Technology Foresight and Public Policy

Professor: Popper/Silberglitt
Units: 1.0
Elective Course
Concentration: Policy Analysis

It is a truism to say that technology is changing our world and doing so with increasing speed. Less well explored is the degree to which this transformation is affecting democratic government and policy institutions in their ability to operate effectively. This course will explore policy aspects of the dynamics of technological change directly by considering foresight methods and their use (and misuse) in informing policy decision-making. We focus on circumstances in which an understanding of technology development and implementation is critical to effective policy for human and economic development. The desired educational outcomes are to give students the ability to:

• Understand the implications of technology development and innovation on the analysis and implementation of policy;
• Utilize multiple foresight methods in practical applications;
• Formulate and prosecute a foresight analysis and elicit policy-relevant insights;
• Identify and analyze drivers and barriers to implementation of policies based on foresight results and develop action plans;
• Understand the responsibilities of the analyst in the use of technology foresight.