The Politics of Science

Can science and politics be compared to oil and water, or is their relationship murkier than that? If lines can be drawn, how do science policy-makers deal with controversial areas, and where do the public get involved?

The US is currently the world leader in science and innovation. But is that golden glow now fading? What does the future hold for US science, and will conservative right-wing attitudes contribute to its gradual demise? How should the public be 'educated' about science, and who should get the final say? Come and hear scientist Michael Stebbins tell his side of the story, and enter a world where the grey is polarised into black and white.

Here in the UK science policy seems to be undergoing a democratic renaissance. Upstream public engagement is all the rage, but does the real science policy-making process in the UK live up to this shiny new rhetoric? How inclusive can science policy be, and where does the rest of the world fit in? Policy specialists give us the lowdown on where we stand today. Join in to discuss the character of science and the ways of governing science on both sides of the Atlantic today.