Which Way? Who Says? Why? Questions on the Multiple Directions of Social Progress

Accountability and neglect in UK social care innovation

“…However, not all consequences of research and innovation are positive. Nor do any benefits unfold automatically -especially if they are to be fairly distributed to those who need them most (Stirling, O'Donovan and Ayre, 2018). Innovation is the practice of developing and implementing new ideas (Freeman and Soete, 1997).…”

“…Technology's promoters are not holding up their side of the bargain. In so far as they can be called strategic, government and private sector responses can be characterised as attending to the speed and scale of innovation over its direction (Stirling, O'Donovan and Ayre, 2018). This is exemplified in the rhetorics of testing where success is measured narrowly in terms of scale-up of tests-per-day.…”

The war for the future

“…Hidden in this technocratic line of reasoning are the ways our terms of reference and debate become trapped in sequences of tokenised frameworks that neglect substantive discussion as to whether any alternative means are available. Andy Stirling (2018) recently critiques:the choices for innovation are restricted to the balancing of “risk” and “benefit” in some singular and supposedly inevitable direction for advance. Too often, the issues are reduced simplistically to a spectrum from “forging ahead” to “falling behind”, as if the direction were predetermined or self-evident.…”

“…Too often, the issues are reduced simplistically to a spectrum from “forging ahead” to “falling behind”, as if the direction were predetermined or self-evident. (Stirling, 2018: 7–8)The view of alternative fields of technological production and meaning-making helps us to recognise where power and hierarchy are situated in its construction. An increasing interest in Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and citizen science broadens the application of science according to individual or community needs.…”

“…Too often, the issues are reduced simplistically to a spectrum from “forging ahead” to “falling behind”, as if the direction were predetermined or self-evident. (Stirling, 2018: 7–8)…”