An assessment of engaged social science research in nanoscale science and engineering communities

Radatz, Alecia; Reinsborough, Michael; Fisher, Erik; Corley, Elizabeth; Guston, David

Abstract

© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Increased funding of nanotechnology research in the USA at the turn of the millennium was paired with a legislative commitment to and a novel societal research policy for the responsible development of nanotechnology. Innovative policy discourses at the time suggested that such work could engage a variety of publics, stakeholders, and researchers to enhance the capacity of research systems to adapt and be responsive to societal values and concerns. This article reviews one of two federally funded social science research centers-the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University(CNS-ASU)-to assess the merits of this form of engaged social science research in which social science contributes not only to traditional knowledge production but also to the capacity of natural science and engineering researchers and research communities for greater reflexivity and responsiveness, ultimately producing more socially robust research systems.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 12, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Sep 21, 2019
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2020
• Journal: Science and Public Policy
• Print ISSN: 0302-3427
• Electronic ISSN: 1471-5430
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 853-865
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scz034
• Keywords: technology policy; nanotechnology; engaged social science; science and society; impact assessment; research center.
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/3403476
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/spp/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/scipol/scz034/5552834