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Complex concepts such as cultural identity, gender issues and the effects of colonialism, politics, and power structures on societies form part of the debate around indigenous culture as a knowledge system. This article makes a contribution to the debate by addressing cultural issues encountered during a cross-cultural research project based in India and South Africa. The authors reflected on some of the conceptual issues they grappled with during their research. The project involved the documentation, study and understanding of the extent in which indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and modern technologies were utilised in the traditional manufacturing processes of artisans in general and potters in particular. The roles and functions of IKS as used during the production of artefacts were included in the study. This perspective was coupled with a study on the artisans' attitude towards and understanding of science (PAUS) while conducting their traditional technological processes. The combined approach provided a method that allowed researchers to develop interventions that capitalised on existing skills, practices and social relationships rather than undermining them, thus contributing to their sustainability. The project, at the same time, focussed on redefining the characteristics of "knowing" (of knowledge) as not just a mere contemplative gaze, but also as a practical activity. By focusing on artisans, the question of knowledge was placed in the two spheres of knowledge production: "theory" (epistemology) and "practice". This approach attempted to address and discuss some academic notions based on culture; including a variety of aspects that broadly constitute the "concept" of culture. As these notions continuously alter with changing academic insights they are constantly re-defined by academics and researchers.

Science Popularisation Policies and Regulations in China -- Science Popularisation Among the Youth -- Science Popularisation among Farmers -- Science Popularisation among the Urban Working Class -- Science Popularisation among Urban Communities -- Science Popularisation among Party Leaders and Civil Servants -- Science Education and Training for Scientific Literacy -- Building Science Popularisation Resource Base -- Science and Technology through Mass Media -- Science Popularisation Infrastructure -- Development of Science Popularisation Workforce -- Science Communication Activities -- Citizens' Scientific Literacy, Monitoring and Assessment -- Implementation of the Outline of National Scheme for Scientific Literacy.

Public Understanding of Science is an area constituted by those scholars who essentially acquired expertise in various established academic disciplines and shifted their attention towards a few specific issues related to the science–society interface. The discipline though recognised as a legitimate area of research has not come out of all its teething problems associated with the formation of any new area. The mainstay, during the first phase of its development was the attitudinal surveys conducted in various countries. The objectives of these surveys were to measure the extent of scientific knowledge, probe public attitude towards science or scientists, and at times simply to explore the level of confidence or lack of confidence that a common citizen had in science. These surveys gradually turned into an important and regular activity in many countries. The debate that followed the first phase resulted in refinement of methodology, tools and the models of assessment of Public Understanding of Science. The PAUS group at NISTADS, India, has since 1989 worked on methodology suitable for carrying out surveys in developing countries. Subsequently, a culturally sensitive model for analysing the survey data was proposed by the group. The present article in the first section gives details of the model designated here as the 'cultural model of Public Understanding of Science'. The following sections, in detail, deal with the application of the model on data sets collected by two different organisations in India. The conclusions drawn confirm that the method of measuring cultural distance could be successfully applied to various data sets to draw meaningful inferences.