Self-Governance in Science
Community-Based Strategies for Managing Dangerous Knowledge

A comprehensive introduction to the history, theory, and policy implications of self-governance in commercial and academic science communities.

Stephen M. Maurer (Author)

9781107171800, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 November 2017

312 pages, 4 b/w illus.
23.5 x 15.7 x 2.2 cm, 0.58 kg

'It's terrifically interesting and I recommend it to anyone interested in this area … This is a fascinating book, including the case studies, which range from atomic physics to fair trade coffee … anybody interested in raising standards in supply chains or finding ways to manage the deployment of new technologies will find a lot of useful insights here.' Diane Coyle, The Enlightened Economist

Commercial and academic communities use private rules to regulate everything from labor conditions to biological weapons. This self-governance is vital in the twenty-first century, where private science and technology networks cross so many borders that traditional regulation and treaty solutions are often impractical. Self-Governance in Science analyzes the history of private regulation, identifies the specific market factors that make private standards stable and enforceable, explains what governments can do to encourage responsible self-regulation, and asks when private power might be legitimate. Unlike previous books which stress sociology or political science perspectives, Maurer emphasizes the economic roots of private power to deliver a coherent and comprehensive account of recent scholarship. Individual chapters present a detailed history of past self-government initiatives, describe the economics and politics of private power, and extract detailed lessons for law, legitimacy theory, and public policy.

Introduction
Part I. The First Hundred Years: 1. Prelude: self-governance to 1980
Part II. Commercial Science: 2. Legacy: the new self-governance
3. Commercial self-governance (I): private power
4. Commercial self-governance (II): private politics
Part III. Academic Science: 5. Legacy: academic self-governance in modern times
6. Academic self-governance: power and politics
Part IV. Legitimacy, Law and Policy: 7. Legitimacy
8. Law
9. Policy and practice
10. Extending the model
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Science funding & policy [PDK], Scientific standards [PDD], Economic systems & structures [KCS], Economics [KC]