Risk and Society: The Interaction of Science, Technology and Public Policy

Risk and Society: The Interaction of Science, Technology and Public Policy PDF Author: M Waterstone
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401136343
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 183

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Book Description
Life in the last quarter of the twentieth century presents a baffling array of complex issues. The benefits of technology are arrayed against the risks and hazards of those same technological marvels (frequently, though not always, arising as side effects or by-products). This confrontation poses very difficult choices for individuals as well as for those charged with making public policy. Some of the most challenging of these issues result because of the ability of technological innovation and deployment to outpace the capacity of institutions to assess and evaluate implications. In many areas, the rate of technological advance has now far outstripped the capabilities of institutional monitoring and control. While there are many instances in which technological advance occurs without adverse consequences (and in fact, yields tremendous benefits), frequently the advent of a major innovation brings a wide array of unforeseen and (to some) undesirable effects. This problem is exacerbated as the interval between the initial development of a technology and its deployment is shortened, since the opportunity for cautious appraisal is decreased.

Risk and Society: The Interaction of Science, Technology and Public Policy

Risk and Society: The Interaction of Science, Technology and Public Policy PDF Author: M Waterstone
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401136343
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 183

Get Book Here

Book Description
Life in the last quarter of the twentieth century presents a baffling array of complex issues. The benefits of technology are arrayed against the risks and hazards of those same technological marvels (frequently, though not always, arising as side effects or by-products). This confrontation poses very difficult choices for individuals as well as for those charged with making public policy. Some of the most challenging of these issues result because of the ability of technological innovation and deployment to outpace the capacity of institutions to assess and evaluate implications. In many areas, the rate of technological advance has now far outstripped the capabilities of institutional monitoring and control. While there are many instances in which technological advance occurs without adverse consequences (and in fact, yields tremendous benefits), frequently the advent of a major innovation brings a wide array of unforeseen and (to some) undesirable effects. This problem is exacerbated as the interval between the initial development of a technology and its deployment is shortened, since the opportunity for cautious appraisal is decreased.

Science, Technology, and Public Policy

Science, Technology, and Public Policy PDF Author: Richard P. Barke
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
Examining the formulation of American public policies on scientific and technological issues, Barke poses and answers three questions: How do scientific issues become matters of public concern and debate? How is scientific information used in policymaking? and How does the public sector manage scientific endeavors? He uses a general framework of four types of constraints to explore the characteristics of science and technology policies. He applies the framework to Congress, the President and the Executive Office, the bureaucracy, the courts, the public, and scientists as participants in the science and technology process, and discusses the powers, limitations, and interactions with other participants. The author also assesses proposed reforms, and includes case studies covering legislation on hazardous wastes and the Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in l988. ISBN 0-87187-394-X: $10.95.

The Role of Science, Engineering, and Technology in the Public Policy Process for Infrastructure and Natural Systems

The Role of Science, Engineering, and Technology in the Public Policy Process for Infrastructure and Natural Systems PDF Author: Timothy Taylor
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Interactions between societal, natural, and infrastructure systems can be beneficial or harmful to society. Society benefits from natural systems by being provided with the basic necessities of life (air, water, and food). However, events such as stratospheric ozone depletion demonstrate that society ultimately can be harmed by societal impacts on natural systems. Domain knowledge is developed from observation of natural, societal, and infrastructure systems. Domain knowledge is contained within scientific knowledge and engineering knowledge. Scientific knowledge is gained through structured observation and rigorous analysis of natural and societal systems. Engineering knowledge is partially developed from scientific knowledge and is used to manipulate natural and societal systems. Technology is the application of engineering knowledge. In the past two centuries scientific and engineering knowledge have produced technologies that affect the interaction between societal and natural systems. Although scientists and engineers are in positions to advise on policies to address problems involving societal/natural system interactions, their contributions are not always fully utilized. This research examines feedback mechanisms that describe societal, natural, and infrastructure system interaction to develop an improved understanding of the dynamic interactions between society, natural systems, infrastructure systems, scientific and engineering knowledge, technology, and public policy. These interactions are investing through and opposing case study analysis performed using computer simulation modeling. The stratospheric ozone depletion study represents a case in which domain experts successfully influenced public policy. The U.S. civilian nuclear power study represents a case in which domain experts were less successful in influencing public policy. The system dynamics methodology is used to construct these two highly integrated models of societal-natural system interaction. Individual model sectors, based on existing theory, describe natural/infrastructure systems, knowledge and technology development, societal risk perception, and public policy. The work reveals that the influence of scientists and engineers in the public policy is due in part to their ability to shift dominance between causal feedback mechanisms that seek to minimize societal risk from natural systems and feedback mechanisms that seek to minimize the economic risk of increased regulations. The ability to alter feedback mechanism dominance is not solely dependent upon scientists and engineers ability to develop knowledge but to a larger extent depends on their ability to interact with policy makers and society when describing issues involving natural and infrastructure systems.

