Science Technology & Society recent issues

Introduction: Mapping Public Understanding of Science

Raza, G. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

The Evolution of Public Understanding of Science--Discourse and Comparative Evidence

Bauer, M. W. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

Public Understanding of Science (PUS) is a field of activity and an area of social research. The evolution of this field comprises both the changing discourse and the substantive evidence of a changing public understanding.1 In the first part, I will present a short account on how the discourse of PUS moved from Literacy, via PUS, to Science-in-Society. This is less a story of progress, but one of false polemics and the multiplication of concerns. In the second part, I will show some empirical evidence on how PUS has changed by drawing on mass media data and large scale comparative survey evidence. I conclude by stressing that the Science-Society relationship is variable both in distance between science and the wider society and in the quality of this relationship.

Identifying and Testing Engagement and Public Literacy Indicators for River Health

Metcalfe, J., Riedlinger, M. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

Natural resource management (NRM) organisations in Australia are increasingly recognising the need for complement studies of biophysical condition of the environment with studies of social condition, such as values, understanding, and participation related to the environment. Relevant and reliable social indicators that can be scaled and measured on a regular basis are essential to meet this need. In this study, we identified four indicators to test the social condition of the public in the State of Victoria in Australia with regard to river health. These indicators were river use, river knowledge and literacy, values and aspirations, and river health behaviours.

We tested the four indicators through telephone and web-based surveys with over 1000 people in three areas of Victoria. We analysed the survey data statistically and gathered baseline data on the social condition of river health in the three regions. We made recommendations for how this data could be interpreted and used in community engagement and science communication programmes about river health. We also examined the limitations of the methodology and recommended modifications to the survey design and application for an anticipated roll-out of the survey across the entire State of Victoria. The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) will use this survey instrument to test social indicators on a regular basis.

Relative Cultural Distance and Public Understanding of Science

Raza, G., Singh, S., Shukla, R. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

Public Understanding of Science is an area constituted by those scholars who essentially acquired expertise in various established academic disciplines and shifted their attention towards a few specific issues related to the science–society interface. The discipline though recognised as a legitimate area of research has not come out of all its teething problems associated with the formation of any new area.

The mainstay, during the first phase of its development was the attitudinal surveys conducted in various countries. The objectives of these surveys were to measure the extent of scientific knowledge, probe public attitude towards science or scientists, and at times simply to explore the level of confidence or lack of confidence that a common citizen had in science. These surveys gradually turned into an important and regular activity in many countries.

The debate that followed the first phase resulted in refinement of methodology, tools and the models of assessment of Public Understanding of Science. The PAUS group at NISTADS, India, has since 1989 worked on methodology suitable for carrying out surveys in developing countries. Subsequently, a culturally sensitive model for analysing the survey data was proposed by the group.

The present article in the first section gives details of the model designated here as the ‘cultural model of Public Understanding of Science’. The following sections, in detail, deal with the application of the model on data sets collected by two different organisations in India. The conclusions drawn confirm that the method of measuring cultural distance could be successfully applied to various data sets to draw meaningful inferences.

Using Latent Class Models to Explore Cross-national Typologies of Public Engagement with Science and Technology in Europe

Stares, S. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

Public engagement with science and technology is a central theme in the field of Public Understanding of Science (PUS), particularly in Europe. Alongside public consultation exercises and similar activities aimed at generating engagement, there is a need for good survey indicators of the general climate for engagement with science and technology among the public. With internationally focused PUS studies increasing in prominence, such survey indicators should ideally characterise engagement in approximately the same way across a range of countries, to facilitate sensible cross-national analyses involving this construct.

This article presents cross-national analyses of two sets of questions posed in the Eurobarometer survey on public perceptions of biotechnology, conducted in 2002 in fifteen European countries. The items analysed capture a range of elements of the concept of engagement, both with science and technology, in general, and with biotechnology, in particular. Latent class models are used to explore typologies of types of engagement: substantively, to understand their content, and methodologically, to identify items which do not work well in these classifications. The analyses are also used to assess the statistical cross-national comparability of such typologies, and consequently to describe variations in levels of engagement across countries.

