Hype and Anticipatory Governance in the Case of Graphene

Current science and technology dynamics are characterized by a strong future orientation. Some techno-scientific fields are even said to be governed by a “regime of techno-scientific promises” (Felt et al. 2007), which often culminates in hype-disappointment cycles. Graphene, a promising material ‘discovered’ in 2004, is such a field in which from its inception scientific interest has been connected to far-reaching promises of economic value. In our paper we show how these promises and the overarching dynamic have been generated by a variety of anticipatory practices, partly rooted in common scientific practices and institutions, such as scientific publishing and research funding, partly in more dedicated forms of anticipation, such as foresight. Furthermore, we examine how these anticipatory practices constitute and stabilize spaces for coordination.