Kapitel

• FrontmatterGetzinger, Günter; Jahrbacher, Michaela; Häller, Franziska; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-00
• Countering science skepticism by means of citizen science – The ultimate solution?Heinisch, Barbara; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-01Research suggests that citizen science can improve the relationship between science and society. Citizens are involved in one or several steps in the academic research process, and sometimes also in decision-making. In addition to the effects found previously, such as increasing public understanding of science and the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and methodological skills among participants, the question still remains whether citizen science can counter science skepticism. Based on a qualitative comparative analysis of literature, the potential of citizen science to counter science skepticism is discussed. After examining the promises of citizen science and general measures to alleviate science skepticism, the role and challenges of citizen science projects are investigated along the lines of changes in attitude, psychological effects, the role of participation and the importance of (science) communication as well as the benefits for the participants. The results show that citizen science can help counter science skepticism in several respects in addition to the role of (science) communication. While these findings need to be confirmed by empirical research, they still provide a basis for the discourse on the relationship between science and society and the role of citizen science in combating science skepticism in Europe.
• Open Science? Conceptualizing Openness as an Emerging Moral Economy of ScienceKönig, Thomas; Vilain, Eric; LoTempio, Jonathan Edward; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-02In this paper we aim to address a few of the complexities that revolve around “openness” of science as an emerging moral economy of science. First, we briefly assess the current state of discussion when it comes to Open Science in the academic literature. We show that these discussions have begun a more analytical look at Open Science, yet the term remains tied to opinions and emotional response. Accordingly, we pose that a more distant perspective is needed. We establish that, since openness is the goal of Open Science, it provides a useful term for the coalescing of discussion. Indeed, this term can be used to identify an emerging moral economy within science. Then, we discuss why this is the case - the changing context, as well as the dynamics inherent in science as an enterprise. We finish this article with an initial discussion of how the use of this mode of thinking will impact science and the study of science. This positions us to consider the needs for the study of openness in science as a moral economy, the potential models which could be to assess different interpretations of openness, and finally the questions which this mode of thinking may help us ask.
• Destabilizing Auditing: Auditing artificial intelligence as care-ful socio-analogue/digital relationArora, Cheshta; Sarkar, Debarun; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-03The paper aims to highlight the emerging figure of the ‘expert auditor’ in the field of AI ethics that seeks to legitimize artificial intelligence through a technocratic solution. The paper builds on de la Bellacasa’s nonnormative notion of ‘care as a provocation’ to speculate what careful AI auditing could look like and in what ways it can allow us to destabilise normative AI auditing practices. By going back to the etymological root of ‘to audit’ to the Latin audio, i.e., to listen to, to pay attention to, we argue for a notion of auditing that's a narrow checklist solutionist notion of auditing artificial intelligence.
• A Cross-Platform Study of the Sneaker Reselling MarketBoboc, R. V.; Baciu, R.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-04Living in a platform society (van Dijck, Poell and de Waal, 2018) makes for a myriad of consequences at societal level, as well as core modifications to industries and markets. As plenty of industries are being redefined through the internet and a lot of markets become platformized, we can witness a wide array of specificities characterizing this process - be it due to local particularities or due to industry communities - which often go under-researched. The Romanian-based sneaker reselling market is an instance of a wider platformized industry, globally valued at around $6 billion. What makes this case study particularly different is how the sneaker resale industry divides a digital platform architecture (Dolata and Schrape, 2022) into where the financial activity happens - such as StockX, versus where market value is being negotiated within a heavily gatekept industry community located on Discord.
