Andrea Declich
"Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Biology, Department Member
- Social expectations, expectations, entrepreneurship, Innovation & Entrepreunership, Entrepreunership, Empowerment, Narrative Theory, Storytelling, and 25 moreAgency Structure, Sociology of Expectations, Sociology of Nutrition, Anticipation, Discourse Analysis (Research Methodology), Entrepreneurship, Public Health, Literary Theory, Creativity, Social Research Methods and Methodology, Sociologia, Materials, Materials Science, Materials and Society, Materials Science and Engineering, Agency Theory, Theory of the Firm, Resource Based View, Urban Studies, Urban Development, Urban Sociology, Gender In Science, Project Management, Interdisciplinarity, and Interdisciplinary researchedit
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) has gained significant traction in recent decades. However, the previous discussions on RRI have overlooked the economic dimension of innovation, which is encompassed by the perspective of... more
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) has gained significant traction in recent decades. However, the previous discussions on RRI have overlooked the economic dimension of innovation, which is encompassed by the perspective of Neo-Schumpeterian economics (N-SE). This paper aims to bridge the gap between the theories of responsible innovation (RI) and RRI and the underlying assumptions of N-SE. We seek to clarify the concept of responsible (research and) innovation — R(R)I. N-SE inherently recognizes the involvement of diverse stakeholders, including society and the public sector, as entrepreneurs driving and implementing innovation while assuming responsibility for its effects and consequences. In this respect, N-SE aligns with the responsible innovation concept discussed within the R(R)I framework. The paper addresses the fundamental question: What are the shared areas of interest between R(R)I and N-SE? This exploration enhances our understanding and facilitates the practical implementation of R(R)I in the context of N-SE, thereby promoting ethical, socially beneficial, and sustainable technological advancements.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we cross-fertilise responsible innovation (RI), the Lean Start-up approach (LSA) and the Quadruple Helix approach (QH) within one model: the social responsibility for start-ups model (SRSM). SRSM aims to instil... more
In this paper, we cross-fertilise responsible innovation (RI), the Lean Start-up approach (LSA) and the Quadruple Helix approach (QH) within one model: the social responsibility for start-ups model (SRSM). SRSM aims to instil responsibility into the start-up innovation process by ensuring that the voices of stakeholders from all four helices are taken into account, whilst providing an assessment of current impacts in these areas compared with the ambition of start-ups. This helps to identify room for improvement in order to provide an iterative, lean approach for start-ups to inform the strategy of the start-up cycle, which incorporates the four helices of the QH, and the four process requirements found in RI theory (anticipation, reflexivity, inclusiveness, and responsiveness). This model works as a way to operationalize responsibility in start-ups. This paper fills a gap where there is a lack of suitable approaches for start-ups to follow and implement.
Research Interests:
COVID-19 and Governance focuses on the relationship between governance institutions and approaches to Covid-19 and health outcomes. Organized by region, the book is structured to follow the spread of Covid-19 in the course of 2020,... more
COVID-19 and Governance focuses on the relationship
between governance institutions and approaches to
Covid-19 and health outcomes. Organized by region, the
book is structured to follow the spread of Covid-19 in the
course of 2020, through Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the
Americas, and Africa.
The analyses explore a number of key themes, including
public health systems, government capability, and trust in
government – as well as underlying variables of social
cohesion and inequality. Engaged and free of jargon, this
book speaks to a wide global public – including scholars,
students and policymakers – on a topic that has profound
and broad appeal.
between governance institutions and approaches to
Covid-19 and health outcomes. Organized by region, the
book is structured to follow the spread of Covid-19 in the
course of 2020, through Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the
Americas, and Africa.
The analyses explore a number of key themes, including
public health systems, government capability, and trust in
government – as well as underlying variables of social
cohesion and inequality. Engaged and free of jargon, this
book speaks to a wide global public – including scholars,
students and policymakers – on a topic that has profound
and broad appeal.
