Ethics, Regulation, and Politics of Science

Catalog description

The conduct of science poses both profound ethical questions and important challenges for policymakers and the public. How should society deploy its limited resources in the pursuit of science? How can we respect research participants and protect their interests? What are the roles of norms, laws, regulations, public engagement, and other governance mechanisms in ensuring that the right science is done and that science is done right? How can we ensure that science benefits rather than harms individuals and communities and that it combats rather than reinforces injustice? Is there some science that simply shouldn’t be done? What can we learn from science “gone wrong?” To address these and other questions, this course will first articulate the fundamental ethical and policy issues raised by the conduct of biomedical science and will then apply those frameworks to a series of timeless and timely case studies, with attention to science and race, science in public health emergencies, and more. Students will engage with a mixed selection of foundational and modern academic articles and newspaper or magazine-style narratives. Assessment will be based on midterm and final essay exams. Students will also be expected to complete brief written replies (ungraded) in advance of 5 class sessions.