The Research Councils also "launder" government money. It is a good way to
remove direct government influence over things that it really should leave
others to manage.
Here I include most of the work that the British Science Association (BSA)
does with the money it gets from DBIS and other departments.
The organisation has an impressive set of backers:
http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/_Benefactors/Core+Funders.htm
These people don't throw money around willy nilly. They want to see someone
in charge.
While I plead guilty to mentioning the BSA, as did Mark Henderson, I really
do think that is in a very different position from the RI. To see the
official response to Mark's observations, read Roland Jackson here:
http://timesonline.typepad.com/science/2010/01/the-british-science-associati
on-responds-to-my-criticisms.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/ydhx3kg
Others in the know have said here that the organisations does manage to
balance top down and ground up "tensions". (Remember, the BA, as it then
was, changed its paid-for membership status some time ago.) I can't see any
crisis at the BSA that needs addressing. Whatever you think of it, the
organisation seems pretty clear about its own "way forward".
The idea that policy of any organisation be offloaded to an AGM of a tiny
handful people is worrying. I have seen other bodies fade away when they
don't have someone with ideas and energy, and a desire to keep the thing
alive, calling the shots.
Companies, for example, do their shareholders no favours when twerps are in
charge.
The RI is a different animal. Does it have the regional activities that are
at the heart of much of the BA's grassroots work?
MK
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stephan Matthiesen
Sent: 13 January 2010 11:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] The strange case of the Royal Institution
Hi,
Am 13.01.2010 09:46, schrieb Michael Kenward:
> Then again, a membership organisation might decide that it did not want to
> act as a money launderer, preferring to sink slowly into history.
I respect your opinion, but I don't want to discuss the matter in this
derisive tone.
I asked some questions to get a better understanding of possible ways
forward, but I realise that this may not be the right forum for this
kind of discussion. So I'm out.
Cheers
Stephan
--
Stephan Matthiesen, PhD
http://www.stephan-matthiesen.de
Neu auf www.science-texts.de: Stachelig! Muster des Monats 1/2010
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