Abstract

Rapid advances and new technologies in the life sciences - such as biotechnologies in health, agricultural and environmental arenas - pose a range of pressing challenges to questions of citizenship. This volume brings together for the first time authors from diverse experiences and analytical traditions, encouraging a conversation between science and technology and development studies around issues of science, citizenship and globalisation. It reflects on the nature of expertise; the framing of knowledge; processes of public engagement; and issues of rights, justice and democracy. A wide variety of pressing issues is explored, such as medical genetics, agricultural biotechnology, occupational health and HIV/AIDS. Drawing upon rich case studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, Science and Citizens asks: · Do new perspectives on science, expertise and citizenship emerge from comparing cases across different issues and settings? · What difference does globalisation make? · What does this tell us about approaches to risk, regulation and public participation? · How might the notion of ‘cognitive justice‘ help to further debate and practice?
'The global scope of the case-studies, and of its theoretical and normative perspectives is particularly novel and a uniquely valuable contribution to some of the world's most pressing issues.' Ulrich Beck, University of Munich 'This volume is a unique blend of two, hitherto separate, streams of work - science and technology studies and development studies.' Steve Rayner, University of Oxford 'The overall admirable aim of the book, consisting of provocative and well-written essays, is to bring together modern work in science studies and disciplines devoted to investigating global and national development.' Christopher Lawrence, UCL 'Makes a major contribution to debates about the relationship between science and society.' Bulletin of the Food Ethics Council '[Highlighting] the politics in science and how science has in the past been used by the establishment to consolidate its power...the book is an example of what a genuine ideological and intellectual commitment to the philosophy of participation can produce.' Development and Change
Professor Melissa Leach is a social anthropologist and Professorial Fellow of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. Ian Scoones is a Professorial Fellow with the Environment Group, of which he has been team leader in the past. He came to IDS in 1995 from the International Institute of Environment and Development in London. Professor Brian Wynne is Professor of Science Studies at the Institute for Environment, Philosophy and Public Policy, Furness College, Lancaster University