The paper presents some results emerging from the EC funded INNOVEAS project, particularly from a study on the non-economic factors that prevent (or facilitate) the adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy audits by SMEs. This... more
The paper presents some results emerging from the EC funded INNOVEAS project, particularly from a study on the non-economic factors that prevent (or facilitate) the adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy audits by SMEs. This study and its results are relevant for a reflection on the role of SMEs for the adoption of new business practices and technologies (including materials) that are conducive to a green transition. Attention will be paid also to those obstacles and facilitating factors that are relevant for the promotion of the circular economy-which is also, in fact, a strategy for achieving energy efficiency. The paper is based on the view that materials are a special type of technology and, as such, are the result of a social construction process. From this angle, materials can be thought of also by considering the actors involved in the process of their development and use. The life cycle of materials, in particular, must be analyzed also considering the role that different actors play in it; not only the technical characteristics of the materials have to be considered, but also the social context of development and application of materials. Such assumptions can be used also for interpreting the role of the actors in the challenges that contemporary societies are facing, particularly the promotion of energy saving and of the circular economy and more generally the transition towards decarbonization and dematerialization. In this paper, the focus is on a particular type of actors, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). They constitute a plethora of economic actors operating in numerous production sectors and at different levels of the value chains. SMEs orientations are important for achieving a better knowledge of the cycle of materials, especially in relation to the possibility of directing it towards the pursuit of environmental objectives such as energy saving and the circular economy. The paper stresses that considering the role of SMEs in such wide social and economic innovation process should illustrate peculiar aspects of the "internal" life of SMEs (culture, organizational skills, etc.) as well as the interaction with other actors within the context of operation of SMEs.
Research Interests:
The article presents Imagined Futures. Fictional Expectations and Capitalist Dynamics by economic sociologist Jens Beckert and the main concepts he proposes, particularly that of “Fictional Expectation”, as well as the path followed for... more
The article presents Imagined Futures. Fictional Expectations and Capitalist Dynamics by economic sociologist Jens Beckert and the main concepts he proposes, particularly that of “Fictional Expectation”, as well as the path followed for coming to its definition. The book focuses on the issue of the temporal nature of social and economic action, and the connected fundamental problem of uncertainty of the future. Dealing with these issues is a challenge for economic sociology and for economics, as well as for all the social sciences. The author addresses the challenge through an interdisciplinary approach, that also resorts to literature and narrative theory in order to deal with the fictional nature of expectations. Beckert’s book has not been translated into Italian but it has been widely read and appreciated overseas (some reviewers say it could become a “modern classic” of economic sociology). The article also addresses some of the issues that have emerged from the debate that followed the publishing of the book.
Research Interests:
Abstract. The paper discusses the relevance of the link between gender and materials, in the framework of a more general reflection on the science-society relationship. In order to do this, the theoretical path is presented that the... more
Abstract. The paper discusses the relevance of the link between gender and materials, in the framework of a
more general reflection on the science-society relationship. In order to do this, the theoretical path is presented
that the author and his colleagues followed, with the aim of using some concepts and theoretical and
methodological approaches taken from social sciences for a better consideration of society and materials issues.
The gender/materials connection does not appear to have been dealt with yet in a systematic way, although
there are some interesting studies and insights. This connection instead appears very important in the light of a
sociological reflection focusing on the relations among the social actors involved in the cycle of materials. The
centrality of social actors within the processes that define the value chain and life cycle of products and materials
is presented and, in this framework, the importance of design is stressed, together with other typical phenomena
highlighted within social sciences such as closure or negotiation, power relations, etc. Particularly,
considerations on gender appear important because they imply the possibility to include the different points
of view, approaches and solutions of gender-diverse actors. Gender differences and gender related dynamics
emerges as relevant in the definition of research priorities, in the analysis of needs, uses, and social and
environmental impacts of materials and products is likely to limit the potential and distort the perspective of
materials science. In this framework, existing data are presented that show that materials represent an area of
scientific research (both academic and non-academic) where the under-representation of women is presently
recorded and probably impacts on the materials sector as a whole. The proposed reflection on the relation
between gender and materials is still a very initial one, but further research is advisable in light of the centrality
of sustainable policy issues such as the Circular Economy (CE) where it is important to focus the attention on the
role of social actors in the entire product cycle and not only in its final part (e.g., the purchase of consumer goods,
their use, disposal, re-use, etc.). A further reflection on gender and materials could also be relevant for LCA.
more general reflection on the science-society relationship. In order to do this, the theoretical path is presented
that the author and his colleagues followed, with the aim of using some concepts and theoretical and
methodological approaches taken from social sciences for a better consideration of society and materials issues.