In Search of the Universal Dimensions of Public Perception of Science

Todorov, V., Petkova, K., Bauer, M. W. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

One possible way of solving the problem with the cross-cultural validity of the indicators of public understanding of science is analysis of the latent structure of sets of statements used in previous surveys. The factor analysis of eighteen statements from Eurobarometer 224 (2005) reveals three stable replicable latent dimensions—Evaluation, Efficacy and Control. The Efficacy dimension was replicated in the data of thirty-four countries participating in the survey. This dimension was not replicated only in Northern Ireland. The Control dimension was not replicated only in East Germany, Turkey and Norway. It is shown that the Evaluation and Efficacy dimension correlate and form new second-order dimension ‘Science is for others’ vs ‘Science is for us’.

European Attitudes Towards Animal Research: Overview and Consequences for Science

von Roten, F. C. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

The goal of this article is to map out attitudes towards animal experimentation in Europe (EU15 plus Switzerland), more specifically, to document the current attitudes, perform cross-national comparison of the trends of attitudes towards animal experimentation and of the explanatory factors of these attitudes. We assume that the conception of nature and science influences the perception of animal research. This study analyses a series of surveys that measure European public attitudes towards science and technology, the Eurobarometer (EB) 2001 and 2005. The majority of European countries refused animal experimentation in 2005 and we observe downward trend in every country, except Belgium and Spain. If the trend is similar among the countries the patterns of explanation of these attitudes are quite heterogeneous. Attitudes towards animal testing are explained in every country by attitudes towards science and nature, and by sociodemographic variables (except in Spain and Austria), and in very few countries by scientific knowledge (Belgium) or by values (Sweden and Switzerland). These results may have consequences for science and contribute therefore to the public understanding of science (PUS) research.

An Empirical Cohort Analysis of the Relationship between National Science Curriculum and Public Understanding of Science and Technology: A Case Study of Japan

Shimizu, K. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

Study of the Gender Difference in Scientific Literacy of Chinese Public

Chao, Z., Wei, H. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:56:21 PST

This article analyses the data of public scientific literacy survey conducted in China during 2005. Using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.0, the author establishes four regression models. The result reveals that the scores of male respondents are higher than that of female in the items relating to scientific knowledge. It also shows that scientific literacy is closely related to the socio-demographic variables. However, the impact of educational degree on public understanding of scientific method is not so evident.

Universities-Industry Links and Regional Development in Japan: Connecting Excellence and Relevance?

Kitagawa, F. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:27 PDT

The development of a new research system in Japan throughout the 1990s is seemingly leading to the emergence of new relationships and systems of innovation, in which new university-industry links have been sought as a means to stimulate regional economic growth. This article examines the changing roles of universities against the current policy and institutional landscapes in Japan, given the recent university reforms, the concentration of resources to ‘elite’ institutions, and the ‘regionalisation’ of science and innovation policies. The variety of forms of university-industry linkages and spatial relationships that universities are developing are illustrated, and organisational challenges in order to connect excellence and relevance at the institutional level are identified

Developing Entrepreneurial Universities in Taiwan: The Effects of Research Funding Sources

Hu, M.-C. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:27 PDT

This article investigates the evolving University–Industry–Government (UIG) linkages pattern in Taiwan, a latecomer catch-up country in terms of its late technology development and pursuing a targeted strategy of catch-up. The focus is on the funding sources available to universities and on their significance in defining the essentials of operating entrepreneurial universities. The results demonstrate that both public and private funding sources are important for assisting the build of entrepreneurial universities to reinforce such linkages, but their effects are divergent. The essential role of private research funding is not determined by the amount of funding, but is rather one of a guide to fill in the gaps in technological development between universities and industries. In comparison, public funding is a pre-requisite to and catalyst in attracting private research funding to bridge the gaps between university and industry research and to correct the misalignment of its impacts. The results also suggest that the UIG linkages available to an entrepreneurial university are closely associated with patterns of regional innovation and industrial development.