• Responsible Standardisation for a Grand Challenge? Differences across Approaches to Sequestering Carbon in SoilBrooks, Jo Ann; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-05As technologies and societies change, so too do standardisation processes. And in a world more digitally-mediated than ever, acknowledging the voices of technology users and downstream publics relative to decisions about features and capabilities of technologies is imperative (de Vries et al. 2018; Jakobs 2019). This shift can be supported by “out-of-the-box” thinking in two ways: 1) leveraging theoretical insights from disciplines beyond those focused directly on technological standardisation (de Vries et al. 2018), and 2) examining extreme cases highlighting the de facto standardisation processes that occur socially and which complement the more formalized processes of standardising specific technological innovations. This research uses both strategies: it leverages institutional perspectives from social science and examines de facto standardisation processes of diverse approaches to a societal grand challenge. The paper summarizes findings from a preliminary investigation into how different sets of stakeholders are mitigating climate change through varied approaches to soil-based sequestering of carbon. Heuristic case analysis (Vaughan 1992) highlight institutional processes of legitimation and diffusion comprising de facto standardisation processes that complement more formalized processes of standards bodies and organisations. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
• A Pathway towards Co-creating Responsible Standards for Digital Equity: A Case Study of Digitization of Women’s Transit Safety in IndiaKumari, Swati; Yadav, Raghvendra Singh; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-06It is well established that pre-existing biases of the socio-technical landscape get auto-embedded in algorithms leading to the persistent digital reproduction of social biases. Gender biases are one of the most prominent categories of existing biases in digital technologies. Gender biases are clearly reflected in the algorithms used in reproductive technologies, health technologies, employment and marketing platforms. This paper suggests the intervention before formulating logic for algorithms. In this context, the primary objective of this research paper is to provide a methodological pathway for responsible co-creation of the standards for gender equity in digital technologies. The research paper seeks to answer the question of how to co-create inclusive responsible standards of gender equity for the digitization process. To address the research question, the paper utilizes both primary and secondary data. Primary data is taken from the field survey done in Delhi, as a part of a larger project on women’s safety in transportation. The survey was designed by using a modified Responsible Research and Innovation Framework. The survey has used a mixed-method participatory approach, where qualitative methods included, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and quantitative methods included statistical modeling using SPSS software. The universe of the field survey was women commuters of Delhi, belonging to different ages, classes, educational backgrounds, reproductive cycle stages, and locations. The paper provides a pathway for harmonious intersectional reconciliation of diverging interests for responsible standards of women’s transit safety.
• Info-slide education and ‘Trojan journalism’ Encouraging young people's political participation on social mediaMalli, Gabriel; Gutounig, Robert; Goldgruber, Eva; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-07In conceptions of deliberative democracy, journalism is considered to play a crucial role in facilitating political participation. As social media platforms have become a preferred space for young people to inform and express themselves politically, journalistic actors are forced to use these spaces to reach young audiences and encourage participation. This study examines two journalistic social media accounts—die_chefredaktion on Instagram and wien.stabil on TikTok— that are dedicated to political reporting for young audiences. Through qualitative content analysis, recurring formats, topics and mediation styles were identified that target younger audiences beyond traditional media channels. The analysis reveals two mediation models used by these accounts, influenced by the conventions of the platforms. Die_chefredaktion makes young people's subjective concerns about current political issues the starting point for critical debates. ‘Info-slides’ and explanatory videos are intended to enable the audience to identify with and show solidarity with those affected by social problems. Special attention is given to the problems of (post-)migrant youth, which is also reflected in the diversity of the reporters. Instead, wien.stabil adopts a more indirect ‘Trojan journalism’ approach by embedding short journalistic videos within entertaining content, subtly encouraging political participation. An analysis of their formats and styles shows how they use different approaches to raise political awareness among their audiences.
• Pragmatic data craft: Conceptions of skillful data journalism between journalist values, scientific approaches, and economic boundariesMalli, Gabriel; Radkohl, Sonja; Goldgruber, Eva; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-08Embedded in societal trends of datafication, data journalism is an emerging journalistic sector that has attracted attention in media studies. While previous research has often focused on workflows, practices and routines in data journalism, this paper investigates how data journalists position themselves in the field. Based on material from ten interviews with data journalists in the German-speaking world, I have identified knowledge forms, ideals and skills that the interviewees consider crucial for becoming a "good" data journalist. Data journalism is often associated with the ideal of a scientific way of doing journalism, with an investigative and emancipatory potential. At the same time, interviewees suggest that the work of data journalists is constrained by the economic pressures of the media industry. As interview partners indicate, navigating these tensions requires skills: In addition to general journalistic skills, interviewees stress the importance of skills related to the generation, selection and preparation of numerical (raw) data. Secondly, they mention the importance of analytical competences in transforming data into processed information. Finally, digital skills in presentation, visualisation and design are seen as essential for transforming technical information into stories that can be understood by general audiences. Although individual specialisations emerge, there is a common emphasis on applied technical knowledge: Pragmatic problem-solving competences in computer-assisted manipulation, analysis and presentation of data are at the heart of skilled data journalism. To be effective in a competitive environment, such capabilities are acquired autodidactically through learning-by-doing processes in a continuous sequence of interactions with digital tools.