The gender/materials connection does not appear to have been dealt with yet in a systematic way, although
there are some interesting studies and insights. This connection instead appears very important in the light of a
sociological reflection focusing on the relations among the social actors involved in the cycle of materials. The
centrality of social actors within the processes that define the value chain and life cycle of products and materials
is presented and, in this framework, the importance of design is stressed, together with other typical phenomena
highlighted within social sciences such as closure or negotiation, power relations, etc. Particularly,
considerations on gender appear important because they imply the possibility to include the different points
of view, approaches and solutions of gender-diverse actors. Gender differences and gender related dynamics
emerges as relevant in the definition of research priorities, in the analysis of needs, uses, and social and
environmental impacts of materials and products is likely to limit the potential and distort the perspective of
materials science. In this framework, existing data are presented that show that materials represent an area of
scientific research (both academic and non-academic) where the under-representation of women is presently
recorded and probably impacts on the materials sector as a whole. The proposed reflection on the relation
between gender and materials is still a very initial one, but further research is advisable in light of the centrality
of sustainable policy issues such as the Circular Economy (CE) where it is important to focus the attention on the
role of social actors in the entire product cycle and not only in its final part (e.g., the purchase of consumer goods,
their use, disposal, re-use, etc.). A further reflection on gender and materials could also be relevant for LCA.
Research Interests:
The article deals with some of the implications of the “social nature” of materials. Particularly, the energy transition has been adopted as a particularly relevant analytical context for an in-depth reflection on the “social nature” of... more
The article deals with some of the implications of the “social nature” of materials. Particularly, the energy transition has been adopted as a particularly relevant analytical context for an in-depth reflection on the “social nature” of materials and on how such a nature manifests itself. A theoretical analysis providing an overview of some concepts relevant for the “society and materials” issue has been proposed as well as two case studies have been presented and discussed. The two case studies concerned the Industrial Symbiosis initiative of Kalundborg (Denmark) and the sustainable neighborhood of BedZed (UK), that have been considered two anticipatory experiences of energy transition in which materials played a very important role. On this basis arguments have been provided to support the idea of a strong relationship between the continuing attribution of social meanings to materials and huge social processes like energy transition.
Research Interests:
Il tema è quello dei beni culturali e dei paradossi che si presentano quando li si considera alla stregua di risorse naturali. E' un post pubblicato su un blog che non è più in linea, ma che è stato citato e che metto a disposizione del... more
Il tema è quello dei beni culturali e dei paradossi che si presentano quando li si considera alla stregua di risorse naturali. E' un post pubblicato su un blog che non è più in linea, ma che è stato citato e che metto a disposizione del pubblico. L'url iniziale era il seguente http://www.gazebos.it/2013/09/11/la-maledizione-dellabbondanza-turismo,-beni-culturali-e-la-nefasta-metafora-del-petrolio.aspx
Research Interests:
The article is a reflection on the formation of expectations. A brief presentation of the main concepts of expectations in economics and sociology is presented and, on the basis of some considerations concerning the debate in economics,... more
The article is a reflection on the formation of expectations. A brief presentation of the main concepts of expectations in economics and sociology is presented and, on the basis of some considerations concerning the debate in economics, some issues related to expectations are raised that demonstrate the utility and urgency of dealing with this issue, also in an interdisciplinary perspective (for example, innovation, the need to manage expectations in the framework of public policies). On these bases, the strong connection between expectations and narrative (storytelling)-emerging from the work of some sociologists and economists, although not systematically-is dealt with. Finally, and based on this connection, some issues are singled out that are considered worthy of further inquiry.
Research Interests:
Abstract In this article we expand the analysis previously proposed [L. d’Andrea, A. Declich, F. Feudo, Hidden societal implications of materials, Updating the awareness on what is at stake, Matériaux & Techniques, 102 (2014) 504]... more
Abstract
In this article we expand the analysis previously proposed [L. d’Andrea, A. Declich, F. Feudo, Hidden societal implications of materials, Updating the awareness on what is at stake, Matériaux & Techniques, 102 (2014) 504] concerning the link between materials and modernity, particularly the role of materials in the process of construction of modernity. On the basis of this relationship, we will deal with two interconnected issues. In the first part, we discuss, albeit in general terms, the role played by sociological research in understanding science and technology. This allows us to highlight the deep transformations that the relationship between science and society has undergone in past decades. In the second part, we introduce both the current state and possible future developments of the sociological study of materials, considering trends emerging in the complex relationship between science, technology and society. This also lead us to reflect on some (more practical than theoretical) implications of a sociological approach to materials (relevant, for example, for Life Cycle Assessment).
