STEP at Virginia Tech

STEP FOCUS: VALUES, ETHICS, & INTERESTS IN POLICY MAKING

Policy decisions reflect values, ethics, and interests, which stakeholders may not share and often contest. Examining the values and ethics of stakeholders, STEM-H experts, and decision-makers is key to crafting policies that are more equitable and that account for different needs and interests. The STEP program analyzes how different values and ethics enter and are considered in policy processes and can be accounted for. Immersive exercises and self-reflection play important roles in bringing this analysis to life. STEP learning objective: Analyze governance practices taking public values, ethical considerations, and the heterogeneous perspectives and needs of different stakeholders into account.