Science, Technology, and Democracy

Reviews / Votes

"...how citizens can become better informed about the science and technology that affects their lives, and take positive action and make intelligent choices about those issues in ways that improve lives, the health of communities, and the fabric of democracy." - Tech Directions

"The recent mobilization of citizen protest against the World Trade Organization suggests a revival of demands for citizen participation in complex technical decisions, so this volume is timely. Its contributors skillfully address the power of expertise, the problems of dealing with scientific complexities, and the dilemmas of citizenship in an increasingly technical world. Their case studies of various models of citizen participation are especially useful." - Dorothy Nelkin, New York University, coauthor of The DNA Mystique: The Gene as a Cultural Icon and author of Selling Science: How the Press Covers Science and Technology

"This stimulating collection of essays raises one of the most challenging issues of the twenty-first century: Is the meritocracy of science compatible with social democracy? The answer to this question will determine whether people become slaves to technology or truly govern its use." - Sheldon Krimsky, Tufts University, author of Hormonal Chaos: The Scientific and Social Origins of the Environmental Endocrine Hypothesis

"Can lay citizens participate in science and technology policymaking? As these essays make clear, there is more room for such participation than generally recognized. The book is an important contribution to this increasingly contentious issue." - Frank Fischer, Rutgers University, author of Technocracy and the Politics of Expertise