Knowledge production and mobilization is central to global governance. The so-called ‘epistemic infrastructure’ of global governance, understood as the actors, politics, technologies, and organizational structures that organize this, has evolved over time.
To take stock of and explore the changes in the global infrastructure of knowledge production and their implications to the work of international organizations, the Graduate Institute’s Global Governance Centre and United Nations Office at Geneva co-organized an International Geneva Luncheon on 23 November 2021 with the support of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.
Professor Sotiria Grek (University of Edinburgh) was invited by Annabelle Littoz-Monnet, Director of the Global Governance Centre, to present on “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Quantification, and the Production of Expertise.”
Professor Grek revealed key changes in the global infrastructure of knowledge production in relation to the development, implementation, and measurement of the SDGs and pointed to five characteristics that characterize SDGs expert knowledge today: universalization, mono-disciplinarity, brokerage, datafication, marketization.
Prof. Grek’s presentation was followed by a policy-informed commentary by discussant Agi Veres (UNDP), after which the floor was opened to all participants. Three main themes emerged among participants during the discussion: governing complexity, enhancing the impact of knowledge and ongoing problems with today’s ‘knowledge infrastructure’ for the SDGs.
This event was part of the International Geneva Luncheon seminar series, a forum for select senior-level managers and policy practitioners of Geneva-based international organizations to discuss current global challenges, together with leading international scholars of governance. International Geneva Luncheons provide a unique space to share the latest innovative scholarly research with the policy community in a critical and constructive manner.
Luncheons also signal what kinds of research and policy responses are still needed to address contemporary governance challenges. The main takeaways from each event are summarized in short [1-2 page] reports that are of relevance to researchers and policy-practitioners alike.
Read the full report by Prof. Annabelle Littoz-Monnet and Astrid Skjold on “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Quantification, and the Production of Expertise” below.