Capacity Building for University-Industry Linkages in Developing Countries: The Case of the Thai Higher Education Development Project

Schiller, D., Brimble, P. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:27 PDT

The aim of this article is to analyse the impact of academic capacity building on university–industry–linkages (UILs) and to identify a set of critical success factors to guide improvements of university–industry knowledge transfers in developing countries. Extensive empirical evidence from a unique case of academic institution building and efforts to improve UILs in the context of a developing country—the Thai Higher Education Development Project (HEDP)—is used. Since the Thai HEDP combines the enhancement of both core academic missions and UIL activities within newly founded centres, it provides an interesting case study to support the cross-fertilization of ideas and academic entrepreneurship.

The article is organised as follows: (i) A generic overview of UILs in Thailand is presented to place the establishment and evolution of the centres into perspective; (ii) The quantitative relevance of UILs at the centres is measured and considered by looking at their sources of income generation; (iii) Approaches and best practices of the centres towards UILs are discussed with the help of qualitative analysis; (iv) The empirical results are used to identify critical success factors for UILs, and their potential for cross-fertilisation of academic tasks in developing countries.

The Role of Triple Helix for Promoting Social Capital, Industrial Technology and Innovation in the SME Sector in Thailand

Yokakul, N., Zawdie, G. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:28 PDT

This article aims to look into the Triple Helix system as a basis for promoting social capital formation, innovation and exchange of best practice. It argues that the process of industrial innovation will be limited where there is little or no scope for institutional development, networking and social capital development. The article also seeks to evaluate the performance of policy in Thailand, in terms of influencing the major actors of the Triple Helix to work together and contribute towards the development of the culture of networking, collaboration and sharing of best industrial practices using the case of a traditional but potentially creative industry—the Thai dessert industry.

Knowledge Economy and Knowledge Society--Role of University Outreach Programmes in India

Narasimharao, B. P. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:28 PDT

India has the necessary potential to become a global leader in the knowledge economy. However, this cannot be achieved without the universities playing a prominent and leading role. Globally, higher education is poised to become more responsive to societal needs. Although many developments have taken place in the Indian higher education system, it still has to come to terms with modern society. The university outreach programme concept is fast picking up globally, and many universities use it for community development and building relationships with industries. In offering outreach programmes for community or for industries, we should go beyond merely providing some relevant courses. Some examples of universities where the relationship with society or industries has moved on from just offering distance education courses are given in this article. We need to find ways to use the ‘whole’ university, incorporating the various recent developments and meeting the requirements of various stakeholders of higher education. It is shown that university outreach is one of the best strategies where we can include various concepts like open distance learning, online learning, virtual universities, corporate universities, and so on, which have taken place in recent years. Universities, both traditional and distance education institutes, should move beyond their traditional boundaries to become more flexible and incorporate the new innovations that help in creating a knowledge society.

Centres of Excellence and Relevance: The Contextualisation of Global Models

Beerkens, E. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:28 PDT

This article analyses how the global model of centres of excellence and relevance (CERs) is adopted and adapted in three countries, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Netherlands. Each of these three countries have to some extent embraced the discourse of the knowledge society and knowledge economy in their higher education and science policies, and have—in their own ways—promoted the development of strategic research and the establishment of centres of excellence and relevance. It is the objective of this article to explore how these global models become embedded in the national institutional context, and factors that explain the different paths in which the three centres of excellence and relevance have evolved.

Learning and Innovation: What's Different in the (Sub)Tropics and How Do We Explain it? A Review Essay

Lorentzen, J. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:28 PDT

Much innovation research views catch-up as a process that at low levels of development starts with imitation, and whose end point is innovation; and it posits that different stages require different frameworks to explain what is going on. In its more extreme versions it adds a horizontal to the over-time differentiation and demands that individual or groups of countries be appreciated for their contextual dissimilarities, requiring in each case yet another tailor-made model. The purpose of this review essay is to argue that to derive and justify different sui-generis frameworks from differential catch-up experiences is a non-sequitur, theoretically unsatisfactory, empirically unhelpful and not constructive for policy.

