Quo Vadis Parliamentary Technology Assessment? The Case of the Flemish Institute for Society and Technology (IST)

Since the 1980s, parliamentary technology assessment (PTA) institutes have emerged across Europe, typically with the aim of advising parliaments about the potential social, economic, and environmental implications of sciences and technologies. While until recently, these institutes appeared to have established themselves as dependable partners for policymakers, PTA is increasingly under threat from funders, as illustrated by the Danish Government’s call to disband the Danish Board of Technology and the Flemish Government’s decision to restructure the Flemish Institute Society and Technology (IST). It is hence uncertain whether these institutes will continue to fulfill their present functions as independent policy advisors and think tanks, and as catalysts for public debate. In this paper, we describe the difficulties Flemish PTA, and the IST in particular, faces today. Drawing on arguments and counterarguments to close down and/or reform the IST, we lay out envisioned futures for PTA in Flanders. From a concern with making PTA more visible and potent as a policymaking instrument, we distinguish four grand challenges PTA practitioners and advocates face: (1) increasing the public visibility of PTA; (2) ensuring the uptake of PTA ideas in science and technology discourses; (3) forging closer ties between PTA, academia, and industry; (4) inciting continuous reflection among PTA advocates about PTA aims, methods, and programs. Addressing these challenges will strengthen the PTA knowledge base and effectively align PTA with existing science governance discourses, such as responsible research and innovation, participatory science communication, and public dialogue.