Division of Responsible Innovation and Design
The social context of technologies.
We investigate how technologies appear legitimate and beneficial to society and how they are developed and applied in a socially sustainable and responsible way.
To operate in society, new technology must be both technically efficient, financially sustainable and socially legitimate. We focus on the processes through which technologies come to be legitimate and how they are developed and implemented in a socially sustainable and responsible way.
The Responsible Innovation and Design Division views technological innovation as a social process in which values, communication and practices play a key role. Our approach is both descriptive and normative: We seek to understand and analyse values and practices and their impact on technological innovation. We also engage in sustainable development and take part in responsible innovation and research in a value-based manner to the benefit of society.
We are particularly interested in controversial technologies because this is often where value issues and communication challenges are most apparent. We view them as key opportunities for learning about the deeper social embeddedness of technology – and also for improving the usefulness and legitimacy of technological development.
The division participates in interdisciplinary collaboration across many cross-cutting themes, including applied ethics, citizen participation, public communication, open innovation and user engagement in different technological domains. Individual section members have specific expertise in several domains, including bio-technology, energy and artificial intelligence.
To operate in society, new technology must be both technically efficient, financially sustainable and socially legitimate. We focus on the processes through which technologies come to be legitimate and how they are developed and implemented in a socially sustainable and responsible way.
The Responsible Innovation and Design Division views technological innovation as a social process in which values, communication and practices play a key role. Our approach is both descriptive and normative: We seek to understand and analyse values and practices and their impact on technological innovation. We also engage in sustainable development and take part in responsible innovation and research in a value-based manner to the benefit of society.
We are particularly interested in controversial technologies because this is often where value issues and communication challenges are most apparent. We view them as key opportunities for learning about the deeper social embeddedness of technology – and also for improving the usefulness and legitimacy of technological development.
The division participates in interdisciplinary collaboration across many cross-cutting themes, including applied ethics, citizen participation, public communication, open innovation and user engagement in different technological domains. Individual section members have specific expertise in several domains, including bio-technology, energy and artificial intelligence.
Contact Head of Division
Maja Horst Professor, Head of Division Phone: +45 45254851 majho@dtu.dk