COMPASS

Changing Contexts for Mediating Public Concern in the Assessment of Biotechnoscience (COMPASS)

Modern science and technology, and, perhaps especially the new genetic technologies, raise major challenges for the Nordic countries and their systems of governance and social welfare. In particular, the ongoing commercialization of the genetic technologies, especially in relation to food production, has brought about an active involvement of the “public” in the setting of priorities, the implementation of programs and, not least, in the broader socio-economic assessment of the new technoscientific applications. New technologies are, when it comes to their societal applications, too risky to be left to scientists alone. In many cases, a new brokerage system seems to be arising as ethical committees, green councils, technology assessment agencies, consumers etc. are called upon to translate scientific/technological issues into ethical and political standpoints. The aim of the project is to examine and analyse the various forms of public participation to and governing of politics of genetic technologies in Nordic countries.



Changing Contexts for Mediating Public Concern in the Assessment of Biotechnoscience (COMPASS) Modern science and technology, and, perhaps especially the new genetic technologies, raise major challenges for the Nordic countries and their systems of governance and social welfare. In particular, the ongoing commercialization of the genetic technologies, especially in relation to food production, has brought about an active involvement of the “public” in the setting of priorities, the implementation of programs and, not least, in the broader socio-economic assessment of the new technoscientific applications. New technologies are, when it comes to their societal applications, too risky to be left to scientists alone. In many cases, a new brokerage system seems to be arising as ethical committees, green councils, technology assessment agencies, consumers etc. are called upon to translate scientific/technological issues into ethical and political standpoints. The aim of the project is to examine and analyse the various forms of public participation to and governing of politics of genetic technologies in Nordic countries. Five case studies conducted at the Nordic countries form the empirical basis of the project: - The Governance of Marine Biotechnology and Its Responsiveness to Public Concerns - Biotechnology and the University-Industry Interface in Finland - The Role of Non-governmental Organisations in Mediating Public Concern About GMOs in Sweden - Biotechnology and the Danish Board of Technology - Television Coverage of the Biosciences in the Nordic Countries. COMPASS is a Nordic research project that has members from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The project has received funding from NOS-S to the years 2002-2004. Project members: Margareta Bertilsson, University of Copenhagen, project coordinator Thomas Achen, Linköping/Norrköping University Mark Elam, Göteborg University Marja Häyrinen-Alestalo, University of Helsinki Merle Jacob, Chalmers University of Technology Andrew Jamison, Aalborg University Egil Kallerud, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Higher Education (NIFU) Vera Schwach, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Higher Education (NIFU) Karoliina Snell, University of Helsinki Research Group for Comparative Sociology


Updated 23.1.2002