Webinar: Tackling wicked problems through post-normal and transition science

I came across post-normal science during my PhD work and it is a core part of my understanding of why communities and other non-expert stakeholders need to be involved in HIA.


I have an old poster which shows how I think post-normal science links to HIA (including the image above). Click here to download it.


You can join the webinar by clicking here.

Thursday, February 24, 2011   5:00 pm   Western European Time (London, GMT)   9:00 am   Pacific Standard Time (San Francisco, GMT-08:00) 12:00 pm   Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)   4:00 am   Australia Eastern Daylight Time (Sydney, GMT+11:00) 12:00 am   Bangkok Time (Bangkok, GMT+07:00)   6:00 am   New Zealand Daylight Time (Wellington, GMT+13:00)  Can’t make the date? If you register for the event, you will be sent the archived version the following day. Duration:1 hour Description: The normal conduct of science – with its rules of trying to reduce complexity and eliminate uncertainty – has not only failed to resolve ‘wicked’ problems such as climate change and industrial pollution, it has had a hand in causing them. This Earthcast will consider changes in the way we do science that could help us resolve ‘wicked’ problems – so-called because they defy traditional problem-solving methods. Join a free webinar presented by Jerome Ravetz, originator of post-normal science, and Valerie Brown, originator of transition science and editor of Tackling Wicked Problems, who discuss the new kinds of knowledge we need to tackle our ecological and social crises. The presenters argue that the normal conduct of science – with its rules of trying to reduce complexity and eliminate uncertainty – has not only failed to resolve ‘wicked’ problems such as climate change and industrial pollution, it has had a hand in causing them. This Earthcast will consider changes in the way we do science that could help us resolve ‘wicked’ problems – so-called because they defy traditional problem-solving methods.   Jerome Ravetz will explain how he developed Post-Normal Science, which allows for uncertainty and imagination. This is appropriate for policy issues where facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent. Valerie Brown will present her work on Transition Science.  Through her work with over 300 communities, she has identified ingredients needed to bring about social change: key individuals, members of the affected community, specialised advisors, influential organizations and a holistic focus. Valerie will propose that collective knowledge, the sum of these multiple knowledges, is emerging as the basis for a Transition Science. You can also read more about post-normal science here: http://www.nusap.net/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=13 And one critique of it here: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/03/15/response-to-ravetz-and-post-normal-science/