Discourse Formations and Constellations of Conflict: Problems of Public Participation in the German Debate on Genetically Altered Plants

Abstract

One way for society to respond to innovations in biotechnology is to involve the public as broadly as possible in relevant decisions and processes. In a certain way this approach has been the traditional answer that modern democracies give to fundamental conflicts, for public participation is an aspect of democratic decision-making processes. It is called for and practised especially when alternatives for exerting control and influence appear to fall short. That is often the case when particularly drastic or far-reaching consequences are imputed to decisions, such as those on introducing new technologies whose social and environmental impacts are still difficult to assess. Such circumstances in particular also spawn the distrust of experts. And expertocracy can be opposed only by the active involvement of laypersons — popularly known as ‘those concerned’ — in socially relevant processes of evaluation and decision-making. At least that is the call in many quarters. For this reason, grass-roots participation and round-tables are widely considered a means for successfully managing conflicts and problems and, hence, as promising instruments of social integration.