A framework of attitudes towards technology in theory and practice

KERSCHNER, Christian and Melf-Hinrich EHLERS. A framework of attitudes towards technology in theory and practice. Ecological Economics. 2016, vol. 126, June, p. 139-151. ISSN 0921-8009. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.02.010.

Basic information

• Original name: A framework of attitudes towards technology in theory and practice
• Authors: KERSCHNER, Christian (40 Austria, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Melf-Hinrich EHLERS (276 Germany).
• Edition: Ecological Economics, 2016, 0921-8009.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 50200 5.2 Economics and Business
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 2.965
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14230/16:00089780
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.02.010
• UT WoS: 000376215400014
• Keywords in English: Attitudes; Technology; Sustainability; Optimism; Pessimism; Content analysis
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

A trend analysis of Eurobarometer data shows that attitudes towards science and technology are diversifying in the EU, with enthusiasm clearly losing out to more ambivalent stances. In the past any diversion from unquestioned optimism was interpreted as a bad sign and attributed to the public's ignorance. Today it is often welcomed as a sign of an increasingly emancipated public. In the sustainability sciences, including Ecological Economics, attitudes towards technology also cover a wide spectrum, the formalisation and exploration of which are the goals of this paper. Drawing on social and philosophical studies of technology and insights from Ecological Economics and related fields, we develop a framework of attitudes towards technology consisting of four main categories: Enthusiasm, Determinism, Romanticism and Scepticism. We illustrate the empirical relevance of our framework with a qualitative content analysis of Ecological Economics lecture material. The analysis uncovered and mapped a diversity of views, which co-exist without an open debate. It suggests difficulties of scholars to consistently articulate their techno-attitudes, except for enthusiasm. Our framework could help to amplify underlying vocabularies and visions of research and teaching in Ecological Economics and beyond. It could be applied in both deeper qualitative and broader quantitative analysis.