soctec 2 reviewer

8/8/2019 Soctec 2 Reviewer

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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

soctec 2 reviewer

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