Résumé
Dans cet article nous élargissons l’analyse déjà proposée [L. d’Andrea, A. Declich, F. Feudo, Hidden societal implications of materials, Updating the awareness on what is at stake, in Matériaux & Techniques, 102 (2014) 504] concernant le lien entre les matériaux et la modernité, notamment le rôle des matériaux dans le processus de construction de la modernité. A partir de cette relation, nous allons traiter deux questions entrelacées. Dans la première partie, nous traitons, en de termes généraux, le rôle joué par la recherche sociologique dans la compréhension des rapports entre science et technologie. Ce qui nous permet de mettre en relief les profondes transformations que la relation entre science et société a vécu au cours des dernières décades. Dans la deuxième partie, nous introduisons le thème de l’état actuel et du possible développement futur de l’étude sociologique des matériaux, en considérant les tendances émergentes dans la complexe relation entre science, technologie et société. Ce qui nous portera également à réfléchir (sur le plan pratique plutôt que sur celui théorique) sur les implications d’une approche sociologique aux matériaux (pertinent, par example, à l’évaluation du cycle de vie - LCA).
In this article we expand the analysis previously proposed [L. d’Andrea, A. Declich, F. Feudo, Hidden societal implications of materials, Updating the awareness on what is at stake, Matériaux & Techniques, 102 (2014) 504] concerning the link between materials and modernity, particularly the role of materials in the process of construction of modernity. On the basis of this relationship, we will deal with two interconnected issues. In the first part, we discuss, albeit in general terms, the role played by sociological research in understanding science and technology. This allows us to highlight the deep transformations that the relationship between science and society has undergone in past decades. In the second part, we introduce both the current state and possible future developments of the sociological study of materials, considering trends emerging in the complex relationship between science, technology and society. This also lead us to reflect on some (more practical than theoretical) implications of a sociological approach to materials (relevant, for example, for Life Cycle Assessment).
Résumé
Dans cet article nous élargissons l’analyse déjà proposée [L. d’Andrea, A. Declich, F. Feudo, Hidden societal implications of materials, Updating the awareness on what is at stake, in Matériaux & Techniques, 102 (2014) 504] concernant le lien entre les matériaux et la modernité, notamment le rôle des matériaux dans le processus de construction de la modernité. A partir de cette relation, nous allons traiter deux questions entrelacées. Dans la première partie, nous traitons, en de termes généraux, le rôle joué par la recherche sociologique dans la compréhension des rapports entre science et technologie. Ce qui nous permet de mettre en relief les profondes transformations que la relation entre science et société a vécu au cours des dernières décades. Dans la deuxième partie, nous introduisons le thème de l’état actuel et du possible développement futur de l’étude sociologique des matériaux, en considérant les tendances émergentes dans la complexe relation entre science, technologie et société. Ce qui nous portera également à réfléchir (sur le plan pratique plutôt que sur celui théorique) sur les implications d’une approche sociologique aux matériaux (pertinent, par example, à l’évaluation du cycle de vie - LCA).
