Joint Fact Finding: Resolving Science-Intensive Policy Disputes

Policy decisions involving complex science—like environmental regulations, public health, and urban planning—often stall due to conflicting data and mistrust. Joint Fact Finding (JFF) offers a structured, collaborative approach to build consensus among stakeholders, scientists, and decision-makers. This text-only course guides you through the foundational principles and practical steps of JFF, helping you transition from seeing science as a political weapon to utilizing it as a collaborative tool for sustainable policy-making. What you'll learn: 1. Understand the core principles of Joint Fact Finding and its role in public dispute resolution. 2. Identify key stakeholders and facilitate collaborative research agreements among opposing groups. 3. Analyze scientific uncertainty and translate complex technical data for non-expert decision-makers. 4. Design structured processes for joint data collection, analysis, and collaborative modeling. 5. Apply consensus-building techniques to integrate scientific findings into final policy agreements. 6. Practice resolving common pitfalls in science-intensive disputes, such as data bias and adversarial expertise. You will begin with essential terminology and the history of science-intensive policy disputes before moving into step-by-step frameworks for planning, executing, and finalizing a collaborative inquiry. This course is designed for beginners in urban planning, public policy, environmental science, and conflict resolution, with no prior mediation experience required. Start learning how to build consensus and resolve complex public disputes through structured collaborative inquiry.