This book addresses the divide among scientists and lay people, taking a social constructionist approach to foster discussion on how people evaluate evidence, how science is conducted, and how risk perception can bridge the gap between scientific experts and lay people to inform policy decisions. While the book is firmly located in the social sciences literature on risk, it also takes a multi-disciplinary approach by incorporating arguments made by physical and biological scientists.

1. Introduction

2. Systems of Evidence

3. Science in Practice

4. Risk

5. Pesticides

6. Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

7. Climate Change

8. Nuclear Power

9. The Intersection of Policy, Science and Risk

Andrew J. Knight works for the Province of Nova Scotia in program evaluation.