Responsibility and the hidden politics of directionality – opening up ‘innovation democracies’ for sustainability transformations

Abstract

This paper explores analytic and political implications of ideas about ‘direction’ in innovation. Powerful pressures mean some aspects remain unduly confused and hidden in mainstream academic and policy discussions. Focusing on much-heralded ‘sustainability transformations’, the paper will explore concealed drivers of the kinds of innovation that are typically most favoured. For potentially more sustainable pathways not to be excluded, more rigorous and accountable policies are required. To this end, the paper distinguishes three contrasting (frequently conflated) challenges. ‘Directing of innovation’ involves driving narrow motivating processes towards some given end. ‘Direction of innovation’ concerns broader steering of pathways towards more openly chosen ends. ‘Directionality of innovation’ entails grasping deeper political potentialities spanning pluralities of ends. To properly address sustainability imperatives it is argued that prevailing blinkers and confusions need to be removed and the full implications of directionality addressed. In order to do due justice to the full challenges of sustainability transformations, what are required are more open and vigorous forms of ‘innovation democracy’.