Conceptually, all the pieces for a more unified approach are in place. We know how firms gain competitiveness through dynamic capabilities and complementary assets. We also know that firm-level technological capabilities are related to national (and perhaps regional) technological capabilities. Finally, we know that governing and supporting institutions matter in addressing the uncertainty resulting from problems of information, coordination, and so forth. This provides an opportunity to apply insights from theories of firm behaviour and new evolutionary thinking on technologies and institutions to historically informed, comparative studies of firm-based catch-up over the last decade or so.

Book Review

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:52:28 PDT

ICTs and Development: Revisiting the Asian Experience

Sreekumar, T. T., Rivera-Sanchez, M. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

The technology question is inseparable from the question where technology occurs. Just as it is impossible to understand NATURE without immediately tackling the question of the LIFE-SIZE we cannot now talk about technological progress without immediately considering size, the dimensions, involved in the new technologies. (Virilio 1995: 99)

'A Living Lab': Corporate Delivery of ICTs in Rural India

Schwittay, A. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

Information and Ccommunication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly seen as essential tools in development projects that can create new sources of income, make governments more transparent and accessible, improve education and health care, and overcome social exclusion and discrimination. To harness these potentials, multinational hi–tech corporations are forming public–private partnerships with governments, development institutions and civil society organisations in the delivery of ICTs to the rural masses. This article analyses the work of the Hewlett–Packard Corporation (HP), in India, where its three–year i–community programme aimed to bring access to ICTs and resulting benefits to rural citizens of Andhra Pradesh. I will show that ICTs are not neutral tools of development as conceptualised by practitioners of ICTD, but are commodities produced by corporations with the ultimate aim to increase the corporate bottom line. They are imbued with relations of power that skew ‘partnerships’ and must fulfil corporate objectives that weaken their potential impact.

Filipino Entrepreneurs on the Internet: When Social Networking Websites Meet Mobile Commerce

Alampay, E. A. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

This study explores the evolving landscape of e–commerce in the Philippines. It looks at two information and communication technology (ICT) applications that are being used innovatively by Filipinos: mobile phone–based cash systems and social networking websites to enable small entrepreneurs to venture into e–commerce. The article investigates how these two technologies help overcome barriers for individuals to participate in e–commerce, and explores how small and informal markets are evolving in the information age. The research samples individuals already doing business online (through Multiply.com), investigates the profile of these new entrepreneurs, the limitations of their market and explore how they nurture their business. While this phenomenon of using social networks and m–cash may primarily involve an urban population, it is significant for development, nonetheless, considering the growing segment of the poor found in urban locales. Further, lessons for the rural population can still be derived by analysing the barriers to entry in the online world, provided that access to infrastructure (that is, the Internet, courier and G–Cash services) is available. In this regard, the linking enablers/disablers of online commerce to offline contexts remains crucial.

ICTs in Rural India: User Perspective Study of Two Different Models in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar

Tiwari, M., Sharmistha, U. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

This article presents findings of two user perspective studies on the impact of ICTs in rural India. It is based on fieldwork conducted by the authors in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and Madhubani district of Bihar. The first study examines the impact of a state-led ICT initiative. The second looks at the impact of an ICT initiative by a non-government organisation. The article identifies issues critical to enhancing the accessibility of ICT services to the poorest rural households. A comparison is made between the two models in reaching the ICT services to the rural poor.

Learning through 'Prosuming': Insights from Media Literacy Programmes in Asia

LIM, S. S., Nekmat, E. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

In today's new media landscape, consuming media content is only part of the equation. Media consumers also enjoy various avenues by which they can produce and share media content. This combination of consuming and producing has been termed ‘prosuming’. Rather than being the preserve of the intellectual elite, virtually any media consumer can be a media producer too given the relative affordability and accessibility of new ICT and media platforms. Media production is satisfying because it allows individuals to flex their creative energies and empowering because it enables people to make their views heard. Focusing on media literacy programmes targeted at developing country youth, this article analyses media literacy programmes that impart media production skills. Specifically, it looks at the Little Masters programme in China, the Cybermohalla programme in India, and the Young Journalists (YOJO) Group in Vietnam. The article finds that media literacy programmes that emphasise media production may have more significant long-term impacts as they vest young people with the abilities to voice their concerns and raise public awareness about youth-related issues. The media literacy skills imparted are, therefore, imbued with the potential for social activism and democratisation. The experiences of the Little Masters, Cybermohalla and YOJO programmes also suggest a few strategies for heightened success–sensitivity to the social and cultural contexts of the participants, building up a sufficiently wide base of community support, and leveraging media convergence to increase their impact.

