Nice one Michael, we old fogeys remember!
>-- Original Message --
>Date:         Tue, 9 Aug 2005 12:37:15 +0100
>Reply-To:     "psci-com: on public engagement with science"            

><[log in to unmask]>
>From:         Michael Kenward <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Law of Popularization of Science
>To:           [log in to unmask]
>
>
>Lots of unsubstantiated assertions in this message which describes a
>parallel world from that which I inhabit.
>
>Any chance that you could back it up with some examples or some other
>evidence beyond opinion?
>
>In particular, I am puzzled by the statement that "Clarity about the
>communicator's agenda is not generally a priority in science communication,
>but it should be." That view harks back to the PUS days, a decade or so
ago.
>And even then only a small band of old fogeys really took that line, which
>is why it lasted about 10 minutes.
>
>____________________________
>Michael Kenward
>ABSW e-minder
>Editor, The Science Reporter
>http://www.absw.org.uk
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Adam
>Sent: 09 August 2005 11:26
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Law of Popularization of Science
>
>Any country developing popularisation policy must build a clear distinction
>between public relations and democratic empowerment into any legislation.
>It
>is tempting to think that it is the mere quantity of science communication
>that is important, and not to reflect on the motivation for communicating
>science. However, there are many different reasons people choose to engage
>the public with science. 
>
>This may sound obvious, but policy in the United Kingdom has tended in the
>past to assume that all and any science communication meets all and any
>purpose - be it informing citizens, increasing the science budget, educating
>the next generation of scientists, or whatever. Clarity about the
>communicator's agenda is not generally a priority in science communication,
>but it should be.
>
>Public relations and democratic empowerment are not the same. In fact, they
>are totally different but in the United Kingdom at least, science
>communication is dominated by public relations and marketing departments.
>They do good work but the fact that they are not always clear about their
>motivation has caused and continues to cause serious problems. Ironically,
>the extent to which the public trusts science has suffered as a result.
>
>The twisted logic goes like this: science is good; therefore any initiative
>that helps people to see that science is good will help people to make
>rational decisions about science. No! Even if you accept uncritically the
>premise that science is good, you can only advance debate by being crystal
>clear about where your own interests lie.  
>
>For an example of the kind of disingenuous science communication I'm talking
>about, take Walter Bodmer, one of the founding fathers of the public
>understanding of science movement in the UK. 10 years ago at the Edinburgh
>Science Festival he argued that, "to understand genetics is to understand
>that scientists must be allowed to patent genes". No! Patents are politics.
>Bodmer was conflating two very different ways of 'understanding'. (If I
>disagree with Bodmer that genes are strings of DNA, you could say I have
>not
>understood genetics; but what if I disagree with him about patents for
>genes?) 
>
>It would be fine to advocate patenting genes and to put forward an argument
>for it. It would even be OK for a research council such as the BBSRC to
pay
>for the public relations effort required to change the legislation if they
>thought it was important to the community they represent. But if they
>pretended that in so doing they were 'sharing science' rather than competing
>with their detractors, they would be doing a grave dis-service to the public
>understanding of science. 
>
>The greater emphasis on 'dialogue' in science communication helps a great
>deal, but the communicator's agenda could still be clearer in most
>popularisation efforts.
>
>Best,
>
>Adam
>----------------------------------
>Dr Adam Nieman
>Sci-Five
>5 Glendale
>Bristol BS8 4PN
>
>+44 (0)7764 197151 
>[log in to unmask] 
>www.sci-five.com
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emanuella Chagas Jaguar
>Sent: 08 August 2005 21:28
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [PSCI-COM] Law of Popularization of Science
>
>Dear Listmembers,
>
>I work at the Ministry of  Science and Technology of Brazil, in the 
>Department of Popularization and Diffusion of Science and Technology, 
>which integrates the Secretary for Social Inclusion. 
>
>I am writing in the regard of the director of the Department, Mr. Ildeu
de
>
>Castro Moreira, who is also a member of this list. He has been discussing
>
>with our Minister of Science and Technology about the possibility of 
>implementing a law of Popularization of Science in Brazil. Then, in order
>
>to subsidize these meetings, we ask you all, if possible, to send us this
>
>kind of legislation that it may exist in your country. 
>
>A Law of Popularization of Science is relevant to our country first to 
>stablish policies of approaching the scientific community to the general
>
>public, second to define the society and communication means 
>responsibility and lastly, to raise funds to invest on popularization.
>
>
>Thankfully,
>Emanuella Jaguar 
>
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