Integrating Asian perspectives in Australian responsible innovation discourse: lessons from Asian bioethics

Abstract

Publications on responsible innovation (RI) in Australia and Asia have increased in the recent years. These outputs highlight the need to go beyond Eurocentric notions of RI and acknowledge multicultural, Indigenous, and Global South values, perspectives, and contexts. The significant number of people of Asian descent in Australia and Australia's geographical proximity to Asia necessitates a need to explore how Asian perspectives and values can be integrated into Australian RI frameworks. Building upon insights from Asian bioethics, I first underscore the need for Australian RI to account for extant notions of responsibility of its Asian populations; acknowledge common Asian values and their application to scientific research; and understand potential value differences across different Asian communities and the need to account for intersectionality. Using supportive technologies for dementia as an example, I then explore how an Asian-acknowledging Australian RI can ultimately lead to a more inclusive Australian research and innovation landscape.