How the Development of ICTs Affects ICTs for Development: Social Contestation in the Shaping of Standards for the Information Age

Parthasarathy, B., Srinivasan, J. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

Historically, capitalism has been characterised by socio-spatial unevenness, and information capitalism is no exception. To that extent, it is relevant to ask who is served by ‘development’ projects in the information age? In the context of information and communication technology (ICT) deployments in development projects in particular, it is critical to ask: ICTs for whom? This article argues that the development of standards is an important factor in influencing who benefits from ICTs. While standards can deliver long-run aggregate benefits, the extent of benefits will depend on the trade-offs that standardisation entails. Since standards draw boundaries between those who conform and those who do not, there is a trade-off between aggregate benefits and the creation of individual winners and losers. There is another trade-off, between a narrow focus required for rationalising processes, and the need to retain wider context and diversity. In other words, the outcomes of the deployment of ICTs for development are shaped by these trade-offs and reflect the social contestation over the choice of standards.

New Media for Social Change: Globalisation and the Online Gaming Industries of South Korea and Singapore

Peichi, C. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

This article explores the role of state in administering an effective cultural policy to cultivate the gaming industry in Asia and in shaping popular media in a global context. Theories of globalisation have focused on the dominance of transnational companies in fostering today's global politics as well as new world information order. This article explains the historical context of cultural policy in South Korea and Singapore. Online game industries in the two countries show different levels of state involvement. While state and local companies in South Korea serves as significant actors in shaping the dynamics of the local industry, in Singapore state and multinational companies play pivotal roles in the development. By focusing on these two divergent locations, this article aims to demonstrate the significance of localisation in determining online gaming industries globally.

Integrating the Internet into Farming Activities: A Study of Farmer Users in Shandong Province, China

Zhao, J. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:49 PST

This study has selected Shouguang city and Huanglou town, two relatively developed rural places in the coastal province of Shandong, China, to explore the significance of the Internet in the perception of farmers and the ways by which it has been used as a tool to improve their lives. The findings show that the increase of wealth has not propelled a large number of farmers at the research sites to adopt the Internet even though they can afford computers and network facilities. Instead, Internet adoption and usage are closely connected with rural entrepreneurs and their private enterprises. The three rural entrepreneurs covered in the study started to experiment with the Internet long before their peers, especially at a time when the advantages of the technology had not fully demonstrated themselves. On account of their favourable attitudes towards technologies and relatively strong command of financial resources, the venturesome rural pioneers are more likely to stand up to the possible risks associated with Internet adoption. They act as gatekeepers when imparting innovative information carried over the Internet to rural people nearby. Their adoption behaviours may influence how people perceive the Internet and let the benefits derived from the Internet trickle down to those non–adopters.

Lateral Connectivity at the Margins: Ritual Communication and Liminality on Aboriginal Networks

Sawhney, H., Suri, V. R. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:50 PST

In the so–called twilight of hierarchy, networks have been celebrated for their lateral linkages, which often lead to the development of lateral discursive spaces, especially in industries where the premium is on innovation and creativity. However, the two lateralities—technological and social—do not readily come together at the margins, and require considerable work. This article examines the efforts to translate lateral connectivity into lateral discursive space—the Tanami Network in Australia and Tribal Digital Village in the US—by native peoples, communities especially motivated to generate such spaces. These two grassroots efforts highlight facets of development such as ritual communication and liminality which are important for the intended beneficiaries, but are rarely seen in the projects designed by external experts that focus on economic development and delivery of services.

