationQuality judged by peer review Judgment by users and peers
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Apparent disinterest of researchers
(value free)Researchers are partisans (value
laden)Communication by scientific articles Diverse forms of communicationLinear logic from results to action Highly non-linear relationship
between results and actionStakes are low Stakes are high
Source: Lebel (2000), Synthesis Report, Chiang Mai Workshop on Sustainability Science, drawn
from the presentation of Robert WassonoFortunately, there is evidence that the link between science and policy is now beginning to be
institutionalized. Many NGOs have taken up science-based advocacy in the areas of the
environment, sustainable agriculture, global warming, and public health, among others.
oAt the global level, this linkage is now seen in the emergence of many international agreements,particularly with respect to the environment. Examples of this are the various global conventions
on the environment, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity or the UN Framework
Conference for Climate Change.
oIt is interesting to point out that there has been an increasing participation of scientists andacademics in providing critical inputs to the formulation of these global institutional
arrangements, otherwise known as global environmental regimes. There is now a growing
acceptance of the idea that while global governance is the expertise of trained diplomats, the
crafting of meaningful and valid agreements is also dependent on the work of scientists.
oThe linkage between policy and science has led to the emergence and development of epistemiccommunities which simply refers to a community of science-based policy analysts who are
familiar both with the natural sciences as well as with governance processes.oMore specifically, epistemic communities are transnational associations of knowledgeable experts
in technical fields, and are organized as networks of people whose existence is established and
maintained through repeated interaction in various settingsinternational meetings and
conferences, joint research projects, and involvement in international and nongovernmental
organizations. The growing success of epistemic communities in recent years is largely a result of
the globalization of information, through developments in information technology and the
internet, in which web-based and internet-dependent virtual communities of science emerge.
oThe challenge now is how to replicate, and at the same time engage, this global development at the
local level, within states. This is necessary to address the crucial task of l inking science-basedgovernance to the democratization process at the national and local level.
oThere is now a potential to realize this, considering the fact that there are already networks in civilsociety with science-based connections, and that there are also now a growing number of natural
scientists more directly involved in policy advocacy. These scientists appreciate their roles in the
development of alternative governance systems and sustainable development processes.
Posted by Alvaro Nagpala Calara