Science in Society

New contributions

• A Virtual Social Event
• Review of science communication and public attitudes to science in Britain
• Final report for the Maori Attitudes & Awareness of Science and Technology project, directed by Dr Fiona Cram(PDF, 1.3MB)
• Going Public. The Wellcome Foundation's Ian Jones updates the UK picture on public trust in scientists, 2003
• Talk to me: The UK Research Councils and Office of Science and Technology have released a guide for people interested in communicating science. The guide encourages dialogue replaces the more usual monologue.
• Towards Dialogue in Science Communication (PDF 277KB)
• Guide to Communicating Science and Technology (PDF, 277KB)
• Links to public engagement with science
• Lord May at the Beehive
• stem cell research
• Science and Politics: Melding facts and values
• New book- Sharing Knowledge: a guide to effective science communication

Introduction

Science and technology are challenging the comfort zone of New Zealanders more and more these days. The interface of science and society is evident in many world-wide issues; for example genetic modification, sustainable development and climate change.

Opinion polls show that people are fascinated by science and technology, but there is a general concern about new developments happening at a speed that allows little time to work through ethical and practical issues. Knowledge is becoming increasingly complex and specialised, making it hard for the person on the street to understand, which results in alienation and a feeling of loss of control. Ultimately, the science and innovation community cannot assume public support for their work.

Scientists work best when they are valued members of society. Businessess are more effective when their business is welcome in their communities and will be reluctant to commit to new investments which encounter public hostility. Governments will only be confident to invest in innovation when it has a public mandate.

So how have we been reconciling this? Using Genetic Engineering as a recent example, public meetings, conferences, establishment of Advisory Councils, legislation, and ultimately a Royal Commission of Inquiry, have all been used to consult and inform the public. How well has this worked, and can we now see better ways of dealing with these issues?

New Zealand needs to manage the interface between science and society using approaches that adopt and adapt the best ideas from overseas, use our own home-grown methods, and which reflect our own particular cultures and identities.

Network

Workshop

Links and publications

A Virtual Social Event: Social Science Week 2003 took place across the UK from 23-27 June, 2003. The week is about putting social science at the heart of policymaking. It brings social scientists together with opinion formers in government, business and the voluntary sector to show how social science can determine what policies will work and why. Social scientists will analyse the future of work, the UK's response to a terrorist attack and the lives of millennium babies. See http://www.esrc.ac.uk/socialscienceweek.asp