INGSA Case Studies
What are INGSA Case Studies?
We have found that Case Studies are often most effective for encouraging people to extend and adapt their thinking about the complexities of policy-making and the provision of knowledge into that process. Using interactive and engaging scenarios enables people to step outside their own experience, build empathy for others, and provides tools for thinking outside the box on problems and solutions.
INGSA Case Studies are free to use and adapt for training or teaching – they are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence.
What Case Study should I use?
Scroll down to view the list of case studies, or use the search function below to search by key themes.
Case Studies span a broad range of themes, situations, and stakeholders – many of them cut across several key issues, like most complex problems. In terms of format, INGSA Case Studies fall into a range of styles:
Fictional
Imaginary scenarios to illuminate some of the complexity of the issues faced at the science/policy/society nexus.
Sufficiency of Evidence
Imaginary scenarios prioritising questions of how decision-making changes as the evidence-at-hand changes. Excellent at underscoring the pressures faced by policy-makers in making decisions on limited information, managing and communicating risk and uncertainty.
Simulations
Gamified case studies encouraging participants to take on character roles with motivations and aims. Great for longer workshops to explore the complexities of mixing evidence, policy, society and personalities in decision-making.
Historical
These dissect real world historical issues and aim to providing a deeper understanding of issues that people might already be aware of.
How do I use a Case Study?
Case Studies are designed to be anything from 3 hours to 2 days – but you don’t have to use them as designed. The scenarios can be readily adapted to your own format, or simply used as inspiration for a discussion or teaching outcome.
They are not designed to have a ‘right’ answer or any particular outcome – the point is to explore the complexities and trade-offs in making any decision in a contested situation. It is more important to explore WHY decisions are made rather than the details of the decision itself.
Some of the Case Studies come with Mentor Notes that provide some guidance on the format or key questions to ask participants.
Fictional
All of these cases cut across a range of major issues such as technology, health, and diplomacy. They are grouped according to their primary theme, but be aware that appropriate cases for your needs might be listed under other themes.
Society / Social
| Case Study | English | Español | Français | Português |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Estrela – Internal Displacement, Climate Change and Planning | Download | |||
| Resourcia – Immigration, Labour and Social Cohesion in a resource town | Download | |||
| Midgaze – Armed rebellion and social reintegration of ex-combatants | Download | Download | ||
| Kassemble – Integrating traditional techniques in education to fight unemployment and poverty | Download | Download | ||
| Njagala – Youth and Social Media | Download | |||
| Rawhitia – Healing psychological trauma after civil war through education | Download | |||
| Terremotia – Folk knowledge and the understanding of risk | Download | Download | ||
| Orangeria – Mobilising social science expertise to reduce crime | Download | Download | Download | |
| Ileojogbon – Legislating homosexuality | Download | |||
| Mulikamee – Fighting unemployment, emigration and radicalisation | Download | Download |
Technology
| English | Español | Français | Português | |
| Saraterra – Cybersecurity in the age of the quantum computer | Download | Download | ||
| Innovandia – Smart city networks and AI for solving societal problems | Download | |||
| Gonswana – Food insecurity and new technologies | Download | Download | ||
| Tangeria – Gene-editing and climate response | Download | Download | Download | |
| Carboneria – Competing technology-based economic proposals with multiple stakeholders | Download |
Public Health
| English | Español | Français | Português | |
| Freudania – Youth Mental Health | Download | |||
| Amplesia – Childhood obesity: science, economics and local knowledge – Asia variant | Download | |||
| Islandia – Childhood obesity: science, economics and local knowledge – Pacific Island variant | Download | Download | ||
| Afristan – Health, Nutrition and Public Policy | Download | |||
| Swamperia – Future technology in the fight against malaria | Download | Download | ||
| Nicoteria – e-Cigarettes as a public health strategy | Download | |||
| Panderia – Pandemics, panics and international borders | Download | Download | Download |
Environment
| English | Español | Français | Português | |
| Pulpinea – Trade-offs: the biodiversity vs the economy | Download | |||
| Coralesia – Biodiversity, Sustainability & Indigenous | Download | |||
| Rhodécar – Creating jobs by valuing waste | Download | Download | ||
| Abron – Future marine resources in a post-oil economy | Download | |||
| Doumbelane – Mobilisation of water and land resources for food security | Download | Download | Download | |
| Jibaji – Construction of a dam and governance of water resources | Download | Download | Download | |
| Alterra – Air quality and energy | Download | Download |
Sufficiency of Evidence Cases
Staged cases with evolving scenarios. Participants are given sections of the case study at different points in the workshop. Discussion takes place after each section is handed out.
It is recommended NOT to let participants see the case study in advance.
