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Social Science Information
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Limits of change: cognitive constraints on "postmodernization" and the political redirection of science

Jochen Gläser

The debate about revitalization of the finalization theory was documented in 1997 in Social Science Information. It hinted at a worthwhile methodological idea that could be useful in current debates on science—society relationships.

Finalization theory asked whether a field's cognitive state constrains research policy attempts to direct the field toward applications. Since the difficulties faced in answering this question are at least partly due to the level of analysis, this article proposes refocusing finalization theory on the micro-level of research processes and research trails. On the basis of an empirical analysis, the cognitive links between basic research and contexts of applications are explored. Five types of basic research can be distinguished by their various cognitive links to contexts of application. Scientists' opportunities to change the links between their basic research and applications are discussed. Analysis on the micro-level enables conclusions to be drawn about (1) the scope of hypotheses about changes in knowledge-production and (2) constraints on institutional pressure for basic research to contribute to societal welfare.

Key Words: Basic research • Finalization theory • Mode 2

Social Science Information, Vol. 39, No. 3, 439-465 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/053901800039003006
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