How can public opinion best be represented in making science policy?
The International Centre for Human and Public Affairs (ICHPA) has recently published a book entitled 'Democratising technology - Theory and practice of deliberative technology'. It includes contributions from a range of international authors and forms part of an ongoing debate on the conceptual and practical development of a deliberative technology policy. 'Deliberative technology policy' is aimed at involving the general public in the decision-making process while ensuring the quality of the policy process is safeguarded by the mediation of appropriate experts in science and policy. Its supporters believe that a deliberative technology policy should bring the realm of technological innovation within the scope of democratic decision-making. The book includes chapters based on research funded by the European Commission and contributions on the following topics: - Escaping the iron cage, or, subversive rationalisation and democratic theory: by Andrew Feenberg (San Diego, State University); - Design criteria and political strategies for democratising technology: by Richard E. Sclove (Loka Institute); - Why the public should participate in technical decision-making: by Carl Mitcham, (Penn State University); - Democratising technology or technologising democracy - the case of agricultural biotechnology in Europe: by Les Levidow (Open University, England); - Environmental research between knowledge and organisation: by G. Bechmann (Institute for Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe, Germany); - Technology Assessment in a deliberative perspective: by Ole Brekke and E. Erikson (Bergen, Norway).