Simulation Cases
These are longer form cases with unique game-play mechanisms.
IMPORTANT: These simulation case studies are made up of several files, so make sure you download all the files for each case study.
Simulation Case Studies
| English | |
| World Build – INGSA-GESDA Quantum Technology Simulation Game – Governance of Revolutionary Technology | File 1 – Background File 2 – Facilitation Guide File 3 – Workshop Resources |
Historical Cases
Real world examples of complex issues where science advice played a critical role – for good or bad.
Enable participants to engage with a situation they might be familiar with in order to explore complexities or perspectives they might not have previously considered
Historical
| English | Español | Français | |
| Shale Gas/Fracking – In Pursuit of Solid Ground: Understanding the evidence on shale gas extraction in Canada Case Study by: The Council of Canadian Academies. | Download | ||
| HIV/AIDS – Duesberg, Mbeki and AZT: When contentious science meets contentious politics. | Download | ||
| Glyphosate – Regulating glyphosates amidst health, economic, and public concerns about Genetic Modification | Download | ||
| Fukushima – What can be learned about regulation, planning, and communication in an unfolding emergency? | Download | ||
| Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Transferable model or cautionary tale? | Download | Download |
Search INGSA Case Studies by Key Themes
| Title | Summary | Tags | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANDERIA – Staged Case – When Pandemic turns to Panic – with Mentor Notes | Panderia Sufficiency of Evidence Case – with Mentor … | Diplomacy, Health, Risk, Security | |
| ALTERRA – Qualidade do ar e energia – INGSA Case Study | … | Economic, Energy, Health, Português, Portuguese, Social | |
| JIBAJI – Établissement d’un barrage et gouvernance des ressources en eau – INGSA Case Study – French | … | Francaise, French, SDGs, Security, Sustainability | |
| DOUMBELANE: Mobilisation of water and land resources for food security – INGSA Case Study | DOUMBELANE: Mobilisation of water and land resources for food security – INGSA Case … | Climate Change, Health, SDGs, Security, Sustainability | |
| RHODECAR: Creating employment through waste management – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | RHODECAR: Creating employment through waste management – INGSA Case Study with Mentor … | Economy, Social, Sustainability | |
| EPIDEMIA – Pandémies, paniques et frontières internationales – INGSA Case Study – French | … | Diplomacy, Health, Social | |
| NICOTERIA – E-cigarettes as a Public Health Strategy – INGSA Case Study | … | Health, Risk, Social | |
| SWAMPERIA – La tecnología del futuro en la lucha contra la malaria – INGSA Case Study | … | Fictional, Health, Risk, Technology | |
| AFRISTAN – Obesity, Public Health and Public Policy with Mentor Notes – INGSA Case Study | … | Economy, Fictional, Health, Social | |
| ILHANDIA – Abordando obesidade infantil entre ciência, interesses econômicos e conhecimento local – INGSA Case Study | … | Economy, Fictional, Health, Social | |
| ISLANDIA – Childhood obesity: science, economics and local knowledge – INGSA Case Study | … | Fictional, Health, Indigenous, Social | |
| CARBONERIA – Competing technology-based economic proposals with multiple stakeholders – INGSA Case Study | The carbon rich product known as ‘bio-char’ is produced by burning organic matter (e.g. farming … | Economy, Technology | |
| TANGERIA – edição de genes e resposta climática: ciência, valores e políticas – INGSA Case Study – Portuguese | … | Climate Change, Português, Portuguese, Risk, Social, Technology | |
| TANGERIA – Gene-editing and the Climate Response: Science, Values and Politics – INGSA Case Study | The National Agricultural Research Institute of Tangeria (NARIT) wishes to test the new varieties of … | Climate Change, Economy, Fictional, Risk, Technology | |
| GONSWANA – Food insecurity and new technologies – INGSA Case Study | A research consortium including eminent experts from the National University of Gonswana recently announced that … | Economy, Fictional, Risk, Security | |
| INNOVANDIA – Smart City Networks and AI for Solving Societal Problems with discussion notes – INGSA Case Study | Innovandia’s biggest city, Esterbridge, is both the financial centre and the centre of innovation. The … | AI, Security, Social, Social Cohesion, Technology | |
| MULIKAMEE – Lutter contre le chômage, l’émigration et la radicalisation – French – INGSA Case Study | … | Fictional, Francaise, French, Migration, Social | |
| MULIKAMEE – Fighting unemployment, emigration and radicalisation – INGSA Case Study | The President of Mulikamée made the fight against poverty the primary focus of her seven-year … | Education, Fictional, Migration, Social | |
