Five years after the incorporation of a Swafs (Science with and for society) dynamic into the Horizon 2020 programme, supported by the European Commission, and two years following the initiation of the French National Research Agency's 'Science with and for Society' programme in 2021, in alignment with the Multiannual Research Programming Act, this conference, organised by the University of Caen Normandie, will convene practitioners and researchers to sustain the effort of analysing and delineating the realms linked with participatory research and science, considering this new phase in the process of institutionalisation.

We could begin by inquiring about the meaning of the phrase "science with and for society", which has been appended to "science and society" and "science in society". From the perspective of science and technology studies, it might appear redundant. Doesn't Donna Haraway demonstrate that the generation of scientific knowledge is inherently, to some extent, 'for and with society', or more precisely, 'for and with a specific conception of society'? Therefore, the query revolves not so much around how participatory research and science facilitate the practice of science for and with society, but rather how it can be done in a different manner.

The answers to this question will naturally vary based on the interpretation we assign to the terms “science” and “society”. It is also plausible to hypothesise that the disputes within the field of participatory research - another concept necessitating examination - are partially attributable to the epistemological and political principles that underlie the forms and mechanisms of participation. For instance, the Canadian researcher Budd Hall views "participatory action research", a concept he asserts to have originated, as a means of materialising a radical epistemology grounded in acknowledging the diversity of knowledge and asserting a political objective, namely combatting oppression (refer to Godrie, Juan, Carrel, 2022). Concerning 'participatory science', the objective is less about critiquing scientific reasoning and more about bolstering its dominance by enhancing the general 'scientific culture' of the public. If local, everyday, experiential, and indigenous knowledge are to find a place in participatory science, it must be contingent upon its assimilation into the body of scientific knowledge.

Issues

At a juncture when the demarcations between the diverse practices and networks of participants engaged in participatory research are undergoing redefinition due to an institutionalisation process that also requires more precise characterisation, this symposium offers a platform to convene and deliberate upon varied disciplines and perspectives concerning participatory research. The aim is to promote a collective analysis and delineation of participatory research and science, encompassing its methodologies, aims, and outcomes.

Participatory research, in a wide array of forms and configurations, has been evolving for nearly a century (Anadon et al., 2007). Several reviews of the current state of the field exist, most of which concentrate on specific areas of application (such as health, education sciences, agricultural research and development, social policies, urban and environmental policies, development aid, etc.). Others take a more interdisciplinary approach, shedding light on particular systems (e.g. Godrie et al., 2022; Luneau et al., 2021). Frequently, these state-of-the-art studies are conducted within separate disciplinary fields, which may not necessarily cross-reference their findings (e.g. Juan, 2021; Pascual Espuny et al., 2021). There is also an extensive body of institutional literature generated by a range of players (white papers, ministerial reports, reports from associations or research entities) providing overviews of practices and detailed guidelines.

However, meta-analyses remain infrequent, and the outcomes occasionally lack sufficient generality to fully illustrate the genuine transformative impacts of these mechanisms on science-society interactions, the methodologies employed for knowledge generation, and the essence of said knowledge, the democratisation of discussions, innovation processes, or social shifts. In cases where assessments are available, they do not consistently differentiate between the distinct levels of advantage: bolstering social cohesion and democratic engagement, clarifying public policies, and generating knowledge for research purposes.

Themes

To elucidate the meaning(s) of 'science with and for society', we suggest convening players from the field (researchers, practitioners, institutional representatives, etc.) for a symposium organised around the following three themes:

1 - Participatory research and the challenges of knowledge production.
2 - Participatory research and issues of democratisation
3 - Participatory research and action / transformation issues.