Fields of conflict and castles in the air. Some thoughts and observations on the role of communication in public sphere innovation processes

Building on the tradition of agricultural extension, this article discusses several changes in thinking regarding the relations between communication and innovation. Starting from the idea that network building, social learning and conflict management are key processes to be supported by communication professionals, the article makes critical observations regarding dominant forms of participatory practice, innovation policy and privatisation of research and extension. Subsequently, the paper discusses the implications of the proposed modes of thinking for the role of scientists in innovation processes. It is argued that a key role of scientists is to explicate implicit assumptions, claims and knowledge gaps in social learning processes, and to engage in collaborative research with societal stakeholders on a coherent set of natural and social science questions. The proposed conceptual models and observations eventually lead to the formulation of a research agenda for the field of Communication and Innovation Studies.