Science, Politics and Science Policy in Canada: Steps Towards a Renewed Critical Inquiry

Abstract

In this essay, the author undertakes a critical review of Canadian science policy. This provides a framework in which to assess the current state of affairs of “science and politics in Canada.” It is shown in what way notions of state-administered science policy, as well as market-driven exchange, are problematic. Special attention is given to the emergence of the concept of innovation, first appearing in the Science Council of Canada’s 1968 Report #4, but now appearing uncritically throughout government documents on science and public policy. The core thesis of the essay, arising out of an analysis of the “essential tension” between the autonomy of science and the authority of politics, is that both the meaning of scientific practice and its relevance for public policy must be shaped by an ongoing critical discussion within civil society — a discussion that must not be dominated by either the State or markets.

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