Chapter 1. The dam project: Who are the experts?
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Pierluigi Barrotta
Abstract
In 1963 a huge landslide covered the Vajont valley (north-east of Italy), where one of the tallest arch dams in the world had been put in place (completed in 1959). More than 2000 people died. The locals had repeatedly warned the scientists that the sides of the valley were too fragile to hold significant impact, and publicly raised concern. The ensuing media debate surrounding issues of safety in the valley soon became manipulated for political purposes, and the important message got wasted.
With the help of this case study we analyse how two types of knowledge (official science and local experience) may confront each other and why they fail to interact. We then draw some lessons concerning how the use of expert knowledge becomes effective and valuable in the context of non-expert knowledge.
Abstract
In 1963 a huge landslide covered the Vajont valley (north-east of Italy), where one of the tallest arch dams in the world had been put in place (completed in 1959). More than 2000 people died. The locals had repeatedly warned the scientists that the sides of the valley were too fragile to hold significant impact, and publicly raised concern. The ensuing media debate surrounding issues of safety in the valley soon became manipulated for political purposes, and the important message got wasted.
With the help of this case study we analyse how two types of knowledge (official science and local experience) may confront each other and why they fail to interact. We then draw some lessons concerning how the use of expert knowledge becomes effective and valuable in the context of non-expert knowledge.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the contributors vii
- Foreword 1
- Introduction 7
- Chapter 1. The dam project: Who are the experts? 17
- Chapter 2. Rational decisions in a disagreement with experts 35
- Chapter 3. Rethinking the notion of public 53
- Chapter 4. The expert you are (not) 71
- Chapter 5. Decisions without scientists? 87
- Chapter 6. Save the planet, win the election 109
- Chapter 7. Science and the source of legitimacy in democratic regimes 127
- Chapter 8. The ethics of communication and the Terra Terra project 145
- Chapter 9. The political use of science 165
- Chapter 10. The dialectical legacy of epigenetics 185
- Index 197
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the contributors vii
- Foreword 1
- Introduction 7
- Chapter 1. The dam project: Who are the experts? 17
- Chapter 2. Rational decisions in a disagreement with experts 35
- Chapter 3. Rethinking the notion of public 53
- Chapter 4. The expert you are (not) 71
- Chapter 5. Decisions without scientists? 87
- Chapter 6. Save the planet, win the election 109
- Chapter 7. Science and the source of legitimacy in democratic regimes 127
- Chapter 8. The ethics of communication and the Terra Terra project 145
- Chapter 9. The political use of science 165
- Chapter 10. The dialectical legacy of epigenetics 185
- Index 197