• Metaverse. Old urban issues in new virtual citiesSanchez, Luis Martin; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-09Recent years have seen the arise of so me early attempts to build virtual cities, utopias or affective dystopias in an embodied Internet, which in some respects appear to be the ultimate expression of the neoliberal city paradigma (even if virtual). Although there is an extensive disciplinary l iterature on the relationship between planning and virtual or augmented reality linked mainly to the gaming industry, this often avoids design and value issues. The observation of some of these early experiences Decentraland, Minecraft, Liberland Metaver se, to name a few poses important questions and problems that are gradually becoming inescapable for designers and urban planners, and allows us to make some partial considerations on the risks and potentialities of these early virtual cities.
• Ethics Assessment of R&D Supported by StandardisationMijatović, I.; Kićanović, A.; Tošić, B.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-10Standardisation and standards can be valuable tools for valorisation, commercialisation, and subsequent use of research and development (R&D) results. Furthermore, standards can help researchers in their research in multiple ways, e.g., by preventing them from reinventing the wheel. Most researchers are not familiar with standardisation and rarely use standards in their research projects. How do researchers perceive standards and standardisation? The study aims to analyse researchers’ experience with defining the ethical aspects of their research projects (as well as their project proposals) and the perceived usefulness of the framework provided in CWA 17145-1 and CWA 17145-2. Study participants are experienced researchers in writing project proposals and have no experience with standards and related documents. The data collection is based on two-step semi-structured interviews. First, the study explores the researchers’ experiences and attitudes on common basic ethical principles, approaches, and practices used by EU-funded R&D projects. In the next step, we inform the study participants about the framework for the ethics assessment of R&D and provide them with documents: CEN/CENELEC Workshop Agreements (CWAs) – CWA 17145-1 and CWA 17145-2. Using a second semi-structured interview, we collect data on researchers’ perceptions. The study results provide insight into researchers’ perceptions of the usefulness of the CWAs and the framework and their attitudes toward standards (and related documents) and standardisation.
• Digital Transformation: How Management Consultancies Frame It?Ninan, Anup Sam; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-11Digital transformation is a process and outcome that comprises of an assemblage of actors, practices, and technologies, each possibly with diverse interpretations and expectations. Premised on the actor-network theory (ANT) methodological orientation of tracing and studying the actions and enactments of actors within a network of interrelations, this article is a cursory glance at the conceptualization of digital transformation by management consultants/ consultancies, who are significant but relatively unexplored actants within the ongoing digital technology transitions. To study how management consultancies frame digital transformation, this work situates two distinct strands of scientific literature. Firstly, it makes an overview of the contemporary discussions on what constitutes digital transformation. Secondly, it explores the progressively increasing role that management consulting firms play in the realm of public and private organizations, which, in turn, deeply transform organizational and social ordering. From this vantage point, the paper empirically investigates the advisory prescriptions proposed by big consultancy firms in the field of digital transformation, based on qualitative document analysis of publications, reports and whitepapers brought out by some of the leading management consultancies. Digital transformation is pervasive and disruptive in the domains of technology, economy, society, and politics. However, it appears that management consultancies, while providing guidance to both private and public organizations, have a constricted perspective on digital transformation, primarily viewing it as a form of business innovation. Thereby, they externalize some of the quite profound implications of digital transformation as illustrated in the case of predictive policing implemented in several smart cities.
• Belonging as a Relevant Success Factor for E-Government?Preiß, R.; Zetti, D.; Herzog, C.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-12This contribution addresses citizen’s expectations towards e-government. Based on an interview study, we argue that meeting expectations in e-government can contribute to a sense of belonging. Repeated references to types of mutual reliability articulate this belonging. Our findings are based on guided interviews with German citizens who have experienced administrative interaction in the past 12 months. The interview data indicate that the requirements for digital and analogue administrative procedures differ. In digital spaces, the aspects of transparency, efficiency, and safety are more pronounced. In contrast, analogue administrative procedures are often characterised by the interviewees as helping with weighing decisions for individual cases and the opportunity to ask unstructured questions. The interviews further indicate that trust, obligations, and reciprocity play decisive roles in the socio-technical negotiation processes between citizens and the administration. Citizens must communicate case-specific data correctly and completely, while authorities are obliged to handle processes properly and responsibly. This exchange gives rise to mutual dependencies, which, in turn, lead to implicit expectations of the other party. The respective counterparts should reciprocate in terms of the swiftness by which data can be entered or processed digitally. For citizens, an accelerated way of submitting digital forms appears to imply accelerated administrative procedures. Our research suggests that, in addition to perceived added value, flexible online and offline administrative procedures and transparent processes, e.g., in terms of processes and contacts within the administration, as well as the specifics of data sharing, can be decisive success factors for e-government.
