Research on science, technology, and health

Research on science, technology, and the environment

General theoretical and methodological work

Research project on "Sustainable Technology, the Politics of Design, and Localism

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Sustainability, the Politics of Design, and Localism

David Hess with

Colin Beech, Rachel Dowty, Govind Gopakumar, Richard

Hernandez, and Langdon Winner

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Case Studies Available here
Local Policy Paper here

Project Summary: The emergence of "green technology" poses new choices in the politics of design, yet the choices have not yet been fully analyzed and articulated as political. As the business world moves to embrace green technology, this project explores the potential for green technology and design that is guided less by the values of profits for large corporations and more by the values of economic localism.  The term "localism" is understood as efforts to enhance local, independent control and ownership over regional economies and polities.

This project was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation through the programs on the Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology and Science and Technology Studies (SES 0425039). Four graduate students--Colin Beech, Rachel Dowty, Govind Gopakumar, and Richard Hernandez--conducted some interviews and received training as part of the project. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.