Research Interests:
In a sociological perspective, materials are to be viewed as the focus of social relations. Actually, materials are activated by and even created within social relation systems and in turn they create and activate new social relation... more
In a sociological perspective, materials are to be viewed as the focus of social relations. Actually, materials are activated by and even created within social relation systems and in turn they create and activate new social relation systems connected to i.e. their extraction, production, use, management, reuse, recycling and disposal. On the basis of various European research projects carried out by the authors, the paper will be aimed at analyzing such social relations in the framework of the innovation cycle which necessarily involves a large number of societal actors, including research institutions, technological developers, industries, financial institutions, political players, civil society organizations, professional groups and local communities. Since from beginning of the innovation cycle, two sets of societal relations can be identified. The first set can be referred to as the societal technological process. Any product and material, to be discovered or imagined and then developed, produced, marketed and managed, necessarily required the creation and development of social practices and interactions closely intertwined with the scientific and technological activities. In this sense, any product and material are the result of a socio-technical system, in which the boundaries between the social dimension and the technological dimension are blurred. The second set can be called the societal political process. This includes all dynamics of a political nature (local, national, transnational) connected with a product and material, such decision-making, adoption of standards, fund raising and management, or power relations between political and administrative levels. Both this components are necessary. In fact, they are the upstream factors allowing a material to actually exist in social, economic and technological terms (otherwise they should remain an inactive and unexploitable physical matter) and often in physical terms (in that case materials simply should not even exist at all). Taking into consideration such upstream dynamics allows to perceive under a different perspective the same nature and features of the life cycle of a material and product as well as to go beyond the presently adopted social life cycle assessment practices. As for the downstream aspects, they usually are referred to as social impacts. Certainly, any product and material has direct impacts on different aspects of social life (e.g. working environment, wages, quality of life, consumption patterns). However, materials are also part (and often the core) of social regimes aimed at turning uncontrolled and partially unknown dangers into at least partially managed and measurable risks. Dangers can be of physical nature (e.g. energy shortage, illness, water shortage, etc.) as well as of social nature (social conflicts, poverty, threatens to personal rights, etc.). As any regimes, materials and products in turn inevitably generate new dangers requiring further regimes to be managed. Viewing materials as part of this dynamics turning around the triadic relation between dangers, social regimes and risks could be helpful for going beyond the social life cycle assessment. In the final part of the paper, the issue of the co-evolution between science and society (and therefore between materials and human agency) will be deepened and some considerations will be made on what is at stake with a more aware understanding of the intertwined interactions between materials and social relations. In the last years a growing attention has been paid – also by European institutions – to the social dimension of materials and technologies. Yet with the 6th and 7th European Framework Research Programme and, with more emphasis, with the coming programme Horizon 2020, European institutions have developed policies that are more and more focused on the tight interaction between research and those society sectors (private sector, civil society, professional network, Local Authorities, etc.) that are more involved in innovation processes. The objective of these policies is to make Member States more competitive and able to valorize scientific and technological research, both at the economic and social levels. For a long time there has been a widespread impression that an effective control is lacking on the effects of newtechnologies and materials over, for example, climate, environment, health and also – especially, after the exponential diffusion of the Internet – on the relations between individuals and on the governance of collective life. This impression contributed to strengthen the belief that technology is something that is exogenous to social life and that is able to affect – more or less strongly – the normal course of the events. We cannot avoid to notice, however, that this idea of “exogeneity” of technology tends, paradoxically, to reinforce in a moment in which, as never before, the presence of science and technology in society is strong and pervasive to the extent that some technologies – in sectors such as health, transport or information – have become an essential part of the framework in which modern life develops. As we will see below, materials are an integral part of this dynamics since they are both technological products (and particularly, those with more social pervasiveness) and the basis of further technologies. How indissoluble is this relation between materials and technology clearly emerges, for example, with the development of research sectors such as nanotechnology in which materials tend to incorporate the technologies with which they are produced. It is from the big difficulties emerging from the interaction between the technological (/materials) and the social dimensions that this reflection moves. In Sections 1–4 we critically analyze the way in which social sciences and, particularly, sociology have interpreted, so far, the relations between science, technology and materials, on the one hand, and society on the other hand. This analysis makes it possible to demonstrate the centrality of this relation for contemporary society and its development. In Sections 5–7 we focus the attention on new scenarios that have been emerging in the last years and that are characterized by a growing importance of the overlapping between artificial and natural dimensions and by the advent of what can be defined as a post-natural World. In this context, we propose some thoughts concerning a view of innovation able to account for this complex situation and the possibility to anticipate the changes produced by the interaction of technology and society. The conclusions (Sect. 8) summarize the main elements of the paper.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Entrepreneurship, Sociology, Economics, Design for Social Innovation, Governance, and 12 moreStorytelling, Economics of Innovation, Agency Theory, Technology Entrepreneurship, Interdisciplinary Studies, Interdisciplinary research (Social Sciences), Innovation theory, Innovation Management, Expectations, Sociology of Expectations, Governance, Innovation, Sociology of Expectations, and Social Expectations
Research Interests:
The article presents typical economic methodological issues that are relevant to the research work of sociologists. In particular, it focuses on the concept of “stylized facts,” on some econometric research canons, on the use of... more
The article presents typical economic methodological issues that are relevant to the research work of sociologists. In particular, it focuses on the concept of “stylized facts,” on some econometric research canons, on the use of qualitative methodologies and survey data and on the existence of a “continuum” between qualitative and quantitative approaches. The objective is to highlight common denominators present in the methodological issues dealt with by both economists and sociologists. The basic idea is that a more systematic comparison of the different solutions to similar problems adopted within the two disciplines represents an opportunity for the advancement of knowledge and for the practice of social, as well as economic, research.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
L’articolo propone una riflessione sulla formazione delle aspettative. Viene presentata una rassegna delle principali accezioni del concetto di aspettativa in economia e sociologia e, anche a partire da un confronto con il dibattito in... more
L’articolo propone una riflessione sulla formazione delle aspettative. Viene presentata una rassegna delle principali accezioni del concetto di aspettativa in economia e sociologia e, anche a partire da un confronto con il dibattito in economia, si individuano alcuni questioni che mettono il luce l’utilità e l’urgenza di una riflessione (per esempio, l’innovazione e il management delle aspettative nell’ambito delle politiche). Si affronta, su queste basi, la relazione tra aspettative e narrazioni, che emerge in diverse letterature sia sociologiche che economiche, sebbene non in maniera sistematica. Infine, proprio a partire da questa relazione, vengono individuati alcuni temi meritevoli di ulteriori approfondimenti.