• Knowing in Algorithmic Regimes: Insights from a Roundtable Discussion on Methods, Interactions and PoliticsPrietl, Bianca; Büchner, Stefanie; Jarke, Juliane; Kinder-Kurlanda, Katharina; Poechhacker, Nikolaus; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-13This paper reports on a roundtable discussion that reflected upon the analytically productive moments of working with the concept of “algorithmic regimes” when studying the methodological, epistemological and political implications of the rise of algorithms in and for knowledge production, sense making and decision-making in contemporary societies. Focusing on knowledge and knowing, the concept of “algorithmic regimes” draws our attention beyond the mere technical nature of algorithms by acknowledging the complex and partly ambiguous entanglements of algorithmic systems as material-semiotic apparatuses with social, political, cultural and economic elements of society. Examples from our own research demonstrate the versatility of the concept of “algorithmic regimes” for studying (1) the methods to research and design (better) algorithmic systems, (2) the ways interactions become re-configured within algorithmic regimes and (3) the politics ingrained in algorithmic regimes. Analysing algorithmic regimes can then provide understanding for shaping desirable sociotechnical futures.
• Online Political Participation by Fridays For Future GrazRadkohl, Sonja; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-14Fridays For Future (FFF) is one of the most successful social movements when it comes to motivating young people worldwide to participate in protest actions. In this regard, they effectively reach their target groups through digital platforms, where they spread knowledge about climate change and connect with allies. Behind the scenes, however, the organizational teams are small. The active members often have to take on many tasks simultaneously. To better distribute this workload, FFF faces the necessity to motivate further young people not only to demonstrate but also to engage in organizational tasks. Against this background, I explore different possibilities to support the organizational teams of FFF based on a case study of FFF in Graz, Austria. I started my fieldwork with ethnographic observations and informal conversations at demonstrations and networking meetings. There, I came into close contact with the social media and communication teams of FFF in Graz. We (the communication teams and I) developed the next steps of our joint research in two workshops. Using methods from the field of content strategy (mainly card sorting), we discussed which topics or challenges were most relevant to them. It has become apparent that, above all, researching their existing and reaching new target groups is an important issue. As a result, we developed approaches for researching current and thinking strategically about future target groups. I will summarize the most important opportunities for action in research and further pathways in this paper.
• Data Journalism Training – Data & Visualisation ChallengesRadkohl, Sonja; Goldgruber, Eva; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-15Within the last years, an increasing use of data in journalism can be observed which is linked to the general datafication of society and the digital transformation of journalism. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the competencies to successfully process, interpret and evaluate complex data and data visualisations have gained significance. This societal need to address a large-scale pandemic journalistically has led to an increased use of data stories. Despite a growing need for data journalism skills, the field lacks standardized education or a defined skill set. Training programmes are emerging, and this paper focuses specifically on the challenges that arise when such new offerings are created. We conducted 10 interviews with data journalism trainers in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland (fall 2020 till spring 2021). Results indicate that among trainers working with data is seen as more challenging than designing and interpreting visualisations. Most challenges emerge at the very beginning. For instance, it is demanding for participants to understand and find a story in a data set, or to clean and process data. In addition, visualisations bring about their own challenges: They are often underestimated, as journalists expect quick solutions whereas the reality is much more complex and comprehending. Overall, we see a great variety of needs and goals within data journalism training, ranging from simple challenges to complex tasks. Those are highly dependent on the usage of certain analytics methods and visualisation types. Therefore, in the training context sensitivity is mandatory to make a relevant contribution to the field.
