Citizen science's (CS) deployment and benefit over the last ten years have been remarkably substantial in their contributions to the massification of citizen participation in tech-based CS projects. Insights into how CS projects influence community changes through proposals of actions and public policies are essential to understanding how they…

Recent work in science and technological studies has provided a clearer understanding of the way in which science functions in society and the interconnectedness among different strands of science, policy, economy and environment. It is well acknowledged that a different way of thinking is required in order to address problems facing the global…

Mechanisms to engage lay citizens in science and technology are currently in vogue worldwide. While some engagement exercises aim to influence policy making, research suggests that they have had little discernable impacts in this regard. We explore the potentials and challenges of facilitating citizen engagement in nanotechnology from the…

The genetically-modified-organism (GMO) experience has been prominent in motivating science, industry, and regulatory communities to address the social and ethical dimensions of nanotechnology. However, there are some significant problems with the GMO-nanotech analogy. First, it overstates the likelihood of a GMO-like backlash against…

Examines how decisions concerning research, development, and the application of science and technology take place within the framework of democracy and the U.S. political system. Maintains that the decision making process for basic research, technological development, and applications follow, respectively, the general political models of…

Presented is a survey of five institutional mechanisms for allowing the lay public to influence environmental risk decisions. Discussed are public hearings, initiatives, public surveys, negotiated rule making, and citizens review panels. Defined is the democratic process criteria for assessing these and other participatory mechanisms. (KR)

The public's perception of science and technology and of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is addressed and discussed in this report in terms of the social contract that exists between the scientific community and the public. A social contract is defined as the set of mutual expectations and obligations of the public, government, and science.…

The workshop on the popularization of science was the first of what the organizing institutions hoped would be a series of workshops on this important theme. It was held to complement the efforts of various institutions and organizations in the whole area of technological acculturation so that the benefits of science may be understood by and…

Examines the effects of new information and communication technologies on the structure and practices of U.S. politics. Maintains that the success or failure of digital-era democracy will depend ultimately on citizen participation. Includes a brief look at current innovative U.S. voter registration programs. (MJP)