| ORANGERIA – mobilizando expertise de ciências sociais para reduzir criminalidade – Português – INGSA Case Study | At last elections, a centre-right party won most votes but could only form government in … | Português, Portuguese, Security, Social, Social Science | |
| ORANGERIA – Mobilising Social Science Expertise to Reduce Crime – INGSA Case Study | At last elections, a centre-right party won most votes but could only form government in … | Security, Social, Social Science | |
| TERREMOTIA – Folk Knowledge and the Understanding of Risk – INGSA Case Study | At 4.35 am on 4 December 2016, which happened to coincide with a full moon, … | Fictional, Indigenous, Risk, Social | |
| NJAGALA – Youth and Social Media – INGSA Case Study | The President has instituted a 20% Over The Top (OTT) tax on those using social … | Economy, Fictional, Social | |
| KASSEMBLE – Integrating traditional techniques into curricula to address unemployment and poverty – INGSA Case Study | The prime minister of Kassemblé has made actions to reduce unemployment his key focus and … | Economy, Education, Indigenous, Social | |
| MIDGAZE – Armed rebellion and reintegration of ex-combatants – INGSA Case Study | In neighbouring countries, which are equally unstable, young people are joining radical movements that provide … | Fictional, Social, Social Cohesion | |
| RESOURCIA – Powering Change – Immigration, Labour and Social Cohesion in a resource town | Across the globe, the Kingdom of Crossroads is in deep political crisis. Rebels are threatening … | Economy, Fictional, Social, Social Cohesion | |
| SARATERRA – La cybersécurité à l’ère de l’ordinateur quantique – INGSA Case Study | SARATERRA – La cybersécurité à l’ère de l’ordinateur quantique Rédaction : Karl Thibault, Jessica Baril … | 2022, Economy, Fictional, Technology | |
| SARATERRA – Cybersecurity in the age of the quantum computer – INGSA Case Study | In today’s age of information, many of our most precious assets—finances, medical records and, to … | 2022, Economy, Fictional, quantum, Technology | |
| RHODECAR: Créer des emplois en valorisant les déchets – INGSA Case Study – French | Rhodecar: Créer des emplois en valorisant les déchets – INGSA Case Study – French / … | Francaise, French, Social, Sustainability | |
| VASCOVY – Emergency Response: Risk and uncertainty in a digital age – INGSA Sufficiency of Evidence Case | Vascovy: Panic at the Border – Emergency Response: Risk and uncertainty in a digital … | Digital Wellbeing, Migration, Risk, Security | |
| FREUDANIA: Youth mental health – INGSA Case Study | … | Health, Social | |
| AMPLESIA: childhood obesity – science, economic interests and local knowledge – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | Amplesia: Addressing childhood obesity between science, economic interests and local … | Economic, Health, Indigenous, Social | |
| MIDGAZE: Rébellion armée et réinsertion sociale des ex-combattants – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes – French | INGSA Case Study: Midgaze: Rébellion armée et réinsertion sociale des … | Francaise, French, Migration, Security, Social | |
| GONSWANA: Insécurité alimentaire et nouvelles technologies – INGSA Case Study with mentor notes – FRENCH | Gonswana: Insécurité alimentaire et nouvelles technologies – … | Economy, Francaise, French, Security, Social, Technology | |
| KASSEMBLE: tradition et éducation pour lutter contre le chômage et la pauvreté – INGSA Case Study – FRENCH | KASSEMBLÉ: Intégration des techniques traditionnelles dans l’enseignement pour lutter contre le chômage et la pauvreté … | Economy, Education, Francaise, French, Indigenous, Social | |
| Swamperia Discussion Slides to accompany case – INGSA Case Study | Discussion Slides created to accompany Swamperia case study at the 2019 Ethiopian … | Environment, Health, Indigenous | |
| SWAMPERIA: Future technology in the fight against malaria – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | Swamperia: Future technology in the fight against … | Fictional, Health, Indigenous, Technology | |
| OSTAL: Waste, Land Use and Tech Development – INGSA Sufficiency of Evidence Case | A staged, sufficiency-of-evidence case … | Environment, Land Use, Social, Sustainability | |
| Estrela Discussion Slides to accompany case – INGSA Case Study | Some Discussion slides that were created to accompany the Estrela case given at the 2019 … | Climate Change, Economy, Migration, Science Diplomacy, SDGs, Social | |
| ESTRELA: Internal displacement, climate change & planning – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | … | Climate Change, Diplomacy, Economy, Migration, SDGs, Social | |
| PULPINEA – Pulpwood crisis: Trade-off between biodiversity & the economy – INGSA Case Study | Pulpinea – Pulpwood crisis: A potential trade-off between biodiversity & the … | Biodiversity, Economy, Environment, Land Use, Sustainability | |
