Is Participation Rooted in Colonialism? Agricultural Innovation Systems and Participation in the Netherlands Indies

Public participation in scientific agenda-setting and technical decision-making has a prominent place on the agenda of Science and Technology Studies.The many studies have pointed out that involvement of citizens in scientific and technological activities with a notable impact on the way people live is an issue of democratic principle as well as making the right combination of different forms of expertise.Policymakers therefore have to look for implementation frameworks that increase public accountability and allow for appropriate management of available knowledge sources.Experience and findings in the academic field of Development Studies and among international development agencies, have moved along a similar path.But Science and Technology Studies and Development Studies also show differences.One such difference is the relatively strong emphasis in Science and Technology Studies on 'downstream' processes.Science and Technology Studies' scholars critically follow the institutions of science, technology and policy in their attempts to involve a wider public (Irwin 2006).Studies on public engagement in Development Studies typically work 'upstream'.There is a strong focus on concepts and creation of methods to exploit the democratic potential of communities (Cooke and Kothari 2001).Despite such differences, it is clear that cross-linkages between the fields of Science and Technology Studies and Development Studies are fruitful and open up new insights (Leach et al. 2005).