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"This chapter reviews research on the influence of the media on legislation and public policy. After reflecting on why politicians react to media coverage at all, the chapter mainly focusses on political agenda-setting, but also goes beyond this to come to a broader view on the role of the media in the policy process. In order to do so, the chapter takes a dose look at how media define, Frame and amplify issues or constrain the political agenda and how this impacts political decision making. It is argued that the media link together relevant actors including the public and make it possible that they respond to each other on a limited number of core issues. In addition, the media have the ability to forte politicians to react and take a position in such a way that they can accelerate or rather decelerate the policy process. The chapter closes with a call for more studies trying to understand the complex interaction of media and political decision making." (publisher's description)

The author presents a case study on the way the UK government handled BSE, with a specific focus on the problems that resulted due to scientific uncertainties that accompanied the attempt to formulate a response to this outbreak. References. D. Miller

"This chapter deals with public understanding of uncertainty in climate science and policy taking a closer look at how laypeople perceive and make sense of the non-knowledge about the topic. Based on original research with Swedish focus groups, among others, the authors conclude that the uncertainty about causes and consequences might not be the most pressing issues. Rather they see that the questions regarding the individual responsibility to mitigate climate change and the effectiveness of responses to climate change can be even more confusing. An implication for global change management would be to address more systematically the blindspots related to effectiveness of policies and measures tackling climate change." (author's abstract)