Research Interests: Entrepreneurship, Sociology, Economics, Design for Social Innovation, Governance, and 11 moreStorytelling, Economics of Innovation, Agency Theory, Technology Entrepreneurship, Interdisciplinary Studies, Interdisciplinary research (Social Sciences), Innovation theory, Innovation Management, Expectations, Sociology of Expectations, and Social Expectations
Resources for RRI discussed
Research Interests:
A brief presentation of some actions carried out in a European project
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The article presents Imagined Futures. Fictional Expectations and Capitalist Dynamics by economic sociologist Jens Beckert and the main concepts he proposes, particularly that of “Fictional Expectation”, as well as the path followed for... more
The article presents Imagined Futures. Fictional Expectations and Capitalist Dynamics by economic sociologist Jens Beckert and the main concepts he proposes, particularly that of “Fictional Expectation”, as well as the path followed for coming to its definition. The book focuses on the issue of the temporal nature of social and economic action, and the connected fundamental problem of uncertainty of the future. Dealing with these issues is a challenge for economic sociology and for economics, as well as for all the social sciences. The author addresses the challenge through an interdisciplinary approach, that also resorts to literature and narrative theory in order to deal with the fictional nature of expectations. Beckert’s book has not been translated into Italian but it has been widely read and appreciated overseas (some reviewers say it could become a “modern classic” of economic sociology). The article also addresses some of the issues that have emerged from the debate that followed the publishing of the book.
Research Interests:
COVID-19 and Governance focuses on the relationship between governance institutions and approaches to Covid-19 and health outcomes. Organized by region, the book is structured to follow the spread of Covid-19 in the course of 2020,... more
COVID-19 and Governance focuses on the relationship between governance institutions and approaches to Covid-19 and health outcomes. Organized by region, the book is structured to follow the spread of Covid-19 in the course of 2020, through Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. The analyses explore a number of key themes, including public health systems, government capability, and trust in government – as well as underlying variables of social cohesion and inequality. Engaged and free of jargon, this book speaks to a wide global public – including scholars, students and policymakers – on a topic that has profound and broad appeal.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The paper presents some results emerging from the EC funded INNOVEAS project, particularly from a study on the non-economic factors that prevent (or facilitate) the adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy audits by SMEs. This... more
The paper presents some results emerging from the EC funded INNOVEAS project, particularly from a study on the non-economic factors that prevent (or facilitate) the adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy audits by SMEs. This study and its results are relevant for a reflection on the role of SMEs for the adoption of new business practices and technologies (including materials) that are conducive to a green transition. Attention will be paid also to those obstacles and facilitating factors that are relevant for the promotion of the circular economy – which is also, in fact, a strategy for achieving energy efficiency. The paper is based on the view that materials are a special type of technology and, as such, are the result of a social construction process. From this angle, materials can be thought of also by considering the actors involved in the process of their development and use. The life cycle of materials, in particular, must be analyzed also considering the role that...
