Path creation as a discursive process
A study of discussion starters in the field of solar fuels
Eugen Octav Popa (TU Delft - Ethics & Philosophy of Technology)
Vincent Blok (Wageningen University & Research)
Cornelius Schubert (Technische Universität Dortmund)
Georgios Katsoukis (University of Twente)
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Abstract
When a technology is seen as the right solution to a recognized problem, the development of alternative technologies comes under threat. To secure much-needed resources, proponents of alternative technologies must, in these conditions, restart societal discussion on the status quo, a process at once technological and discursive known as ‘path creation’. In this article, we investigate discussion-restarting strategies employed by supporters of emerging technologies in the field of solar fuels, particularly the advocates of a technology referred to as ‘artificial photosynthesis’. For illustrative purposes we explore four such strategies: revisiting weak spots, resizing the problem, redefining the game, and renegotiating labels. We conclude with a methodological reflection on the empirical study of discursive strategies in a socio-technical system. We further suggest a more systematic application of discourse-analytical and argumentation-theoretical insights that can complement current scholarship on path dependence and path creation.
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