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Managing Public Expectations of Technological Systems: A Case Study of a Problematic Government Project

Martin, Aaron K. and Whitley, Edgar A. (2007) Managing Public Expectations of Technological Systems: A Case Study of a Problematic Government Project. Spontaneous Generations: A Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science, 1 (1). pp. 67-77. ISSN 1913 0465

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Abstract

In this discussion piece we address how the UK government has attempted to manage public expectations of a proposed biometric identity scheme by focussing attention on the handheld, i.e., the ID card. We suggest that this strategy of expectations management seeks to downplay the complexity and uncertainty surrounding this high-technological initiative, necessitating the selective use of expertise for the purpose of furthering government objectives. In this process, government often relegates counterexpertise, if not dismissing it outright, thereby greatly politicizing the policy deliberation process. We argue that this manoeuvring by government spells trouble for both democratic deliberation on the issue of biometric identification in the UK and, more generally, expertise-based policy making in related technological ventures.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Martin, Aaron K.a.k.martin@lse.ac.uk
Whitley, Edgar A.e.a.whitley@lse.ac.uk
Keywords: expertise, technology, policy, expectation management, biometric identification
Subjects: General Issues > Science and Society
General Issues > Science and Policy
Specific Sciences > Sociology
Depositing User: Jessie Hall
Date Deposited: 17 Dec 2018 17:52
Last Modified: 17 Dec 2018 17:52
Item ID: 15463
Journal or Publication Title: Spontaneous Generations: A Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science
Publisher: The University of Toronto
Official URL: https://spontaneousgenerations.library.utoronto.ca...
DOI or Unique Handle: https://doi.org/10.4245/sponge.v1i1.2973
Subjects: General Issues > Science and Society
General Issues > Science and Policy
Specific Sciences > Sociology
Date: 8 December 2007
Page Range: pp. 67-77
Volume: 1
Number: 1
ISSN: 1913 0465
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15463

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