The Potential of National Public Engagement Exercises: Evaluating the Case of the Recent Dutch Societal Dialogue on Nanotechnology

New and emerging nanotechnologies set a challenge for early public involvement because of their high degree of uncertainty, unpredictability and unknowns. The Dutch national societal dialogue on nanotechnology and associated ethical, legal and societal (ELSA) issues is a site to study how this challenge was addressed. As it was part of the government's Action Plan it was shaped and organised by an independent Committee. A key step in this process was to invite proposals whereby citizens could develop dialogue activities. Document analysis, interviews and participatory observations were used to examine the strategies and activities developed at each level and to analyse the mutual dynamics between activities at the different levels. A particular focus was on how ethical and societal issues were articulated (or not) and taken up in policy considerations (or not). They were articulated in some of the activities, but were not visible in the Committee's reports and eventual policy considerations. While taking contingencies of this particular exercise into account, the general difficulties encountered imply lessons for designing and orchestrating productive societal dialogues on new and emerging technologies. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]