Joint Fact-Finding for Science-Intensive Policy Disputes

When public policy decisions involve complex science, disputes often stall due to conflicting technical claims and deep-seated distrust. Joint Fact-Finding (JFF) offers a structured, collaborative approach to help stakeholders, experts, and decision-makers agree on the facts before debating solutions. This text-only course teaches you how to design, facilitate, and implement Joint Fact-Finding processes to resolve science-intensive environmental, urban planning, and public policy disputes. You will transition from seeing science as a political weapon to utilizing it as a shared foundation for collaborative governance. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of Joint Fact-Finding and collaborative public dispute resolution. - Analyze how science, policy, and values intersect in high-stakes public controversies. - Design a structured JFF process, from defining the scope to selecting neutral technical experts. - Facilitate communication between scientific specialists, community stakeholders, and policymakers. - Address modern challenges like public misinformation, conflicting data models, and scientific uncertainty. - Apply consensus-building strategies to translate shared technical findings into actionable policy agreements. The course begins with foundational definitions of collaborative governance and JFF terminology. You will then progress through the step-by-step phases of designing a process, managing expert panels, and integrating scientific consensus into final policy documents through detailed written case studies and practical scenarios. This course is designed for beginners in urban planning, public policy, environmental advocacy, or public administration. No prior experience in mediation or advanced scientific fields is required. Start reading today to turn scientific conflict into cooperative policy solutions.