• In- and Exclusion in Online MeetingsReidl, S.; Greithanner, J.; Beranek, S.; Schiffbänker, H.; Schneider, A.; Sellitsch, D.; Regal, G.; Meirer, Monika; Schlager, Jenny; Anzengruber-Tanase, Flavia; Hartmann, Robert; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-16The climate crisis and COVID-19 restrictions have boosted online meetings. To promote sustainability, it is crucial to continue using this form of communication post-pandemic, reducing traffic and pollution. However, online meeting technologies must ensure inclusion and belonging. Virtual communication offers advantages, facilitating participation for people with limited mobility and encouraging shy individuals to engage. Yet, it can also worsen inequalities: women may be overlooked, collectivized cultures may communicate less openly, and language barriers may increase for non-native speakers. Age and education level also affect technology receptiveness. In the FEMtech project FairCom, we examined inclusion and exclusion in online meetings and sought to enhance their inclusivity through a user-centered approach. We selected diverse teams from work, education, and leisure contexts and observed their meetings. Through questionnaires and interviews with facilitators and team members, we explored usage patterns, exclusion mechanisms, challenges, and improvement wishes. Our findings on user needs and exclusion mechanisms confirm inequalities in online meetings. Women, TIN and younger participants find it difficult to engage in online meetings. Accordingly, speaking times are very unevenly distributed, with men and older people taking up significantly more space. This is reinforced by the moderation. Using a Laptop or PC instead of a mobile phone and activate the camera can support participation, but hardware equipment depends on economic resources. The results of the needs assessment were brought into co-creation workshops by means of personas and user-scenarios, which developed ideas for solutions on fair speaking time, non-verbal feedback to the moderator and visibility of diversity.
• On the Importance of the Plaza: Political Participation of Young Skateboarders in a Digital SocietySackl-Sharif, S.; Maric, M.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-17Since April 2014, a so-called skateboard trick ban has been in effect in Graz, Austria, which allows skateboarding but prohibits leaving the asphalt with tricks or jumps. As a reaction, an urban social movement formed to protest the ban. This paper examines the political participation of the skateboarding community and its allies in Graz, focusing on their hybrid protest actions in digital and public spaces. Using a participatory research approach, a skateboarder and a sociologist jointly discuss the diverse perspectives of skateboarders on political participation and the significance of social media for the protest. The (co-)researchers analysed the digital platforms of a skateboard club, online content from political parties, and media coverage of the skateboard trick ban. Besides, they conducted participant observations in public spaces and interviews with young skateboarders. The analyses indicate that in addition to active political participation in the form of protest actions, some skateboarders expressed their protest through inaction and ignored the skateboarding ban. Despite the threat of fines, they continued to skate on their plazas and developed strategies to avoid being detected by the police. Social media played a central role in connection with the local skateboard club. They were not only used for sharing information or networking with allies but also for political protests in a narrower sense, e.g., for organizing an online protest song contest.
• Dynamic Topic Modeling of Video and Audio ContributionsStöckl, A.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-18This paper shows how topics and their temporal evolution in audio and video broadcasts can be analyzed and visualized automated. For this purpose, Deep Learning systems such as "OpenAI Whisper" and "GPT3" are used to transcribe the audio data and extract the essential content per broadcast. The "BERTopic" method (Grootendorst, M. 2022) is used for dynamic topic modeling. The result is clusters of content ("topics") that are described and visualized using scatter plots, word clouds, and line charts. The method solves problems of topic modeling and enables the automated analysis of large amounts of data. A software prototype was developed that combines the sub-models and enables the analysis. The method is demonstrated using the example of Austrian TV channel ServusTV's weekly commentary "Der Wegscheider" over a period of more than four years (2018-2022). It is shown that migration, "mainstream media," and the Covid-19 pandemic are dominant topics. The time trend analysis illustrates how the COVID-19 pandemic increasingly crowded out the other topics from mid-2019. This method demonstrates how AI can be applied to journalistic work to enable the analysis and visualization of large data sets.
• Co-creative Twinning: Participatory Practices and the Emergence of Ownership in Digital Urban TwinsRosa, Thoneick ; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-19This paper presents a unique case study of co creative modelling in a digital urban twin, exploring the inclusion of diverse concerns, stakeholders, and practice s in the building of a complex socio technical system. It does so by employing a co creative methodology for modelling complex socio ecological processes in the Connected Urban Twins Project ( Hamburg. The methodology involves early engagement of stake holders during problem formation and collaboration through a series of co creation workshops. Through the examination of this collaborative effort, this research aims to describe the relevant factors and practices associated with co creative twinning, part icularly in the context of engaging diverse stakeholders in building socio technical systems. By analysing this process, valuable insights and lessons will be derived for twinning experts seeking to involve citizens and other stakeholders in their twinning projects. Furthermore, this research critically reflects on the emerging interactions and outcomes of the twinning process, discussing the feasibility of the methodology in terms of enhancing transparency, building trust, reconfiguring knowledge and stake holders in digital urban twins, as well as supporting collective decision making and ownership. In order to support twinning experts in co creative efforts, the research derives lessons learned suitable for involving diverse stakeholders in co creative twi nning efforts.
