TAB enhances international visibility of selected studies
Although the Office for Technology Assessment of the German Bundestag (TAB) works primarily on behalf of the German Bundestag, which commissions its work, ensuring the international visibility of the results of the TAB studies was also seen as important from the very outset. TAB’s involvement and cooperation in the European Parliamentary Technology Assessment Network (EPTA Network) was explicitly set out in the principles for TA, with the aim of strengthening international parliamentary TA beyond Europe’s borders too.
That is because it is not just scientific debate which takes place in an international setting; decisions relating to research and technology policy are also increasingly being made in international institutions, the most evident being the European Union, but also in many other international policy-making institutions. The availability and receptability of the TAB studies in these bodies is therefore becoming more and more important.
Global access to the detailed summaries of the TAB reports, in English too, has always been possible via TAB’s website which was set up at an early stage. In addition to this, with the agreement of the TA rapporteur group, TAB established an in-house English-language book series in 2009 which includes selected TAB reports that are expected to attract particular international interest. This book series, which currently encompasses six titles, can be accessed directly via the TAB website.
The publication of the 6th volume »Electronic petitioning and modernization of petitioning systems in Europe« - which is a particularly hot topic at present in various parliaments in Europe - marks a further new direction: The titles of the English TAB book series are now also available worldwide as printed books at very affordable prices via online or high-street bookshops.
Current list of the English-language TAB book series:
- Electronic petitioning and modernization of petitioning systems in Europe.
Riehm, U.; Böhle, K.; Lindner, R.
2014. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB) - The pharmacologically improved human. Performance-enhancing substances as a social challenge. Final Report.
Sauter, A.; Gerlinger, K.
2013. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB) - What happens during a blackout: Consequences of a prolonged and wide-ranging power outage.
Petermann, T.; Bradke, H.; Lüllmann, A.; Poetzsch, M.; Riehm, U.
2011. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB) - Greenhouse Gas - Bury it into Oblivion: Options and Risks of CO2 Capture and Storage.
Grünwald, R.
2009. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB) - Gene Doping: Scientific Basis - Gateways - Monitoring.
Gerlinger, K.; Petermann, T.; Sauter, A.
2009. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB) - Development Through Electronic Networks: Information and Communication Technologies in Africa.
Coenen, C.; Riehm, U.
2009. Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB)
12.05.2014