David Nelken (Macerata): Social Indicators as a New Form of Global Normativity

Abstract

Comparative social indicators are increasingly influential tools used in global and domestic settings for shaping and monitoring decision-making over a wide range of topics. The information they provide certainly seems an advance on acting on guesswork and their league tables about relative levels of performance often seem broadly convincing; but they may also be seen as examples of techniques that exercise power without responsibility and 'normalise' certain local standards as if they were globally applicable. Many authors argue that indicators help make social practices knowable and comparable, have the virtues of impartiality, simplicity, efficiency, and consistency, encourage transparency, overcome relativism, produce useful change, and allow learning from experience. Other writers insist, on the contrary, that indicators oversimplify, are misleading and partial, make for false comparisons and bogus harmonisation, are too far removed from local knowledge, and are ideologically biased. How are such different views possible?

Prof. Dr. David Nelken, University of Macerata

Curriculum Vitae

David Nelken (PHD, LLD, Cambridge) lehrte Rechtsphilosophie, Rechtssoziologie und Kriminologie an den Universitäten Cambridge, Edinburgh und am University College London bevor er 1989 nach Italien übersiedelte. Zurzeit ist er Distinguished Professor of Sociology an der Universität Macerata, Italien. Zudem ist er Distinguished Research Professor of Law an der Universität Cardiff, UK, sowie Visiting Professor am Centre of Criminology der Universität Oxford, wo er Comparative Criminal Justice lehrt. David Nelken ist Mitglied der UK Academy of Social Sciences und erhielt unter anderem den Distinguished Scholar Award der American Sociological Association (1985), den 'Sellin- Glueck' International Scholarship Award der American Society of Criminology (2009), den 'Podgorecki' Award der International Sociological Association (2009) sowie den 'International Scholar Award' der Law and Society Association (2013).