Science Policy in Its Social Context

Abstract

tific advance is necessary to create new wealth; scientific advance is necessary to solve partic-ular societal problems; and scientific advance provides the information necessary for making effective decisions. Significant and persistent disparities between promise and performance accompany each of these rationales. Our argument is that these disparities in part reflect science policy decisions made without adequate consideration of broader social con-texts. To explain this point, we present an illus-trative example for each rationale. We then dis-cuss some approaches to more effective contextualization of science policy decisions. Such approaches could improve the capacity of science policy to achieve desired social out-comes, and reduce the potential for/and mag-nitude of negative outcomes. Failing this, they could at least create more realistic expecta-tions and understandings of the roles, and