Issues: Who controls science and technology?

Who controls science and technology?

SGR produces a range of resources on the issue of 'Who controls science and technology?' This includes the power of vested interests (especially the military and private corporations), openness and democracy in science, and public engagement and participation. Two of our main projects focus on military influence on science and technology, and corporate influence on science and technology.

Military-university collaborations – an update on the UK situation

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, reviews the latest developments in military involvement at UK universities.

19 September 2012
 

UK military R&D: changing times

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at INES/IPB side event at the Preparation Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Vienna

30 April 2012

 

Science and technology: when does use become misuse?

Science and technology have contributed to huge changes in human society, bringing many benefits, but also helping to cause global scale problems. Using a series of examples from the past century or so, this presentation examines the balance of costs and benefits, and argues that the role of science and technology in society needs to change, if we are not to be overhwhelmed by the problems we now face.

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at the What is science for? teachers' conference, Widnes, Cheshire, UK

25 February 2012
 

Science and the corporate university in Britain

Article by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, published as part of the debate on 'Capitalism and the University' on the openDemocracy website.

16 December 2011
 

Emerging technologies and risk: the social, cultural and political dimensions (Dec 2011)

Dr Bronislaw Szerszynski, Lancaster University, argues that when it comes to new technologies, technical risk assessment is not enough.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 40, autumn 2011 (published online 6 December 2011)
 

European security research – it is time for change

Martina Weitsch, QCEA, shows how arms companies – including those from Israel – have obtained public EU research funds, despite military research being specifically excluded from the formal R&D framework.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 40, autumn 2011 (published online 6 December 2011)
 

The impact of university research: public or private good?

Philip Moriarty, University of Nottingham, asks whether the practices now followed by UK research councils are doing little more than enabling the government’s policy to further commercialise academic research.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 40, autumn 2011 (published online 6 December 2011)
 

The Luddite uprisings – lessons for technology politics now

It is 200 years since the Luddite uprisings in northern England. David King, Human Genetics Alert, argues that the motivations of the Luddites have been misrepresented, and that we need to look again at their legacy.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 40, autumn 2011 (published online 6 December 2011)
 

Science and the military: A reply to Nature

Letter to Nature, 14 October 2011
 

Open letter to IAUP on military research at universities

Letter from the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) - co-signed by SGR - to the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), 10 June 2011