Nanotechnology, governance, and public deliberation: What role for the Social Sciences?

Macnaghten, P.M.; Kearnes, M.B.; Wynne, B.

doi:10.1177/1075547005281531

Nanotechnology, governance, and public deliberation: What role for the Social Sciences?

Macnaghten, P.M.; Kearnes, M.B.; Wynne, B.

Authors

P.M. Macnaghten

M.B. Kearnes

B. Wynne

Abstract

In this article we argue that nanotechnology represents an extraordinary opportunity to build in a robust role for the social sciences in a technology that remains at an early, and hence undetermined, stage of development. We examine policy dynamics in both the United States and United Kingdom aimed at both opening up, and closing down, the role of the social sciences in nanotechnologies. We then set out a prospective agenda for the social sciences and its potential in the future shaping of nanotechnology research and innovation processes. The emergent, undetermined nature of nanotechnologies calls for an open, experimental, and interdisciplinary model of social science research.

Citation

Macnaghten, P., Kearnes, M., & Wynne, B. (2005). Nanotechnology, governance, and public deliberation: What role for the Social Sciences?. Science Communication, 27(2), 268-291. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547005281531

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	2005-12
Deposit Date	Jan 28, 2009
Publicly Available Date	Jan 28, 2009
Journal	Science Communication
Print ISSN	1075-5470
Electronic ISSN	1552-8545
Publisher	SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	27
Issue	2
Pages	268-291
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547005281531
Keywords	Nanotechnology, Governance, Upstream public engagement, Imaginaries.

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Copyright Statement
The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Science communication, 27/2, 2005, © SAGE Publications Ltd at the Science communication page: http://scx.sagepub.com/ on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/