ITAS journal 1/2015 published

The new issue of "Technology Assessment – Theory and Practice" (TATuP) focuses on "TA as an Institutionalized Practice – Recent National Developments and Challenges".

The articles in the special issue examine the institutional conditions for successful parliamentary TA. Authors from eight countries describe national institutionalization processes. This succeeds in an unusually fresh and partially self-critical view on the own history and current challenges. General and country-specific requirements for an advisory TA are described in a comprehensive way.

The attraction to have a closer look at such institutionalization processes is the fact that each particular type of institutionalization says something about the country-specific TA-understanding. The contributions in this thematic focus show that there are still followers of the "traditional Western model of TA" on the one hand, but also a range of modified pathways towards the future on the other. But the goal remains the same: Using an institutionalized parliamentary TA scientific advice processes become more reliable, stable and transparent.

The issue also features an obituary on the sociologist Ulrich Beck by Stefan Böschen. The discussion forum gathers two contributions: "Mit grüner Biotechnologie zum größten Glück der größten Zahl?" and "Technikethische Werte im Konflikt – Das Beispiel des Körperscanners". Finally, the booklet includes conference reports, including also to the S.NET meeting, which was held in Karlsruhe 2014, book reviews and news from ITAS, TAB and the TA Network. (16.02.2015)