Another science, other technologies are possible Seminar organised by INES and WFSW
Introduction
The term science has several meanings. We will not deal here with the wealth of facts and theories that constitute the present state of scientific knowledge. The conference is about science viewed as the role and directions assigned by society to scientific research, be it basic or applied, and as the use of results from natural as well as human science.
We invite the scientific community (researchers, professors and teachers, students, engineers and technicians) and everyone else concerned with the future of scientific research and science in the society to this meeting.
The heads of the G8 member states (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America) will meet in Heiligendamm, Germany (close to Rostock, Germany) from June 8-10, 2007. The agenda of this meeting includes the issue ”Knowledge: Education, Science, Innovation, and Industrial Development”. This is a clear indication that these topics are not merely scientific but have become of great political significance. Therefore, the voices of the scientific community, citizens, activists, trade unionists, politicians are challenged and should be heard.
We believe that the role of science should not be determined by the sole decisions of a few economic superpowers. These decisions are too often presented to public opinions as the only possible ones, since they are supposedly scientifically based, but in fact, are even unable to provide solutions to the problems they claim to solve and furthermore they ignore many other problems that are crucial for the survival of mankind. We therefore believe the neoliberal orientations of the global economy and their consequences on the role science and its very future should be questioned.
We have to perform a critical analysis of the European science policy, as described in the framework program seven (FP7) of the European Commission. But we do not want to limit ourselves to a critic of the neoliberal mainstream of science policy and research. Our aim is instead to develop and discuss alternative ways, coherent with the ideas and part of a clear strategy of sustainable development, where cooperation will be preponderant over competition. The sustainable development of the society as a whole raises problems related to water supply, energy, health, safety, climate, but also to poverty, freedom of movement (impediment in rich countries to the immigration coming from poor countries), and to the brain drain. These are just a few examples. To find solutions to the great problems of humankind we need the efforts of social as well as natural scientists and their interdisciplinary work and research. This multitude of challenges and their pressing nature imposes a definite STOP to all kind of militarisation of science and society.
Facing such challenges also implies calling upon knowledge other than scientific knowledge. In a knowledge based society, the knowledge cannot be the monopoly of science. Taking into consideration the perspective of sustainable development, we have to distinguish clearly on the one hand between problems relevant at the political level and on the other hand on responses that research could be able to bring. These raises the following questions: How can the citizens’ voice be heard? How can democracy be promoted?
Berlin will be a starting point for everyone who want to take part in an a renewed analysis of the problems we face as a knowledge society with the objective of being able to act effectively in starting to address them.
Program
Thursday, May 31st 2007
9:00 Registration
10:00 Welcome (plenary); Prof. Jean-Paul Lainé, France
10:30 – 12:30 Analysis of European Science policy –
introductory speeches (plenary)
Moderator: Prof. Jean-Paul Lainé, France
1. Science policy problems in the neoliberal world: Challenge for science and scientists; Prof. Larbi Bouguerra, Tunesia
2. Science and research policies in the Lisbon Strategy; Dr. Daniel Thomas, France
3. Science and research policies in periphery European distortion between European countries:
• East and Central Europe; Prof. Gordana Jovanovic, Serbia
• South of Europe; Elies Molins-Grau, Spain
4. The situation of students and young researchers; Prof. Frederico Carvalho, Portugal; André Levy, Portugal
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch, Foyer, Glinkastrasse 5, 10117 Berlin
14:00 – 14.45 Alternatives to the current European science policy – introductory remarks to the launching of the working groups
Chair: Anique Kieffer, France
1. Militarisation of science: What it is, and how can scientists face it
Speaker: Dr. Stuart Parkinson, GB
2. Democracy in science: Who must participate in deciding what should be aim of science? How are scientists to be associated in the management of science?
Speaker: Prof. Janine Guespin, France
3. Which science and research for what society: The example of energy
Speaker: Prof. Tanay Uyar, Turkey
4. Which science and research for what society: Service publics versus privatisation of knowledge
Speaker: Dr. Seiji Yuasa, Japan
15:00 – 16.00 Working groups:
1. Student and young researcher: Formation to science without deformation of conscience
Speaker: Prof. Frederico Carvalho, Portugal and André Levy, France
Moderator: Adrian Fischer, Germany
2. Militarisation of science: What it is, and how can scientists face it
Speaker: Dr. Stuart Parkinson, GB
Moderator: Kristin Kropidlowski, Germany
3. Democracy in science: Who must participate in deciding what should be aims of science? How are scientists to be associated in the management of science?
Speaker: Prof. Janine Guespin, France
Moderator: Jean Pierre Bazin, France
4. Which science and research for what society: The example energy
Speaker: Prof. Taney Uyar, Turkey
Moderator: Prof. Claus Montonen, Finland
5. Which science and research for what society: Service publics versus privatisation of knowledge
Speaker: Dr. Seiji Yuasa, Japan
Moderator: Prof. Jean-Paul Lainé, France
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break
16:30 – 18:30 Continuation of the groups’ session
20:00 Dinner / Get together, Glinkastrasse 5, 10117 Berlin
Friday, June 1st 2007
9:30 – 10:30 Challenges to European science and research
Speaker: Dr. Diether Dehm, Member of German Parlament,
European speaker of the Left Party
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00 Presentations of working groups’ results by the Moderators
Moderators: Gordana Jovanovic, Serbia and Joachim Spangenberg, Germany
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch, Foyer, Glinkastr. 5, 10117 Berlin
14:00 – 16:00 Panel discussion: Science and research in Europe oriented to sustainability – the role of NGOs: Moderator: Prof. Eric Remarcle, Belgium
Dr. Joachim Spangenberg, Germany Prof. Tanay Uyar Turkey Prof. André Jaeglé, France NN CGT and NN GEW Prof. Valery Petrosyan, Russia
Final statement: Reiner Braun, Germany
16:30 End of seminar
Saturday, June 2nd 2007
11:00 Public event (admission free): Responsibilities of scientists in a dangerous world
Speaker: Prof. Harold Kroto, Nobel Prize Laureate Moderator: David Krieger, USA Venue: Hotel Stuttgarter Hof, Anhalterstr. 8-9, 10963 Berlin (near Potsdamer Platz), public transport: S-Bahn (S1, S2,S25) stop: Anhalter Bahnhof Map: www.berlin.de/stadtplan/map.asp?sid=64aa0e56b8329bb4b2c711325456e0ec&id=807&num=8