Politics of co-creation

Co-creation is an approach for developing new value and solutions to societal challenges through collaborations among public and private organizations, consumers and citizens.

In the ‘Politics of Co-creation’ theme, we study how emerging practices of co-creation challenge or support existing ways of research, service and innovation production, as well as their impact on societal decision making. Practical examples, academic readings and discussions will help familiarize with the central aspects of co-creation: stakeholders, their interactions, and the creation of value.

In our research, we will address topical issues and societal challenges, such as climate change, sustainability policies and democratic governance. To us, co-creation is not only an object of study but also a practical tool to elevate and disseminate the meaning of research results.

 

Project: TAILOMETRICS

TAILOMETRICS (Tailored Metrics for Measuring Industry-Academia Funding Programme) is a project funded by the Finnish Research Impact Foundation to develop an evaluation system to measure and predict the impact of research projects involving companies and researchers. The project is based on traditional research impact metrics (bibliometrics and scientometrics) as well as newer, alternative social impact metrics (altmetrics). These are based, for example, on information on emerging research topics and themes, and on researchers' and social networks. The project will result in the development of a toolkit for evaluating the impact of research.

Project: BIBU

Tackling Biases and Bubbles in Participation (BIBU) research consortium, funded by the Strategic Research Council of the Research Council of Finland, studies the impact of economic restructuring, urbanisation and migration on citizens' behaviour as well as emotions and interests relating to politics. It also examines policy decisions in response to these changes. As a partner in the BIBU consortium, we are contributing to the evaluation and development of a new model of participatory budgeting. The model is an effective tool for empowering politically marginalised citizens and neighbourhoods. The model can also be disseminated for general use in Finnish municipalities.

Project: COLDIGIT

‘Collective Intelligence through Digital Tools’ (COLDIGIT), funded by NordForsk, aim to generate new knowledge on innovative digital tools and approaches, in order to understand how they can support governance of complex societal processes in the Nordic region. Previous research on such digital tools has been disciplinarily and sectorally fragmented, which has limited the horizon of related opportunities and challenges. COLDIGIT will adopt a broad view by empirically exploring various types of collective intelligence tools supported by technology (e.g., crowdsourcing, augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), serious games, e-democracy and e-participation), in three parallel streams of co-creation: i ) co-innovation and  co-funding, ii) co-production of knowledge and iii) co-construction of policies and decisions. In particular, the project will catalogue 150-200 cases of innovative digital tools, create a conceptual model of the digital ecosystem of collective intelligence, study obstacles and drivers of adoption and use of new technologies, and test innovative solutions through a series of pilots on participatory budgeting projects in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. To increase the strategic relevance of the findings, COLDIGIT will draw policy advice on how to develop and implement such tools and approaches in ways that contribute to a dynamic and responsible digital transformation of Nordic societies.

Activities

Politics of Co-Creation seminar

Politics of Co-Creation seminar (PYAM-9142) presents and discusses current research on co-creation in research, innovation and policymaking. The seminar is aimed at researchers, doctoral and master's students, policymakers, designers and other experts interested in co-creation.

Co-creation and citizen participation in urban development

Scientific research is expected to provide solutions to complicated problems and global challenges. Can science help solve challenges such as the afforestation of the Sahara? What other challenges can research help solve? In the special course on Science and Technology Research, Co-creation and citizen participation in urban development (SOSM-SL323), you will discuss the role of science in society and carry out practical group work based on global challenges related to the topic.

Internships and theses

The Politics of Co-creation team welcomes trainees whose interests are related to the topics we cover. We encourage students writing a thesis or dissertation to contact us to discuss identifying relevant research topics and thesis supervision.

Selected publications
  • Rask, M., Kahma, N., Mattila, M. & Vase, S. (2019). Vastuullinen tiede- ja innovaatiotoiminta: vastaus tieteen ja tiedepolitiikan kriisiin? Tieteessä tapahtuu, 37(1), 29-357.
  • Kahma, N and Vase, S (2017). RRI in academic journals: barriers and drivers. In Luciano d’Andrea (ed.) Deliverable 1.1: Report on the Literature Review. FIT4RRII Fostering Improved Training Tools for Responsible Research and Innovation, pp. 94-109.
  • Kahma N and Matschoss, K (2017). The rejection of innovations? Rethinking technology diffusion and the nonuse of smart energy services in Finland. Energy Research & Social Science, 34(1), 27-36.
  • Kahma, N, Niva, M, Helakorpi, S and Jallinoja, P (2015). Everyday distinction and omnivorous orientation: An analysis of food choice, attitudinal dispositions and social background. Appetite, 96, 443-453.
  • Maunula,  G,  Ertiö,  T,  Blomqvist,  K  (2017).  Paradoxes  in  Crowdsourcing.  In  Hilb,  M.  (Ed.)  Governance  of  Digitalization:  The  Role  of  Boards  of  Directors  and  Top  Management  Teams  in  Digital  Value,  99-107.  Bern:  Haupt  Verlag.
  • Rask, M, Mačiukaitė-Žvinienė, S, Tauginienė, L, Dikčius, V, Matschoss, K, Aarrevaara, T and d’Andrea, L (2018). Public Participation, Science and Society: Tools for Dynamic and Responsible Governance of Research and Innovation. Routledge, London UK and New York, U.S.
  • Rask, M and Worthington, R (2015). Governing Biodiversity through Democratic Deliberation. Routledge, Abingdon, UK and New York, U.S.
  • Rask, M (2013). The tragedy of citizen deliberation – two cases of participatory technology assessment. Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 25(1), p. 39-55.
  • Rask, M, Maciukaite-Zviniene, S and Petrauskiene, J (2012). Innovations in public engagement and participatory performance of the nations. Science and Public Policy, 39, p. 710-721.
  • Rask, M, Worthington, R and Lammi, M (2012). Citizen Participation in Global Environmental Governance. Earthscan/ Routledge, London, UK and New York, USA.

Page updated October 24, 2023