Science, Technology and Public Policy

Faculty

SHIROYAMA, Hideaki
YARIME, Masaru
ROGERS, Michael

Credit / Semester / Schedule / Language

2 Credits / Winter / Tuesday Period: 2 / English

Objectives/Overview

The development and diffusion of science innovative technologies is indispensable for modern society. However, despite its benefits, the development of science and technology is not without various risks and social problems. So far as we are going to make societal decisions for the use of science and technologies with diverse social implications that encompass both risks and benefits, sometimes involving values implications, there is a need for mechanisms of decision making and management of the development and utilization of science and technology. Decisions can be different depending on environmental, institutional and cultural conditions. In addition, innovative policy instruments/ mechanisms to deal with rapidly changing science and technology are required for implementing decisions. This course will deal with wide range of issues from local to global levels faced at the interface areas between science, technology and public policy from comparative perspective of Japan, the US and Europe.

Keywords

Science and Technology, Public Policy, Risk Management, Innovation, International Regimes

Schedule

The following themes with illustrating cases will be discussed in the class. 1. Science, Technology and Modern Governance? - Political Dimension. 2. Risk Assessment and Risk Management. 3. Policy Instruments (laws/ soft laws and regulations, information, insurance, compensation schemes, third parties and accident investigation). 4. Mechanism of Innovation. 5. Technology Assessment and Transition Management. 6. International Regimes ? Security, Environment and International Harmonization.

Teaching Methods

Seminar Method

Grading

Presentation and Participation、Final Report

Reference Books

John D. Graham, Jonathan Baert Wiener, Risk Versus Risk: Tradeoffs in Protecting Health and the Environment, Harvard University Press, 1997. Sheila Jasanoff, The Fifth Branch: Science Advisers as Policy Makers, Harvard University Press, 1990. Chris Freeman and Luc Soete, The Economics of Industrial Innovation, 3rd Edition, Pinter, 1997.
Vernon W. Ruttan, Technology, Growth, and Development: An Induced Innovation Perspective, Oxford University Press, 2001.