• Sustainability expectations towards Artificial Intelligence in the energy and mobility sectorWagner, Josephin; Rohde, Friederike; Schmelzle, Frieder; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-20The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is associated with narratives and visions of the future that claim to reduce complexity through predictability. Especially when it comes to the energy and mobility sector, the increased possibilities to analyse huge amounts of Data are said to enhance "objectivity, precision, predictability, and consistency in decision-making" (Vandycke & Irungu 2021). Futures studies have shown how visions, expectations or imaginaries are shaping scientific and technological developments (van Lente and Rip 1998) and seek to manage complexity and uncertainty (Beckert 2016). The multiple and contested future visions around AI (Barais & Katzenbach 2022) provide rich insights into the role of distinct orientations towards the future (Beck et. al) and how they are shaping what developments are considered relevant and urgent, possible, or inevitable. Our contribution is centered around two research questions: First, which expectations towards the future are voiced by which actors concerning the use of AI in the energy and mobility sector? And second, how do respective narratives of AI futures envision solutions for sector-specific sustainability challenges? Our contribution is based on two case studies containing document analyses and interviews. For the energy sector we investigated which promises are associated with the use of AI in the smart grid, with the focus on the integration of renewable energies. For the mobility sector, we investigated the role attributed to AI-based autonomous and connected driving in the context of the mobility transition, using the example of autonomous minibuses in rural areas. We find that AI futures envisioned for the energy sector have a clear orientation towards climate protection goals while those for (rural) mobility sector lack a clear orientation in this regard.
• Kincentric Ecology and the Energy Transition; Achieving Net Zero Carbon Suggests Mainstreaming Nature ConnectednessWalwyn, D.R.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-21The implementation of low carbon energy systems is of utmost importance to maintaining stable ecosystems and avoiding extreme climate change. However, many countries are failing to meet their emissions targets, global emissions of carbon dioxide have reached record levels and there is little evidence that the multiple ‘climate action’ resolutions are having any impact. The main proposition of this paper is that a partial cause of the environmental crisis is the construction of the human/nature or nature/society dualism. Alternatives to this dualism, broadly categorized as kincentricity, have existed historically, including Ukama, Sumak kawsa, Pachamama and iwı´gara, and are common to many indigenous cultures. These historical antecedents are reviewed and arranged according to a typology based on secular/spiritual vs. anthropocentric/ ecocentric. It is argued that the adoption of new meta-rule which reshapes the nature/society relationship and places kincentricity as a normative perspective through which future decisions on energy technologies and systems will be made, can play an important role in breaking the present destructive trajectory of the energy sector. The attainment of net zero carbon is not ultimately a technological change, it is a value-based transformation that invites the mainstreaming of kincentric ecology. The paper concludes with suggestions for further research, including the development of kincentricity indicators, and pedagogies for raising awareness of nature connectedness through the process of naturing.
• Getting Closer to Gender Equality in Research Performing Organisations through Gender Equality Plans?Addabbo, Tindara; Cois, Ester; Picardi, Ilenia; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-22To what extent Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) can get Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) closer to gender equality and how to detect whether their actions could really be able to make a difference in creating a gender equal environment? And what are the factors affecting the spread of GEPs and enhancing their transformative power? These are the key questions that this paper tries to address with a focus on Italy, a country that on one hand is characterized by higher gender inequalities than on average EU-27 countries and by a relevant gender gap at the disadvantage of women in the higher level of academic career, while on the other hand sees an increasing effort by the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) and the National Conference of Equal Opportunities Bodies of Italian Universities (COUNIPAR) to support with guidelines and training the universities’ path towards gender equality. Specific cases of RPOs’ GEPs located in different areas of Italy that are characterized by different levels of gender inequality are also analysed, to show how actions are tailored to the context and are consistent with the gender equality objectives already expressed by their Strategic Plan, reinforcing them and providing the framework for a real change.
