Hypotheses and Research Questions

Hypotheses and Research Questions

The Hypotheses are simple yes/no formulations where as the research questions require more nuanced responses.  Both should make explicit our long term goals and interests and our attempts to separate out more succinctly our role as analysts and our role as practitioners.

 Capacity Building in a Deliberative Society

1. How do small-scale deliberative processes fit into wider society in line with notions of deliberative democracy?
2. What are the outcomes and effects of this kind of engagement on individual participants (as well as on the formal "outputs" whether that be policy recommendations or whatnot)?
3. What are the intrapersonal, political, and civic effects of people's involvement with the tours?
   
   

Material Deliberation as Public Engagement:

1. What is the applicability and utility of using these alternative methods of engagement and deliberation?
2. How does this provide an alternative approach/technique/opportunity for civic engagement?

 Citizen Driven Agendas

1. Will involving the participants in the design process lead to citizens better able to make decisions about sociotechnological systems?
   1. Assumption:  This is true because participants are not outside the systems, but inside the system. They often just are not aware of how they play a role.

 Emerging Technologies

1. Do the emerging qualities of technologies like nanotechnologies make them subject to more flexibility as they move from theory to application?
2.  Does Nano serve as a barrier to participation?  Is there a value to not using the word nanotechnology and instead focusing on the future of phoenix and the built environment?

 Representation

1. To what extent do the following characteristics play a role in the experiences of the participants: Age, education, interest in science and technology in general, information or knowledge about nanotechnology, civic engagement, a distribution, a modest honorarium?
2. What is it that compels participation?
   1.  Enjoyment? More than fun?