The role of scientists in policy-making regarding agricultural biotechnology: from traditional to alternative views

Abstract

Scientists have always played an important role in informing policy decisions. However, many controversial policy problems regarding science and technology, such as agricultural biotechnology, are often characterised by low value consensus and high level of complexity. In these circumstances various policy actors legitimate their policy preferences using science. In this article, we challenge the linear model of science and policy and argue that the stakeholder model of science in policy is more appropriate for governance of controversial policy problems regarding science and technology. We build our argument on available literature and empirical data from interviews and two online surveys. We choose agricultural biotechnology as the case study to illustrate scientists' perception about their role in policy-making. Our study illustrates that agricultural biotechnology scientists sympathise with the stakeholder model of science and policy. However, there is a gap between perceived ideal role for scientists in policy-making and the role, which these scientists actually take.