Book Reviews

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:50 PST

Redefining the Brain Drain: China's 'Diaspora Option'

Zweig, D., Fung, C. S., Han, D. — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT

For many years, China's government worried about the ‘brain drain’. But beginning in 1992, China began to encourage students settled abroad to return for short visits and en-gage in various programmes on the Chinese mainland. Then, in 2001, the government adopted a new policy, encouraging overseas mainlanders to contribute to China's modernisation, even if they stayed abroad, and outlining various ways they could help China. This policy mirrors the strategies of other countries who encourage ‘brain circulation’ and develop a ‘diaspora option’ in order to overcome the loss of talented people. But what forms does this assistance take? Why do people contribute to China's modernisation while remaining abroad? What are the characteristics of those who ‘serve China’, as compared to those who do not? We employ data from a survey in Silicon Valley, as well as two Web-based surveys carried out in Canada and the US with mainland Chinese academics to answer these questions.

Coping with a Giant: Challenges and Opportunities for Thai and Vietnamese Motorcycle Industry from China

Intarakumnerd, P., Fujita, M. — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT

This article focuses on how sectoral systems of innovation and production in the same industry but across countries may evolve differently after facing similar threats and opportunities caused by the same external factor. To elaborate on this, we will use the case of evolution of the automotive sectors in Thailand and Vietnam, and their dynamics and transformation when they are facing threats and opportunities from their fierce competitor, China. The findings illustrate that different sectoral systems of innovation and production evolve differently. The direction and the pace of evolution depends very much on existing absorptive capabilities of agents, strength of their linkages, and their process of collective learning to withstand the threats and exploit opportunities.

Upgrading in Asian Clusters: Rethinking the Importance of Interactive Learning

Chaminade, C., Vang, J. — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT

This article is concerned with unpacking the role of the cluster supporting the SMEs’ move from competing on low costs to innovating in the global value chain. By comparing four clusters in different industries in Asia, we highlight significant differences in the learning paths of the clustered SMEs. The aricle contributes to current discussion on up-grading in clusters in developing countries by (a) providing an explanation on how localised interactive learning, and thus clustering, relates to upgrading; (b) discussing the conditions under which upgrading requires interactive learning; and (c) identifying the linkages between particular types of interactive learning and different upgrading strategies.

Science and Technology Policy in South Africa: Past Performance and Proposals for the Future

Kaplan, D. — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT

This article provides a high-level review of the performance of the S&T system in South Africa. All the indicators suggest that, at a high level, performance has not been strong. This is despite the fact that more resources have been devoted to S&T and that there has been extensive policy experimentation. The argument advanced is that the key factor explaining this weak performance is poor provision of skilled labour. The article critically examines the recent OECD review of S&T in South Africa in this light. Finally, the article examines the proposed future direction of S&T policy in South Africa as reflected in the twenty-year plan of the Department of Science and Technology. The plan is highly ambitious, considerably expanding the scope of S&T policy and projects. While it recognises the critical importance of increasing high-level skills for innovation, it fails to give adequate recognition to the fact that this will take time. Accordingly, new projects will need to be undertaken after, and not contemporaneously with, the expansion in the supply of skills.

Nanotechnology's Controversial Role for the South

Invernizzi, N., Foladori, G., Maclurcan, D. — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT

The possibility that nanotechnology will turn into an instrument to aid development or alleviate poverty has been discussed explicitly in academic circles, at meetings held by international bodies, and in non-governmental organisations since 1997. The different positions on the role that it can play in the process reflect particular interpretations of the relationship between science, technology and society. We divide the arguments expressed in this discussion in two broad groups. One can be identified as the instrumental position, which emphasises the technical capacity of nanotechnologies to solve poverty problems and spur development. The other group of arguments can be identified as the contextual position by emphasising the social context wherein technology is produced, used and adapted. We summarise and analyse the main arguments in the debate on nanotechnologies, development and poverty. We consider the most influent opinions from organisations, institutions and meetings, presenting their main ideas in chronological order. The outline covers the period from 1997 to late 2007, and reviews the documents that most directly address the issue. Afterwards, we highlight and analyse the main issues at stake in this controversy.

Book Reviews

Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:06 PDT