This volume gathers a premier group of scholars and practitioners to address cutting-edge dilemmas of "responsible policy engagement". They reflect on their own experiences and provide guidance on how to constructively communicate with policymakers while also being transparent about the uncertainty and subtleties of the research process.
Science has the potential to do much good. But it can also be misused and cause harm. How can researchers become aware of the risks and share their insights responsibly? This volume gathers a premier group of scholars and practitioners to address cutting-edge dilemmas of responsible policy engagement. The authors reflect on their own experiences and provide guidance on how to constructively communicate with policymakers - while also being transparent about the uncertainty and subtleties of the research process.
The case studies cover tricky policy engagements on topics ranging from postconflict power-sharing, atrocities prevention, NATO enlargement, economic crises, and business and human rights to counterinsurgency and state-building, census data and polling, and intelligence analysis. To avoid pitfalls, the analyses offer a mix of ethical principles and practical advice, including setting cautionary ethical redlines, reflecting on one's position and values, and describing areas of consensus and degrees of uncertainty.
Speaking Science to Power uncovers the temptations scholars may face to share particular results, overgeneralize findings, conceal uncertainty, or curry favor with policymakers, and then urges them to act responsibly.
Recenzijos
This terrific group of academics provides reflections on the decisions they made when facing a range of ethical dilemmas while conducting research and communicating findings. Scholars who seek to reach broad policy and public audiences and ensure they are pursuing responsible engagement will find this book indispensable. * James Goldgeier, Professor, American University School of International Service Senior Adviser, Bridging the Gap * This volume presents actionable advice for researchers to engage in reflection, deliberation, and careful practice when communicating with policymakers. It should serve as required reading for all social scientists as part of training in responsible conduct of research. * Simine Vazire, Professor, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne * Epstein and Kaplan have collected incredibly valuable perspectives on the seemingly contradictory demands of science and democracy. The book provides insight into the complexities of responsible policy engagement and will be of great value to any expert jumping into the fray of policy and politics. I plan to use it in my graduate seminars on science policy. Highly recommended. * Roger Pielke, Jr., Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder * This is a book that should become core reading for all PhD students and early career researchers And yet to define this collection as being solely focused on professional skills and the practicalities of policy engagement would represent a gross misreading of its content and relevance. Speaking Science to Power makes several intellectual contributions in relation to deepening our understanding of the "science-of-science," "metascience," and the emerging field of "impact evaluation studies". * Matthew Flinders, Perspectives on Politics * It will serve as a refreshing addition to graduate-level research and professional ethics courses. * Z. Albertson, Choice *
Preface & Acknowledgments
1: Rachel A. Epstein and Oliver Kaplan: Responsible Policy Engagement: A New
Imperative for Social Scientists
2: Jason Lyall: Preregister Your Ethical Redlines: Vulnerable Populations,
Policy Engagement, and the Perils of E-Hacking
3: Tricia D. Olsen: Sharing Unpopular Findings: When Academic Research
Challenges Policy Efforts
4: Timothy D. Sisk: Coping with Conflicting Claims: Ethnic Power Sharing for
Sustainable Peace?
5: Oliver Kaplan: Partnered Policy Engagement: Positionality and the Ethics
of Collaborating with Civil-Society Organizations
6: George F. DeMartino: Should Economists Deceive? Prosocial Lying,
Paternalism, and the
Rachel A. Epstein is a Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. Her research focuses on international political economy, financial crises and reform, international security, and the role of international organizations in eliciting compliance from target states and states-in-transition. She has held several postdoctoral fellowships at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy and was also an Advanced Postdoctoral Fellow at the Freie Universität in Berlin in 2016.
Oliver Kaplan is an Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. He is the author of the book, Resisting War: How Communities Protect Themselves (Cambridge University Press, 2017). Kaplan has also published articles on the conflict-related effects of land reforms, ex-combatant reintegration and recidivism, and research ethics. Kaplan was a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow at the US Institute of Peace and a postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University and at Stanford University.
