Suchergebnisse

Max Weber suggested that appeals to philosophy of science reflect a lack of sense of direction among scientists; this suggests the hypothesis that social scientists, who have been less successful than natural scientists in accounting for their data, should appeal to works in philosophy of science more often than natural scientists. This is tested through data on citations to 4 prominent philosophers of science in Science Citation Index & Social Science Citation Index in 1969 & 1978. Social scientists are more than 20 times as likely as natural scientists to cite these authors. These findings are consistent with Weber's suggestion. 1 Table. Modified HA.

Between 1980 and 2010, the Chilean state regulated the environment to meet local demands for democracy and more equitable development, as well as global demands for good governance. The 1980 constitution created a `right to a clean environment' that came to life with the transition to democracy, first with a coordinating agency in 1994 and then with an Environment Ministry in 2010. One tool above all others was expected to put Chile on a greener development path: Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). To meet demands state capacity also grew: government staff was hired and trained, consultants and scientists were enrolled to advise the government and rules were introduced to re-organize environmental regulatory efforts. With a history of strong institutions, Chile was well placed to succeed in this effort. In many ways Chile succeeded, and in 2010 it joined the exclusive club of developed nations, the OECD. But in others it failed: environmental conflicts are frequent, large investment projects with EIA approval are on hold, and environmental institutions face a crisis of legitimacy. Combining approaches from science and technology studies and political science, this dissertation contributes to the literature on institutions and development. It explores the EIA's transit from bureaucratic formality to object of conflict through a qualitative comparison of three controversial projects (1998-2011) in the context of science-state relations and environmental politics from dictatorship through democracy. The longitudinal comparison allows for an analysis of how ideas about the need for "more science" versus "more politics" evolved over time. The first case is the Valdivia paper and pulp mill accused in 2005 of polluting a protected wetland and producing the mass migration (and death) of black-neck swans. The second case is the Pascua Lama gold mine, where the government and the company were forced to abandon plans to remove glaciers after major social protest in 2006. The third case is HidroAysén, a project to build five mega-hydroelectric dams in the Patagonia, that received EIA approval in 2011 in a highly contested evaluation process. Technocratic solutions to large-scale environmental problems failed on the ground in Chile. Contrary to explanations that rely on stories of capture, this dissertation argues that disagreements over credibility have undermined the Chilean state's capacity to regulate the environment. These disagreements are expressed in two related sites: the boundary between political and technical decisions and disagreements over scientists and their proper role in society. Both disputes are about different visions of the state. Many in government believe good government means the state plays the role of a neutral broker that facilitates consensus and negotiation. Such a state has no tolerance for stubborn positions like those scientists or environmentalists might adopt, but a penchant for rules and regulations - its main job, after all, is to "draw the lines on the soccer pitch". Such a state, furthermore, is unable to cope with demands for accountability and thus faces a widening governance gap.

Mongolia is a sparsely populated Asian country covered by vast steppes, deserts, and forests. Few studies have been conducted on Online Citizen Science (OCS) activities in Mongolia. This study aims to analyze the state of OCS in Mongolia and, in a further step, to place it in an international context by comparing it with Germany and Japan, where OCS is already well established. Mongolia faces several environmental challenges, including climate change, land-use change, and intensive urbanization. OCS can help address these environmental challenges. Quantitative, qualitative, and literature-based analyses were conducted in this study. OCS has become more relevant in Mongolia since 2013, where projects have been introduced internationally rather than locally. A comparison with Germany and Japan showed that the use of web technologies and the degree of citizen participation in OCS projects are similar in these countries; however, the link to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) may differ. To better respond to citizen needs and environmental challenges, additional local projects must be developed. Mongolia has the potential to enhance environmental monitoring and the networking of various actors using web technologies in citizen science.

This book examines remedies for improving public trust and the legitimacy of science. It reviews policy approaches adopted by governments to incentivise the empowerment of stakeholders, offering an original analysis of the political roots of the impact and public engagement agenda and shedding light on the wider connections to democracy.

Acknowledgement: The University of Malta would like to acknowledge its gratitude to the European Commission, Joint Research Centre for their permission to upload this work on OAR@UoM. Further reuse of this document can be made, provided the source is acknowledged. This work was made available with the help of the Publications Office of the European Union, Copyright and Legal Issues Section. The ERA Dashboard image on the first page by Niels Meyer licensed under CC by 2.0 may only be reused according to the conditions mentioned ; The Country Report offers an analysis of the R&I system in Malta for 2014, including relevant policies and funding, with particular focus on topics critical for two EU policies: the European Research Area and the Innovation Union. The report was prepared according to a set of guidelines for collecting and analysing a range of materials, including policy documents, statistics, evaluation reports, websites etc. The report identifies the structural challenges of the Maltese research and innovation system and assesses the match between the national priorities and those challenges, highlighting the latest policy developments, their dynamics and impact in the overall national context. ; N/A

Mode of access: Internet. ; Latest issue consulted: 1916-1917. ; Description based on: 1900-1901; title from title page.