2. Democracy and Technology Sclove, 1995. Democracy and Technology Available on Reserve at Mills Library –Argues that in many ways the development of technology is incompatible with democracy –Our everyday life consists of tech. choices in which we did not participate

3. Major question is “how does technology bear on democracy?” - “Should we commit ourselves to evolving such institutions and to adopting only those technologies that are compatible with democracy? Until we do, I shall argue, there can be no democracy worthy of the name.” (p9)

4. Types of Democracy “Strong democracy” – organizing society along relatively egalitarian and participatory lines “Thin democracy” – preoccupation with representative institutions, periodic elections, and competition among conflicting private interests, elites and power blocs. (p26) -Argues, our society is predominantly a thin democracy w.r.t. technological control

5. Does the public really want to be involved? When? Can the public be involved in a meaningful way?

6. The Old Order Amish An Example of Strong Democratic Control of Technology Each local Amish community: –acts collectively –asks “how would the adoption of a technology affect the community as a whole?” –innovations that would tend, on balance, to preserve the community, its religion, and its harmonious relation with nature are permitted –those that appear to threaten the community and its values are rejected –decision is reached through a process of public discussion and democratic ratification

7. Figure 12-1. Institutionalizing a Democratic Politics of Technology A.Awareness and Mobilization 1. Map local needs and resources 2. Educate, conduct social research 3. Reach out to political movements 4. Create more time for politics B. Core Activities and Institutions 5. Initiate democratic R&D and design 6. Seek civic technological empowerment 7. Strengthen democratic evaluation, choice and governance 8. Promote supportive institutions C. Supporting Macroconditions 9. Democratize corporations, bureaucracy and the state 10. Subordinate the military to democratic prerogatives 11. Evolve world political-economic relations that are more compatible with strong democracy

8. Group Project Topics 1. Corporations, Bureaucracy and the State (Sclove p. 231) 2. Patent Law and Innovation 3. Military Technology, Democracy and the Common Good (Sclove p. 232) 4. Transnational Corporations, Foreign Policy, and the World Economy (Sclove p. 235) 5. Education 6. Literature and Technological Ethics 7. Democratic Design Process and RD&D (Sclove p. 207) 8. The Rashomon Effect 9. Media and the Control of Technology 10. Impact Statements and Social Trials (Sclove p. 219) 11. Integrative Technology Assessment (Sclove p. 221) 12. Democratically Monitored RD&D (Sclove p. 209) 13. Civic Empowerment (Sclove p. 212) 14. Consensus Conference 15. Community-based Research 16. Healthy City Movement or Vision 2020 17. Alternatives 18. Neo-Luddites 19. Community-based Technology