Volume 5, Issue 1

Science matters. Science matters to the development of knowledge, to the sustainability of development, and to the shaping of social mores. Countries transitioning from developing to developed must be prepared to make science work for them and to forge a vision to become competitors in some aspects of science innovation. Drawing on data generated by the “Governing Emerging Technologies: Social Values and Stem Cell Regulation in Argentina” Project (ESRC Award No. RES-000-22-2678), this paper (1) places the current Argentine bioscience setting in context by reviewing the development of biosciences in Argentina, (2) explores understandings of the social dimensions of bioscience innovation in Argentina and the possibilities of enhancing public support for science, and (3) offers some preliminary thoughts on a model for socio-legal activity directed at encouraging social engagement with and the uptake of high technologies in Argentina (i.e., the possibilities for generating a positive and facilitative “sci-tech culture” in Argentina).

The closely related debates concerning abortion, the protection of the embryo and stem cell science have captured the legislative agenda in Mexico in recent years. This paper examines some contemporary debates related to stem cell science and the legal and political action that has followed in the wake of the latest Supreme Court judgment on abortion, which debates are directly linked to the degrees of protection of the embryo stipulated in the Mexican Constitution. While some Mexican states have opted to take no further action, others, where conservative political forces are in the majority, have been very active in seeking to ensure that their constitutions are amended to protect human life from conception onwards. This intense legislative activity has not, however, been repeated at the federal level, where there is currently no overarching national regulatory framework governing stem cell research. Although major efforts have been made by the conservative block within the Senate to bring forward legislative proposals for the prohibition of human embryonic stem cell research, and despite the public expression by the federal government of its commitment to encourage inward investment and innovation in the area of biotechnology, stem cell science has, so far, remained unregulated. The legislative challenge is to resist the pressure that has been injected by religious leaders and to act in accordance with the values and principles adopted by the community in the Mexican Constitution. In the final analysis, Mexico faces particular difficulties in accommodating conservative political forces on one hand, while recognising on the other its need, as an emerging economy, to promote a progressive approach to innovation in biotechnology.

Energy insecurity is felt, and energy security is desired on a global, regional, national and local level and on the level of households, communities, groups, sectors, regions, countries and cultures. Different strategies and priorities for gaining energy security and avoiding energy insecurity are envisioned and employed by different households, communities, groups, sectors, regions, countries and cultures. This paper introduces the concept of ableism as an analytical framework to analyse strategies and priorities for gaining energy security and for avoiding or reducing energy insecurity, as well as envisioning governance solutions.

In a two week period in the first half of 2009, I bought theatre tickets from a virtual box office, browsed a social networking site a handful of times, and read a leading metropolitan newspaper online every day. All three of these activities, whether or not I was aware of it at the time, were intended by the service providers to be subject to contractual terms. For two of these activities I was asked to click on a button to indicate I agreed to these terms; for the other, I never even noticed a reference to the terms until I returned to the site for research purposes. I will admit freely that during my initial web activity, I was foolhardy enough to read none of the proffered terms. This paper asks the question: will the service providers nevertheless be able to rely on the protection of those terms?

In recent years, technological progress has flourished and engulfed American society. The landscape of our nation is rapidly changing due to scientific advancement, and it is only logical that our educational scheme will soon follow suit integrating newfound technological developments. In particular, this paper will focus on a lawsuit involving Amazon.com’s (“Amazon”) Kindle Reader (“Kindle”) and its application in a pilot program at Arizona State University (“ASU”). This paper will be divided into seven sections and will center on the following: I. Introduction; II. Integration of Technology within America’s Educational Paradigm; III. Amazon’s Kindle Reader; IV. Amazon’s Kindle Pilot Program within American Universities; V. Legal Issues Concerning the Application of Amazon’s Kindle Reader at ASU; VI. Lawsuit against ASU by the National Federation of the Blind (“NFB”) and the American Council of the Blind (“ACB”); and VII. Concluding Remarks.

This is a book review of Is a Little Pollution Good for You? Incorporating Societal Values in Environmental Health Research by Kevin C. Elliott.