I would like to draw your attention to a call for papers for a session concerning Citizens Influencing Science and Policy, part of the next annual conference of the Institute of British Geographers, which will be held August 29^th-31^st, 2007 in London. The session is being organised through the Participatory Geographies Working Group.

The abstract for the session is:

We live in a society where the pace of scientific change is faster than society’s ability to grapple with the potential consequences of scientific development. This is particularly true in areas such as biotechnology (genetic modification), nanotechnology, and health (e.g. human embryology and fertilisation techniques), where scientific developments also have social, ethical and political impacts. Public trust in science has been eroded through sequential high profile problems, such as BSE, FMD, MMR (Select Committee on Science and Society, 2000). The developing concept of post-normal science (Ravetz, 1999) focuses specifically on issues where “facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent”.

This session will draw on examples to identify ways to ensure stakeholder engagement in scientific debate, examine the issues surrounding participation and involvement of stakeholders in knowledge production, and consider how lay voices shape how scientific research is prioritised and evaluated as policy decisions are made. Papers are invited which consider the following topics:

• Involving research users: combining scientific and lay knowledge
• Participation from marginalised groups
• Role of pressure groups in influencing science and policy
• Engaging the public in debate

Key words: Post-normal science, lay knowledge, citizen science

Please feel free to send this on to others who you think might be interested.

Abstracts are to be submitted electronically to the RGS ([log in to unmask]) using their form found at http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/792FEFBA-93F1-4DEA-8A5D-DB87C021ED73/0/AC2007Abstractsubmissionform.doc, or perhaps more easily by using the attached form. Please feel free to contact me with any queries or suggestions, prior to submitting a form.

Best wishes,

Frances Harris