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Theory and Method in Social Impact Assessment *
Author(s) -
Dietz Thomas
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1987.tb01180.x
Subject(s) - identification (biology) , process (computing) , democracy , sociology , politics , management science , policy analysis , political science , epistemology , positive economics , public administration , computer science , economics , law , philosophy , botany , biology , operating system
Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a method of policy analysis that offers great potential for integrating scientific policy analysis into a democratic political process. This potential has not been realized in large part because there has been no theoretical framework to guide SIA. In this paper I propose such a framework, using Habermas’(1970) pragmatistic approach to policy. The framework suggests heavy emphasis on use of SIA early in the policy process and on methods that emphasize impact identification and portrayal.