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

Radetz, Alicia; Reinsborough, Michael; Fisher, Erik; Corley, Elizbeth; Guston, Dave

Abstract

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.

Citation

Radetz, A., Reinsborough, M., Fisher, E., Corley, E., & Guston, D. (in press). An assessment of engaged social science research in nanoscale science and engineering communities. Science and Public Policy, 46(6), 853-865. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scz034

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 21, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Aug 21, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jul 25, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 22, 2119
• Journal: Science and Public Policy
• Print ISSN: 0302-3427
• Electronic ISSN: 1471-5430
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• 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