Science and Technology Policy

Catalog description

Science and technology are powerful forces in the modern world. They have been hailed as a way to address everything from world hunger to old age. This does not, however, happen automatically, nor does it always work out the way one presumes. Governments make numerous decisions that affect the direction and application of science and technology, and government policies are affected by a myriad of social, political, and cultural factors. This class will explore the variety of ways in which governments make these policies, how the policies shape the development of science and technology and their applications, and how policy may be shaped to create better futures. Governments around the world have coalesced around the idea that science and technology are necessary for the promotion of the good life. We will examine how they put this idea into action by looking at five interrelated topics: Food, Security/Military, Health, Economy, and Sustainability.