| CORALESIA – Balancing Biodiversity, Sustainability, & Indigenous Interests – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | Coralesia: Balancing Biodiversity Sustainability & Indigenous Population … | Biodiversity, Environment, Indigenous, SDGs, Sustainability | |
| ABRON – Future Marine Resources in Post-Oil Economy – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | INGSA Case Study with Mentor notes: Abron – Future Marine Resources in Post-Oil … | Climate Change, SDGs, Social, Sustainability | |
| IPCC: ¿Modelo transferible o realato precautorio? – INGSA Case Study – Spanish | Intergovernmental Panel of Climate … | Climate Change, Diplomacy, Environment, Espanol, Historical, Multilateralism, Risk, Spanish | |
| IPCC – Transferable Model or Cautionary Tale? – INGSA Case Study | The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate … | Climate Change, Diplomacy, Environment, Historical, Multilateralism | |
| FUKUSHIMA – Triple Disaster, Triple Lessons: Regulation, Planning, and Communication in an unfolding emergency – INGSA Case Study | … | Communication, Emergencies, Environment, Historical, Risk, Social | |
| GLYPHOSATE – Regulating Glyphosates amidst Health, Economic, and Public Concerns about Genetic Modification – INGSA Case Study | … | Economic, Environment, Health, Historical, Social | |
| HIV/AIDS – Duesberg, Mbeki, and AZT: Contentious science meets contentious politics – INGSA Case Study | … | Africa, Health, Historical, Risk | |
| SHALE GAS – Understanding the evidence on shale gas extraction in Canada – INGSA Case Study | … | Environment, Historical, Social, Sustainability | |
| JIBAJI – Construcción de una represa y gobernanza de los recursos hídricos – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | … | Economy, Espanol, SDGs, Security, Spanish, Sustainability | |
| JIBAJI – Construction of a dam and governance of water resources – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes | … | Economy, SDGs, Security, Sustainability | |
| DOUMBELANE: Mobilisation des ressources en eau et des terres pour la sécurité alimentaire – French – INGSA Case Study | … | Climate Change, Health, SDGs, Security, Sustainability | |
| DOUMBELANE: Movilización de recursos hídricos y tierra para seguridad alimentaria – INGSA Case Study | … | Climate Change, Espanol, SDGs, Security, Spanish, Sustainability | |
| RAWHITIA – Healing Psychological Trauma – INGSA Case Study with Mentor notes | There is a push (by the international community in particular but also by the new … | Education, Health, Rwanda, Social | |
| ALTERRA – Air Quality and Energy – INGSA Case Study with Mentor notes | … | Economic, Energy, Health, Social | |
| PANDERIA – Pandemics, panics and international borders – INGSA Case Study | … | Fictional, Health, Migration, Pandemic, Social | |
| ILEOJOGBON – Legislating Homosexuality – INGSA Case Study | … | Fictional, Health, Social, Social Cohesion | |
| TERREMOTIA: El conocimiento popular y la comprension de riesgos – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes – Espanol | At 4.35 am on 4 December 2016, which happened to coincide with a full moon, … | Espanol, Risk, Social, Spanish | |
| TANGUERIA: Edición genética y respuesta climática: Ciencia, valores y política – INGSA Case Study with mentor notes – Español | Tangueria: Edición genética y respuesta climática: Ciencia, valores y política – INGSA Case Study with … | Climate Change, Espanol, Health, SDGs, Spanish, Technology | |
| PANDERIA: Cuando las pandemias provocan pánico – INGSA Case Study with Mentor Notes – Español | … | Espanol, Fictional, Health, Migration, Pandemic, Social, Spanish | |
| ORANGERIA: Movilización de expertos de ciencias sociales para reducir criminalidad – INGSA Case Study with mentor notes – Español | At last elections, a centre-right party won most votes but could only form government in … | Espanol, Security, Social, Spanish | |
| Quantum World Build #2 – Facilitation Guide – Governance of Revolutionary Technology – GESDA | Case Study part 2 of 3 – Workshop and Facilitation Guide for World Build Simulation … | 2022, Climate Change, Economy, Fictional, Gamified, GESDA, quantum, Technology, World Build | |
| Quantum World Build #3 – Workshop Resources – Governance of Revolutionary Technology – GESDA | Part 3 of 3 – World Build Case Study created by INGSA for GESDA Science … | 2022, Climate Change, Economy, Fictional, Gamified, GESDA, quantum, Technology, World Build | |
| Quantum World Build #1 – Background – Governance of Revolutionary Technology – GESDA | Part 1 of 3 of the Quantum World Build Case Study developed for the GESDA … | 2022, Climate Change, Economy, Fictional, Gamified, GESDA, quantum, Technology, World Build |