Research Interests:
The paper discusses the relevance of the link between gender and materials, in the framework of a more general reflection on the science-society relationship. In order to do this, the theoretical path is presented that the author and his... more
The paper discusses the relevance of the link between gender and materials, in the framework of a more general reflection on the science-society relationship. In order to do this, the theoretical path is presented that the author and his colleagues followed, with the aim of using some concepts and theoretical and methodological approaches taken from social sciences for a better consideration of society and materials issues. The gender/materials connection does not appear to have been dealt with yet in a systematic way, although there are some interesting studies and insights. This connection instead appears very important in the light of a sociological reflection focusing on the relations among the social actors involved in the cycle of materials. The centrality of social actors within the processes that define the value chain and life cycle of products and materials is presented and, in this framework, the importance of design is stressed, together with other typical phenomena highlighted within social sciences such as closure or negotiation, power relations, etc. Particularly, considerations on gender appear important because they imply the possibility to include the different points of view, approaches and solutions of gender-diverse actors. Gender differences and gender related dynamics emerges as relevant in the definition of research priorities, in the analysis of needs, uses, and social and environmental impacts of materials and products is likely to limit the potential and distort the perspective of materials science. In this framework, existing data are presented that show that materials represent an area of scientific research (both academic and non-academic) where the under-representation of women is presently recorded and probably impacts on the materials sector as a whole. The proposed reflection on the relation between gender and materials is still a very initial one, but further research is advisable in light of the centrality of sustainable policy issues such as the Circular Economy (CE) where it is important to focus the attention on the role of social actors in the entire product cycle and not only in its final part (e.g., the purchase of consumer goods, their use, disposal, re-use, etc.). A further reflection on gender and materials could also be relevant for LCA.
Research Interests:
BACKGROUND Promoting Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a major strategy of the “Science with and for Society” work program of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. RRI aims to... more
BACKGROUND Promoting Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a major strategy of the “Science with and for Society” work program of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. RRI aims to achieve a better alignment of research and innovation with the values, needs, and expectations of society. The RRI strategy includes the “keys” of public engagement, open access, gender, ethics, and science education. The Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences (STARBIOS2) project promotes RRI in 6 European research institutions and universities from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Poland, and the United Kingdom, in partnership with a further 6 institutions from Brazil, Denmark, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States. OBJECTIVE The project aims to attain RRI structural change in 6 European institutions by implementing action plans (APs) and developing APs for 3 non-European institutions active in the field of bioscience...
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The article proposes a reflection on science communication and on the communicative processes characteristic to the production of new-found knowledge. It aims to outline the role that sociology can play within this frame for greater... more
The article proposes a reflection on science communication and on the communicative processes characteristic to the production of new-found knowledge. It aims to outline the role that sociology can play within this frame for greater understanding. The article first defines the main evolutionary trends in scientific research in recent decades, with particular reference to the emergence of new social actors. Following on from this, it will look at some of the epistemological conditions that may strengthen the sociologist's role in the cognition of scientific production. Using this as a premise, we will look at a typology for science communication and its components, as well as some of its governing principles. The conclusion of the article indicates the added value that can be gained from the use of such a model, with the particular aim of identifying indicators that allow the evaluation of scientific research in sociological terms as well as those already in existence.
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The article deals with some of the implications of the “social nature” of materials. Particularly, the energy transition has been adopted as a particularly relevant analytical context for an in-depth reflection on the “social nature” of... more
The article deals with some of the implications of the “social nature” of materials. Particularly, the energy transition has been adopted as a particularly relevant analytical context for an in-depth reflection on the “social nature” of materials and on how such a nature manifests itself. A theoretical analysis providing an overview of some concepts relevant for the “society and materials” issue has been proposed as well as two case studies have been presented and discussed. The two case studies concerned the Industrial Symbiosis initiative of Kalundborg (Denmark) and the sustainable neighborhood of BedZed (UK), that have been considered two anticipatory experiences of energy transition in which materials played a very important role. On this basis arguments have been provided to support the idea of a strong relationship between the continuing attribution of social meanings to materials and huge social processes like energy transition.
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L'articolo propone una riflessione sulla comunicazione scientifica e sui processi comunicativi caratteristici della produzione di nuova conoscenza e, in questo quadro, delinea il ruolo che la sociologia può offrire per una loro più... more
L'articolo propone una riflessione sulla comunicazione scientifica e sui processi comunicativi caratteristici della produzione di nuova conoscenza e, in questo quadro, delinea il ruolo che la sociologia può offrire per una loro più profonda comprensione. L' ...
