Science and Citizens: Globalization and the Challenge of Engagement

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 book 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? ‘With many citizens’ networks around the world responding in forceful and creative ways to modern scientific interventions in their worlds and their environments, this is a very timely and well-focused collection of articles and insights. 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.