Providing a comparison the most important instances of public engagement with biotechnology in Europe in recent years, this book provides a theoretically reflected and empirically grounded study of the opportunities and obstacles for a thorough democratization of technological development through processes of public engagement.

Hansen's book concerns the concept of Participatory Technology Assessment (PTA) in the regulation, governance and formulation of national policies towards Genetically Modified Organisms in the agricultural sector. Hansen's treatment of the relatively narrow subject is precise and informative, and this book would certainly be of interest to any scholar of GMO policy, PTA or technology governance, and may have a place as a teaching tool for those interested in technological risk and comparative case study analysis of technological controversies. (Matthew Cotton, Science Studies, Issue 1, 2012)

Autorentext
JANUS HANSEN is Assistant Professor at Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. His research focuses on the interface between science, politics and the public and he has published journal articles in this area.

Inhalt
Introduction The Anatomy of a Technological Controversy Discourses of Public Engagement Analysing PTAs in a Polycontextual Society Engaging the Public in Denmark The Problem of Resonance Engaging the Public in the UK The Problem of Inclusion Engaging the Public in Germany The Problem of Mediation Procedures and Challenges Compared Conclusion