• Gazing Feminization and Masculinization through Image Engagement and Deployment during Hormone Treatment of Trans* Persons: Approaching Images in an STS Case-StudyGahbauer, S.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-23When investigating hormone treatment, images are not only used in order to deliver a visible proof for research findings in medical publications, they are rather a central site where different states of trans* as well as practices of feminization and masculinization are materially enacted. Using and spreading images that come from MRI and PET brain scans, from scientific and popular image databases is a crucial practice when publishing scientific research results on hormone treatment, be it in scientific or in popular media. Images do not only make something visible but rather contribute to how we talk about trans* persons and practices of change, be it a feminization or a masculinization during hormone treatment. Tracing these images through different media I will also be careful about the possibility of enacting hybrid formations while presenting research on trans* persons. The research material was collected between 2016 and 2023: it consists of images (and other modes) in research articles- published in scientific journals and in popular media, and of (problem-centered) interview data as well as of data produced during my interactive conference talk in the session “queer fiction and technologies”. For the purpose of this paper, I will introduce three analytical and methodological steps that I conducted during my investigations. The latter covers research on the image itself (compositional analysis), on images and other modes (multimodal analysis) and interactive research on images. The results showed that medical images on trans* persons do hardly travel beyond the scientific realm throughout the case whereas popular images open spaces for interpretative flexibility in different informed groups. Talking about images turned out to be a valuable tool for the validation of single image analysis.
• How to Turn Words into Action? Status of the Implementation of Intersectionality in Gender Equality Work in German Research OrganizationsPusch, Corinna; Weber, Ulla; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-24In May 2022, the team of the Central Gender Equality Officer of the Max Planck Society conducted a survey among German research organizations to determine the state of implementing intersectional approaches in their gender equality strategies. This article gives an overview of the results of the survey to ascertain what is needed to drive the implementation of intersectional gender equality strategies in the German scientific landscape a decisive step forward. The results show that there are single pioneer organizations that provide convincing examples of good practice. Apart from that, the concept hardly seems to be implemented in practice. Above all, it becomes clear that the concept of intersectionality is characterized by mystification, misunderstandings and a mismatch of requirements and resources available to gender equality agents. After contrasting these difficulties with the strategies used in good practice from pioneer organizations, we make suggestions for alternative approaches on how to overcome the concrete challenges observed in the survey. As a conclusion we suggest counteracting the overburdening of gender equality agents by de-mystifying the concept, understanding it as an analytical tool more than a completely new strategy and pursuing a gradual change based on a further professionalization of intersectional gender equality work - and above all by working together to ensure the necessary resources for this professional work.
• Care or Self-Care - Minority Women in CyclingReljan-Delaney, M.; Wood, J.; Taylor, A.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-25The gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequalities in active travel are well documented (Lam, 2022). Recent macro-studies (Goel, Goodman, et al., 2022; Goel, Oyebode, et al., 2022a) on gender and active travel show the widespread gender inequality and highlight the existing disparity in the cycling uptake by women in countries with a low cycling modal share, like London. While studies exploring aspects of cycling have seen a marked increase in the last two decades (Pucher and Buehler, 2017) there is a conspicuous lack of literature on sub-groups such as ethnic minority cyclists and especially ethnic minority women. This work seeks to illuminate mobility and the role of visualization in uncovering hidden powers and unseen realities of female ethnic minorities and answer the question: “Can visualizing and digitizing the cycling movement, combined with qualitative methods help us uncover the cycling context of ethnic minorities women that use bicycles and gain new insights into context of and their relationship with cycling?”. It is doing that by developing a visual presentation method tailored to enable maximum exploration of the individual, recorded journeys. The aim of the paper is to present the method and to demonstrate its ability to extract new insights. The importance of the work lies in the fact that we need a better understanding of realities of female mobility in order to inform future work on urban development and the promotion of cycling. By focusing on the specific sub-group, Muslim and BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) women cyclists, this work aims to get away from dominant voices and representations and reach the invisible and overlooked. To achieve this, I worked with a small group of ethnic minority women, who kept a diary of their cycling experience and used a GPS tracker for logging their cycling over a period of two weeks. The data they collected was presented back to them as an interactive individual data notebook that contained visual modelling of their journeys and the diary prompts. This combination of technology, visualization, and a qualitative approach has revealed that contrary to expectations, the way women move in their environment has been misunderstood as it primarily serves as a means of self-care and not care for others. 445 This empirical work presents a new framing for considering the way female cyclists use their environment and what this environment needs to offer. It is giving a voice to the growing and vibrant cycling undercurrent of ethnic minority women in active travel as well as engaging the citizens-action groups that are supporting mobility (r)evolution.