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The EU funded project STARBIOS2 aims to attain structural/institutional change related to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in 6 European institutions by implementing action plans (APs) and developing APs for 3 non-European... more
The EU funded project STARBIOS2 aims to attain structural/institutional change related to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in 6 European institutions by implementing action plans (APs) and developing APs for 3 non-European institutions active in the field of biosciences; use the implementation of APs as a learning process with a view to developing a set of guidelines on the implementation of RRI; and develop a sustainable model for RRI in biosciences.
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Il Post comparse sul blog Italia 2013, che non è più in linea. Affronta il legame tra trasporti e diseguaglianze sociali, con particolare riferimento alla città di Roma. L'url originale era... more
Il Post comparse sul blog Italia 2013, che non è più in linea. Affronta il legame tra trasporti e diseguaglianze sociali, con particolare riferimento alla città di Roma. L'url originale era italia2013.org/2010/07/21/“chi-ti-guarda-i-pupi-mentre-stai-in-macchina”-ancora-su-nanourbanistica-trasporti-e-disuguaglianze-sociali-a-roma/
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Recensione al libro di Fabio Nicolucci "Sinistra e Israele" pubblicato sul blog Gazebos.it, non più in linea. L'Url inizialmente era... more
Recensione al libro di Fabio Nicolucci "Sinistra e Israele" pubblicato sul blog Gazebos.it, non più in linea. L'Url inizialmente era http://www.gazebos.it/2014/04/09/terra-e-liberta-un-libro-sul-tormentato-rapporto-tra-sinistra-e-israele.aspx
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Recensione pubblicata sul sito Italia 2013, ora non più in linea, poi ripubblicata su Eddyburg.it. L'Url iniziale era italia2013.org/2011/10/31/la-roma-di-petroselli/
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Questa recensione è stata pubblicata sul Blog Italia 2013, ormai non più in linea. Inizialmente l'Url era il seguente... more
Questa recensione è stata pubblicata sul Blog Italia 2013, ormai non più in linea. Inizialmente l'Url era il seguente italia2013.org/2012/04/02/di-che-cosa-parliamo-quando-parliamo-di-lavoro-e-di-crisi-alcune-idee-sul-libro-di-stefano-fassina/ 1/
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Recensione del libro di Vezio De Lucia pubblicata su Gazebos.it, ora non più in linea, e ripubblicata su Eddyburg.it
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Lo spopolamento delle zone centrali di Roma: un trend molto marcato, in atto da molti anni. L'analisi di Andrea Declich da redazione | 21 Nov 2016 |
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This guideline aims to help readers formalize and trigger structural change aimed at introducing appropriate RRI-related practices to their own organisations. This is not a series of prescriptions, but an itinerary of reflection and... more
This guideline aims to help readers formalize and trigger structural
change aimed at introducing appropriate RRI-related practices to
their own organisations. This is not a series of prescriptions, but an
itinerary of reflection and self-interpretation addressed to different
actors within the biosciences. To support this itinerary of reflection
and self-interpretation, the document provides...
• a description of a general RRI Model for research organisations
within the biosciences, that is a set of ideas, premises and
“principles of action” that define the practice of RRI in bioscience
research organisations,
• some practical guidance for designing interventions to promote
RRI in research organisations in the Biosciences, putting into
practice the RRI Model,
• a set of useful practices in implementing the structural change
process,
• and information on particular STARBIOS2 cases and experiences,
as well as materials, tools and sources, are also provided in the
Appendix and in the Annex.
change aimed at introducing appropriate RRI-related practices to
their own organisations. This is not a series of prescriptions, but an
itinerary of reflection and self-interpretation addressed to different
actors within the biosciences. To support this itinerary of reflection
and self-interpretation, the document provides...
• a description of a general RRI Model for research organisations
within the biosciences, that is a set of ideas, premises and
“principles of action” that define the practice of RRI in bioscience
research organisations,
• some practical guidance for designing interventions to promote
RRI in research organisations in the Biosciences, putting into
practice the RRI Model,
• a set of useful practices in implementing the structural change
process,
• and information on particular STARBIOS2 cases and experiences,
as well as materials, tools and sources, are also provided in the
Appendix and in the Annex.