Science controversies and public policy: a case study of genetically engineered food
Date
2004-08
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Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Public cynicism toward the government's capacity to regulate in the public
interest is apparent. Therefore garnering support for certain policies can be difficult,
especially where a scientific controversy emerges. Scientific and technological
innovations bring about social change which generally results in public resistance. The
purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the difficulties of using science to formulate policy
in an area of controversy, the example used is that of genetically engineered (GE) food.
This thesis is divided into three sections. The first is an analysis of the positions
taken by four interest groups with regard to key issues associated with the regulation of
GE food. The arguments advanced have a common tie: that the scientific risk assessment
process used to licence GE crops is insufficient because it precludes socio-economic
considerations. The second section is devoted to the question of whether the federal
government allowed the controversy to develop by adopting a promotional approach
toward the technology and neglecting to take into account how the public's
understanding of science differs from that of scientists. The last section is an analysis of
the final reports issued by three committees mandated by the federal government to
study different aspects of the regulation of GE food. The argument presented is that the
three committees were given limited mandates which precluded other important
considerations from the final reports. The thesis concludes by accepting that there are
no clear methods of securing public approval but that the government has compromised
its neutrality and the credibility of the licensing approval process by relying on
positivist and promotional approaches toward the technology.
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Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Political Studies
Program
Political Studies