• Who Trusts Automated Vehicles? Investigating Tensions in Automated Driving Imaginaries.Zenkl, T.; Griesbacher, M.; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-26The ongoing automatization of driving tasks is accompanied by manifold imaginations of future mobilities and corresponding expectations and concerns, that shape acceptance and foster (or hinder) trust. Although road registration of automated vehicles has repeatedly been postponed into undefined futures, the formation of trust, we argue, is already being shaped by anticipating their prospective affordances, which are based upon discourses around automatization in general as well as societal problems and possibilities associated with and arising from automated driving technologies. Our research points out that expected benefits of automated driving systems (ADS) are distributed unequally within societal groups, reinforcing notions of digital inequalities. As a key explaining factor, we discuss the role of technology affinity for the future adoption of new technologies and reveal the prevalent “tensions” of anticipated imaginaries that drive today’s expectations towards ADS: A notion of an algorithmically established “posthuman security” that guarantees safety by eradicating human error and the simultaneous perception of automations “overstepping” their legitimate algorithmic autonomy at the expense of human agency.
• From the edge to the core: Participatory food environment research in European citiesCzeglédi, Alexandra; Kopczynska, Ewa; Peltola, Taru; Seppälä, Tuija; Pózner, Vanda; Szakál, Diana; Steinwender, David; Karner, Sandra; Kaljonen, Minna; Oinonen, Iikka; Hey, Maya; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-27On the concept of participatory food environment research in European cities, this paper provides a critical overview of current four research processes presented at the STS Graz conference. By adopting an interpretative perspective on the food environment definition and research methodologies in the food research field, this article is looking beyond the purely material and market-based framing of food environment. Rather, we argue, local food environment should be examined from a combined, material, normative and emotional perspectives. Alternative and informal practices such as subsistence farming and gardening, food exchange, food sharing and other forms of food circulation outside the market should be included in a critical research agenda. We have found it essential to include critical and participatory research projects that put the experiences of marginalised groups and communities at the centre of the debate: how to conduct socially just and meaningful research on food environments? How to make the research process inclusive? And how to apply the photo-voice methodology in marginalised settings? Four presentations of the session explored specific food environments and community experiences in different European cities from Austria, Finland, Hungary and Poland. The first part of this paper briefly introduces the theoretical and methodological approach to food environment and the four cases unfolding in localised settings. The second part reflects discussions from the interactive session of the conference session on how (1) to design inclusive research processes and (2) what ways photo-voice methodologies can be adopted in the context of food environment research.
• Social inclusion through a ‘SuperCoop’? Addressing exclusion by organisational innovation in alternative food provision schemesSteinwender, David; Exner, Andreas; Karner, Sandra; Raith, Dirk; Fitzka, Linda; 10.3217/978-3-85125-976-6-28Over the past years, in Graz (Austria), like in many other urban areas with a traditional agrarian hinterland, a variety of market- and community-based alternative food networks (AFN) have been established, including farmers’ markets, box schemes, food coops, community supported agriculture initiatives (CSAs) and community-owned grocery stores. Given their overarching objective to sidestep conventional trade and market relations, both food activists and academics have seen a potential in AFN to transform food systems to become more democratic, socially just and ecologically sustainable. At the same time, it has been an open secret ever since that AFNs are still quite socially exclusive, appealing mainly to people that are relatively well-educated, well-informed and/or particularly well-off. In short, on the one hand, AFN members and customers have a relatively discerning and demanding idea of ‘good food’ and they can afford it. Low-income consumers or people with migrant backgrounds, on the other hand, are clearly underrepresented in AFN, whatever the form. This can be attributed to multiple and interlinked causes, which the authors have been exploring through various methods primarily in the context of two research projects: the first, ‘Climate-friendly local supply in the Triester district”, focussed on the accessibility and possible improvements of a farmers’ market; in ‘CoopsForFood’ barriers to access to ‘good food’, in particular to participating in AFNs have been further explored to develop suggestions on how to foster social inclusion in food provision. To this end, the model of a multi-level AFN cooperative (‘SuperCoop’) was developed, connecting the concepts of food hub and multi-stakeholder cooperative – with a clear focus on how to eventually implement it in practice. The starting point of this effort was the identification of those dimensions that currently prevent (or abhor) people from getting their food from AFN. The discussion of these ‘factors of exclusion’ (or inclusion) on different dimensions is at the core of the present paper.