Digitalisation and the use of technology are at the core of knowledge production in policing. This paper presents various ways in which perspectives from the diverse field of science and technology studies (STS) can provide new insights into studies of policing. In detail, we suggest ways in which STS, with its broad and open perspectives, can be employed to investigate how different practices involving human–technology interaction within policing act as authorisation processes that turn uncertain information into facts. Through theoretical and empirical examples, we exemplify how STS perspectives can be used to address knowledge construction in three areas of police: operative practices, online presence, and criminal investigations. These examples demonstrate that perspectives from STS are relevant to many areas of policing as digitalisation and the production of digital information affect and change policing, not only at the micro-level but also as a whole. By doing this, we hope to present the field of STS with an organisation that is less commonly associated with it and police researchers with new perspectives on the interplay between technology and knowledge in policing.
This article critically reflects on a participatory research and co-design process within rural energy transitions, focusing on energy citizenship in the small town of Overhalla in Norway. Based on Citizen Action Labs (CALs) - as a participatory co-design tool - this article is a retrospective methodological reflection that addresses the research question: How are expectations of a more participatory energy transition enacted in a rural community? The paper aims to understand the limits of participatory research and co-design processes and problematise the idea of energy citizenship as a desirable form of participation in a rural context. The research highlights rural areas’ unique challenges and opportunities, contrasting them with urban-centric approaches often prevalent in participatory research and co-design processes. Through the lens of script theory, the study illustrates how urban-focused ideals may be misaligned with various rural realities, as evidenced by differing responses to energy citizenship frameworks. Key findings underscore the necessity for context-specific participatory methods that accommodate diverse rural areas’ distinct social, spatial, and economic landscapes and resources. This work contributes to expanding and nuance our understanding of how rural communities can actively participate in sustainable energy transitions, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches in participatory research and co-design processes.
Digitalisation and the use of technology are at the core of knowledge production in policing. This paper presents various ways in which perspectives from the diverse field of science and technology studies (STS) can provide new insights into studies of policing. In detail, we suggest ways in which STS, with its broad and open perspectives, can be employed to investigate how different practices involving human–technology interaction within policing act as authorisation processes that turn uncertain information into facts. Through theoretical and empirical examples, we exemplify how STS perspectives can be used to address knowledge construction in three areas of police: operative practices, online presence, and criminal investigations. These examples demonstrate that perspectives from STS are relevant to many areas of policing as digitalisation and the production of digital information affect and change policing, not only at the micro-level but also as a whole. By doing this, we hope to present the field of STS with an organisation that is less commonly associated with it and police researchers with new perspectives on the interplay between technology and knowledge in policing.
This article presents a conceptual literature review on the topic of care in research collaborations. The review covers 27 articles that complied with our focus. Based on the findings, we call for an increased acknowledgement of external collaborations (with external stakeholders) versus internal dimensions of collaboration (within research institutions). With regard to internal dimensions, we underline the role played by subjective motivation and working conditions, which impact the possibility of building impactful collaborations. In terms of external dimensions, we highlight the role of temporal constraints, which discourage the development of trust with societal actors, and the importance of power relations between researchers and participants. Finally, we identify dimensions which cut across the internal and external, such as affect, normative framings of research and measures of excellence. We conclude that the performance of caring collaborations is often constrained by measures of excellence, institutional constraints and policy regulations.
This issue of the Nordic Journal of Science and Technology (NJSTS) is edited by the members of the research project ‘A Matter of Facts: Flows of Knowledge through Digitalized Police Practices’. The project is carried out at the Norwegian Police University College and is funded by the Research Council of Norway (grant 301762). The aim of the project is to explore digital knowledge production in policing. Digitalization plays a major role in current plans and strategies within the Norwegian Police Service and digitalization is drawn out as a key process both for fighting and preventing crime as well as increasing efficiency of police work in general. As digital tools are presented as the solution to a host of challenges, there is also a need for more critical reflections on how digitalization affect police practices and knowledge production. Our project thus asks; in what ways does digitalized police practices affect the production of knowledge, both within the police, and in their contact with the public?
