A model for communication about biotechnology / / Bev France; John Gilbert.

• Superior document: The Biotechnology Learning Series ; 1
• VerfasserIn: France, Bev,; Gilbert, John,
• TeilnehmendeR: Gilbert, John,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden; , Boston : : Brill | Sense,, 2006.
• Year of Publication: 2006
• Language: English
• Series: The Biotechnology Learning Series ; 1.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (ix, 100 pages) :; illustrations.
• Notes: Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

This book incorporates two major themes into a model for communication about biotechnology. The first is that of a communicating community, defined as a relatively coherent social group engaging in communication within itself. As biotechnologists do not constitute a unitary group, this book refers to biotechnology communities. Similarly, the broad notion of ‘the public’ is considered to be inadequate, and the notion of distinct public communities is used. The members of each community are considered to have a view of biotechnology made up of their understandings of the nature of science of biotechnology, understandings of the key concepts and models used in biotechnology, perceptions of the nature of risk, and beliefs and attitudes about biotechnology. The second major theme is that of search space. This is the intersection, in a virtual arena, of the components of the ‘views’ of two communities. Where there are elements that are in common to the two, communication in terms of them is possible. Where there is no commonality, the degrees of understanding reached must be used to construct a mutual understanding that may evolve into an agreement.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Introduction / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- The need for improved communication about 'modern' biotechnology / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Biotechnologists and communication: An enquiry / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Building a model: language and the making of meaning / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Building a model: Knowledge and risk / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- The model and a programme of research and development / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Acknowledgements / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- References / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Public concerns about…Transgenic Animals / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Embryonic stem cells and human therapeutic and reproductive cloning / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Environmental impacts of genetically modified organisms / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- The safety of genetically modified foods / Bev France and John K. Gilbert -- Intellectual Property Protection: Relationship to public perceptions of biotechnology / Bev France and John K. Gilbert.