The political processing of uncertainty

Linnerooth, Joanne

doi:10.1016/0001-6918(84)90020-9

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…One reason for this fluctuation may be the politicization of uncertainty (Funtowicz and Ravetz 1990), a form of scientific ignorance (Smithson 1993;Stocking 1998), whereby institutions use uncertainty to their respective advantage (Downs 1966;Linnerooth 1984). Smithson (1993) summarizes Funtowicz and Ravetz's (1990, p. 15) explanation as to how special interests may manipulate uncertainty through the valuation and assessment of ignorance.…”

Section: Ignorance Of Funding Influencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Smithson 1993, p. 134). Evidence suggests that some institutions will publicize more certainty to appear more credible (Downs 1966;Linnerooth 1984;Stocking 1998), and yet other interests may manufacture more uncertainty to protect their respective interests (Michaels and Monforton 2005). The introduction of institutional diversity is another factor influencing how the scientific community communicates what they know and what they do not know about scientific research.…”

Section: Ignorance Of Funding Influencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

2016

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This study investigates the level of awareness about funding influences and potential conflicts of interests (COI) among early career researchers. The sample for this study included users of one or more of the 14 U.S. laboratories associated with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. To be eligible, respondents must have been either still completing graduate work or <5 years since graduation. In total, 713 early career researchers completed the web survey, with about half still in graduate school. Results indicate that although respondents were aware of potential funding and COI influences on their work, they remained largely ignorant of their role in addressing or managing these issues. Respondents often attributed the responsibility of addressing these issues to their supervisors. Respondents who had received some training around these issues, however, were more likely to assume more personal responsibility. Overall, this study points out that ignorance among early career researchers is less about awareness of funding and COI issues and more about taking personal responsibility for addressing these issues.

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Section: Ignorance Of Funding Influencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ignorance Of Funding Influencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

2016

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“…Linnerooth [14] argues that despite the increasing role of public institutions in the regulation of technological risks, the developing literature on risk assessment has had virtually no rooting in understanding organizational behavior or political progress. According to her, the rational decision-making model as a prescriptive tool, has been usefully applied to decisions at the level of the individual or firm, but is misleading and inappropriate when transplanted to the public arena, where decisions are not 'made' by a single individual, but are negotiated, not comprehensively, but sequentially, by competing groups and institutions.…”

Section: Objections To These Institutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transport of dangerous goods on infrastructure in The Netherlands

Suddle

2012

The Sustainable City VII

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Institutions shape a policy field and therefore also actors' behavior. The Dutch policy field of 'External Safety' is used to assure a basic level of safety for people living near transport routes of hazardous materials or other hazardous activities. When it comes to transport of hazardous materials and the risks for adjacent areas, a number of problems arise. This paper discusses the need for an alternative institutional framework which can serve as a solution for the problems found. A possible first step is to get rid of a general risk norm as a policy goal and to use a more project specific approach as an alternative. This approach should be combined with a test for the reasonability of lowering risks based on the ALARP principle.

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“…This has led stakeholders to underplay the uncertainties of the analyses, or ignore them altogether. (29) Rather than focusing the debate on the range of judgments and the uncertainties of the analyses, this has pitted experts against experts. As Fiorini has observed, "Science and expert knowledge have not taken the politics out of technically based policy issues, as many observers expected only decades ago.…”

Section: Pra In Public Policy Debatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applications of Probabilistic Risk Assessments: The Selection of Appropriate Tools¹

Linnerooth-Bayer¹,

Wahlström²

1991

Risk Analysis

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Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is an important methodology for assessing the risks of complex technologies. This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of PRA. Its application is explored in three different settings: adversarial policy processes, regulatory/licensing procedures, and plant safety audits. It is concluded that PRA is a valuable tool for auditing safety precautions of existing or planned technologies, especially when it is carried out as an interactive process involving designers and plant personnel who are familiar with actual, everyday operations. PRA has not proven to be as well-suited in providing absolute risk estimates in public-policy debates concerning the acceptability of a technology, or for the licensing and regulatory procedures. The reasons for this are discussed.

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The political processing of uncertainty

Cited by 14 publications

References 2 publications

Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

The transport of dangerous goods on infrastructure in The Netherlands

Applications of Probabilistic Risk Assessments: The Selection of Appropriate Tools¹

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The political processing of uncertainty

Cited by 14 publications

References 2 publications

Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

Aware, Yet Ignorant: Exploring the Views of Early Career Researchers About Funding and Conflicts of Interests in Science

The transport of dangerous goods on infrastructure in The Netherlands

Applications of Probabilistic Risk Assessments: The Selection of Appropriate Tools1

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Applications of Probabilistic Risk Assessments: The Selection of Appropriate Tools¹