Witness Brief - Rosemary Du Plessis
Witness Brief Executive Summary
- Rosemary Du Plessis is a senior lecturer in Sociology at the University
of Canterbury and the elected Social Science representative on the Council
of the Royal Society of New Zealand. In this capacity she facilitated a submission
to the Royal Society from an ad hoc group of social scientists with expertise
on a variety of issues relevant to genetic modification.
- This group was selected to represent those working in the following fields:
health issues associated with GM; economic assessment of the impact of GM;
consumer attitudes to GM; Maori cultural values and GM; agrifood production
and GM technologies; national and international regulation of food safety;
science, technology and the politics of knowledge.
- Ms Du Plessis is not actively involved in research relating to GM, but
has a long-term interest in the politics of knowledge and public policy. Much
of her research and writing has involved collaborative work with others in
a variety of different disciplines inside and outside academic institutions.
- The submission by the Social Science Ad Hoc Group was the basis for Section
B of the Royal Society’s submission to the Royal Commission on Genetic
Modification. Rosemary Du Plessis is the only representative of this group
appearing before the Commission, and will speak to Part B of the Royal Society’s
submission.
