Exploring Paths for Epistemic Diversity in Transformative Innovation Policy

• In Event: Towards Sustainability - II: Exploring Paths for Transformative Socio-technical Change in the Bioeconomy and Natural Resources Management (Agriculture, Aquaculture and Food Production)

Abstract

Recent scholar (and institutional entrepreneurial work) on STI policy has turn to the question about how to tackle grand challenges (Schot & Steinmueller, 2018). Transformative Innovation Policy has been proposed as a plausible frame, the multi-level perspective MLP playing a role as its core heuristic (Grin, Rotmans, & Schot, 2010; Schot & Steinmueller, 2016). Some scholars have already addressed MLP shortcomings to tackle volatile landscapes of global south regarding, for example, its exclusive institutional dynamics (e.g. Ramos-Mejía, Franco-Garcia, & Jauregui-Becker, 2017).

Some more needs to be done in order to address global south diverse multicultural background. This paper adds to this thread, addressing Epistemic Diversity. The paper discusses possible ways in which other knowledges should be understood to play a role in transformative innovation policy. Rather than following the implied assumption that other knowledges behave as niches in the MLP, we argue that the inclusion of other knowledges actually requires understanding of diverse socio-technical assumptions, patterns and pathways.

The paper builds on this idea, creating a parallel socio-technical system, inspired by decolonial thought (Castro-Gómez & Grosfoguel, 2007; Grosfoguel, 2007). Then we use assorted cases to infer the ways such socio-technical system relates to MLP techno-scientific model. Patterns of conflict, coexistence, resistance and utilization are shown to perform in the encounter between socio-technical systems. We suggest these should be taken into account to better leverage transitions towards sustainability in epistemicly diverse settings.


Castro-Gómez, Santiago, & Grosfoguel, Ramón. (2007). El giro decolonial: reflexiones para una diversidad epistémica más allá del capitalismo global. Bogotá: Siglo del Hombre Editores; Universidad Central, Instituto de Estudios Sociales Contemporáneos y Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Instituto Pensar.
Grin, J. , Rotmans, J., & Schot, J. (2010). Transitions to sustainable development: new directions in the study of long term transformative change (Vol. 1). London and New York: Routledge.
Grosfoguel, Ramón. (2007). The epistemic decolonial turn: Beyond political-economy paradigms. Cultural studies, 21(2-3), 211-223.
Ramos-Mejía, Mónica, Franco-Garcia, Maria-Laura, & Jauregui-Becker, Juan M. (2017). Sustainability transitions in the developing world: Challenges of socio-technical transformations unfolding in contexts of poverty. Environmental Science & Policy. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.03.010
Schot, Johan, & Steinmueller, Ed. (2016). Framing innovation policy for transformative change: Innovation policy 3.0. SPRU Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex: Brighton, UK.
Schot, Johan, & Steinmueller, W Edward. (2018). Three frames for innovation policy: R&D, systems of innovation and transformative change. Research Policy, 47(9), 1554-1567.

Author

• Alejandro Balanzó, Universidad Externado de Colombia