Biotechnology and International Relations

Few public policy makers today pay attention to a fundamental development in human history, the emergence of the age of modern biotechnology. Comparing this era to "a second industrial revolution", Wiegele examines the points at which international politics and biotechnology intersect. He begins with an overview of the meaning of biotechnology, often referred to as genetic engineering, for social scientists who may be unfamiliar with the concept. In the core of the book he examines the impact of biotechnology on policy issues in the fields of commerce, conflict, and international law. While acknowledging that the pace of technical innovation in the life sciences is brisk, Wiegele calls upon his colleagues to begin to confront the social implications of biotechnology. The field, he says, may well be in a position to address such global problems as pollution control, famine, disease, energy and waste management. In the concluding chapter he addresses these issues and spells out future curricular needs in the training of public policy professors and analysts. He ends with an ambitious research agenda for the future.