Abstract
What is the strength and relevance of nudges in today’s turbulent times? The current polycrisis, characterised by technological disruption, geopolitical conflict, environmental degradation, and economic inequality, calls for novel policy approaches and a behavioural lens. At the same time, it raises questions about the seemingly weak and small-scale effects of behavioural interventions such as nudges.
In our session, we will highlight recent insights from our own work, including: a) the need to look beyond buzzwords and focus instead on how interventions contribute to the type of society in which we collectively wish to live ; b) the importance of viewing nudges as configurations involving the intervention itself, the agent launching it, the target group, and the desired behaviour, to enable better understanding and comparison; and c) the need to consider nudges as opportunities to facilitate community among those at whom the nudge is directed, as well as to explore possibilities for involving people in nudge design for long‑lasting positive effects.
The session will feature three short presentations followed by a moderated panel discussion and audience questions. Together, we will reflect on current debates, including the relevance of seemingly weak nudges in turbulent times where structural change is needed, the relation and integration of nudges with other policy instruments, and the challenges associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence. We will invite the audience to discuss the presented insights and future directions for nudge research and practice.