Natural Hazards Observer

Natural Hazards Observer PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Disaster relief
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description


Science, Technology, And Policy Decisions

Science, Technology, And Policy Decisions PDF Author: Anne L. Hiskes
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000310892
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
This text, written by a philosopher of science and a political theorist, introduces students to the issues and controversies surrounding science and technology policy in the United States. As the impact of technological advancement is increasingly felt, the policy-making process for science and technology is undergoing a marked transition. The making of this policy is no longer solely the function of government agencies and institutions. New actors in the policy arena are raising questions about the future of technological advancement in the United States and elsewhere, and their voices are affecting—sometimes obstructing—the traditional policy process. This book surveys the entire domain of science and technology policy making with special emphasis on the growing role of citizen participation, the ethical issues raised by modern policy problems, and the general principles that guide current policy. The authors discuss current philosophical views about the nature of science and technology as social and political entities and also consider the history of the relations between these fields and political authority. They combine an issues and case study approach with a narrative discussion of how ethical, participatory, and institutional factors have merged in the policy process. Among the topics addressed are nuclear power and siting policy, hazardous waste, communications technology, and biomedical technology. After reviewing the difficult problems facing the modern policy maker, the authors assess the methods and ethical assumptions of the current policy-making framework and consider alternatives that are more sensitive to the complexity of contemporary policy issues. Intended as a core text for courses in "Science, Technology, and Public Policy," the book can also be used in interdisciplinary courses focusing on the relationship between science, technology, and society. The text is also appropriate for courses in the philosophy of science and technology and for courses in social and political philosophy.

Science, Technology, and Public Policy: Books, monographs, documents, and articles in journals, 1968 through 1970

Science, Technology, and Public Policy: Books, monographs, documents, and articles in journals, 1968 through 1970 PDF Author: Lynton Keith Caldwell
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Civilization
Languages : en
Pages : 904

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Book Description


Law and Uncertainty:Risks and Legal Processes

Law and Uncertainty:Risks and Legal Processes PDF Author: Robert Baldwin
Publisher: Springer
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 376

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Book Description
Law and Uncertainty: Risks and Legal Processes examines the role of the law and legal institutions in coping with the risks and uncertainties that pervade our lives. it examines key concerns, such as how issues relating to risks can be dealt with by means of legal processes, and how risks can be controlled through different legal formulations and techniques. The contents cover a wide range of risk issues as they arise in legal contexts, ranging from the problems of assessing risks within the criminal justice system To The difficulties that judges encounter in processing risk-laden issues through the courts. This study brings together papers delivered at the WG Hart Legal Workshop of 1995, held at the Institute for Advanced Legal Studies in London.

Science, Technology, and National Policy

Science, Technology, and National Policy PDF Author: Thomas Kuehn
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501744038
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 540

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Book Description
Science, Technology, and National Policy is the first collection of essays to deal with technology as it relates to, and is influenced by, public policy-making. Bringing together twenty-five of the most significant papers on this topic, the editors seek to provide a broad perspective, to sample the full spectrum of core concerns in technology policy, and to stimulate critical thinking. Part One treats the social, political, economic, and international concerns that affect technology policy. Part Two examines how different government institutions deal with technology, including the federal executive, Congress, courts, and state and local governments. Ideal for professional and course use, this volume offers an excellent framework for discussing and coming to terms with these complex issues.

The Oxford Handbook of Governance

The Oxford Handbook of Governance PDF Author: David Levi-Faur
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0191628417
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The Oxford Handbook of Governance presents an authoritative and accessible state-of-the-art analysis of the social science literature on governance. The volume presents the core concepts and knowledge that have evolved in the study of governance in different levels and arenas of politics and policymaking. In doing so it establishes itself as the essential point of reference for all those studying politics, society, and economics from a governance perspective. The volume comprises fifty-two chapters from leaders in the field. The chapters are organized in nine sections dealing with topics that include governance as the reform of the state, democratic governance, European governance, and global governance.

Nexus of Resilience and Public Policy in a Modern Risk Society

Nexus of Resilience and Public Policy in a Modern Risk Society PDF Author: Mika Shimizu
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9811073627
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 145

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Book Description
This is the first book to articulate resilience-based public policy for a constantly changing, complex, and uncertain risk society. Its primary focus is on operationalizing resilience, i.e., on incorporating elements of resilience in public policy in the context of our modern risk society.While there is a wealth of literature on resilience and disaster risk management, there are few publications that focus on the nexus of resilience and public policy, resulting in gaps between various fields and public policy for resilient societies and disaster risk management. In response, this book integrates the latest theoretical insights on public policy and resilience and the latest practical analyses of case studies such as the Tohoku Disaster (Great East Japan Earthquake) in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy on the North American East Coast in 2012 to provide policy tools for future resilient societies and disaster risk management. The recent disaster cases illustrate that our changing, complex and uncertain risk environment requires far more resilience-based public policy through co-production of knowledge than is normally required for conventional disasters. By linking various fields and public policy, the book articulates a resilience-based public policy, i.e., the incorporation of resilience into various entities by designing and implementing “linkages.” These include national-to-local linkages, linkages between different entities such as scientific communities and decision makers, and linkages between financial, human, and information resources. Thus, the nexus of resilience and public policy presented in this book aims at better public policy to face a changing and complex risk society, together with fundamental uncertainties at regional, national, and local levels around the world.