Simon Fraser University
Political Science Departments
Draft Syllabus: SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY
(POL 150) updated Apr. 27, 2016
Fall 2017
TIME
PLACE
Office: AQ6048
Tutorials:
Prof. Hira
tel. 778 782-3286
e-mail:ahira@sfu.ca
website: www.sfu.ca/~ahira
Objectives
This course is designed to introduce students to the intersection of public policy and science, to
better understand the ways that policy both affects and is affected by science. The learning
objectives are to:
1. Become familiar with the contrast between scientific methods of enquiry and approaches
to studying public policy.
2. Examine the different theories about the way that scientific progress occurs and is shaped
by and shapes public policies, including assessment of risk and challenges for the public
to understand scientific research.
3. Understand the context of scientific and technological policy in Canada, including how
funding priorities are chosen, the discussion about basic vs. applied research, and the
obstacles to bringing scientific progress to commercialisation.
4. Develop skills in academic research, reading, writing, and critical thinking through the
examination of seminal issues in science policy.
Science and technology intersect with myriad areas of public policy. The premise of Western
society is that scientific progress underpins our quality of life. Yet, we consistently perceive that
scientific research such as that on solutions to climate change is underfunded. We also see that
scientific and technological progress often outpaces policy development, such as the appropriate
use of personalized genomics for health care diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, such as
genetically modified crops or organisms, scientific progress comes under attack for
underestimating the risks of implementing new technologies.
This course examines such questions by surveying the variety of interactions between science,
technology, and policy, focusing primarily on the Canadian context, but also including
comparative perspectives. The approach is multidisciplinary, drawing upon literature in a wide
range of disciplines including political science, philosophy, economics, sociology, and history.
Required Books
There is no textbook for this course, however, students will have to check some readings out
from the library reserves and download articles from through the library electronic catalogue. I
urge you to get a hold of these ahead of time.
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In addition, I have designed a set of case study resources with readings to reinforce the concepts
you are learning for the tutorials. I will maintain a website for this class with lecture slides, notes,
grading templates, and other tips that you should check out on a regular basis. You will find the
link on my website above.
Assignments
The keys to success in any course for both the professor and student are thorough preparation
and active participation. Students should come prepared for every session. In order to
accomplish this, students should prepare an outline of the readings and memorize the key
concepts for each meeting and work ahead of time on all assignments. In addition, there is a
heavy emphasis on tutorial exercises. These will include: quick writes, Q&A, individual and
group exercises, review of homework, simulations, practice exam questions, and practice
applications. Even though you are not assigned every question for homework, you should try to
work through all of them.
All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Late work will suffer a cumulative penalty
over time, unless a valid doctor’s note is presented that provides evidence of a debilitating
condition.
The assignments are the following:
1- Thorough preparation and active participation in every class. Students should make notes
from the readings and come prepared to discuss them in class. The powerpoint slides,
avail. from the class website will be a good guide to the topics of the lecture and
discussion for each class.
2- Final examination, to test the knowledge of the theoretical and policy concepts presented
in the first half of the course.
3- Two short essays of approximately 5-7 pages/question, on one of the questions for the
tutorials. The essays will graded upon both content and quality of writing and require
you to demonstrate the ability to develop your own original argument applying the theory
to the issue in question. It will be helpful for you to do a little research (3-4 academic
sources). Examples will be given. The first essay will be worth 15% and the second 25%
with the understanding that the student will improve from the feedback.
4- Quizzes based on the homework, readings, and lectures. These will be given via Canvas
during a designated time window on the week they are assigned.
Grading
The assignments will be graded proportionally as follows:
Participation
15% Two short essays
Quizzes
20%
Final exam
25%
40% (15%/25%)
Office Hours I am generally available 9-3 M-F for you to drop in or e-mail, except for teaching
and meeting times. I recommend you send me an e-mail beforehand to set up a time.
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Schedule
I. Introduction to Course (Sept. 9)
-About the Professor, the TA, the students, and the course;
-Why Take this Course? The importance of public policy
-The importance of science to quality of life
Tutorial: Reading and taking notes from academic articles
II. Science’s Contribution to Society (Sept. 16)
-Lecture on the positive and negative perspectives on how science has affected society;
illustration via a review of art history and warfare
Readings: Richard G. Lipsey, Kenneth I. Carlaw and Clifford Bekar. Economic transformations:
general purpose technologies and long-term economic growth, pp. 1-15 & 25-49 NY: Oxford U.
Press, 2005; available on-line and HC 79 T4 L57 2005
Max Boot, pp.439-73 in War Made New, NY: Gotham Books, D214 B67 2006
Recommended: Alan Lightman, ed. Living with Genie: essays on technology and the quest for
human mastery, Washington: Island Press, 2003 available on-line through SFU library.
Tutorial: Is it appropriate to use drones in warfare? Under what circumstances and what
procedures? What are the risks and what policies would you suggest to regulate their use?
Readings: Derek Gregory, 2011, The everywhere war, The Geographical Journal, 177, 3: 23850.
III. The Limits of Scientific Approaches to Social Behaviour (Sept. 23)
-Lecture on the challenges to applying the scientific method to policy issues
-W. Phillips Shivley, 2013. Causal Thinking and Design of Research, c. 6, 73-95 in The Craft of
Political Research, Toronto: Pearson, JA 71 S45 2013
-Gary A. Cziko, 1989. Unpredictability and Indeterminism in Human Behavior, Educational
Researcher, 18,3: 17-25.
-Makridakis, Spyros, Robin M. Hogarth, and Anil Gaba. 2009. Forecasting and uncertainty in the
economic and business world. International Journal of Forecasting 25 (2009) 794–812.
-John P. Ionnidis, Why Most Published Research Findings are False, PLoS Medicine, 2, 8: 696701.
Tutorial: Discuss the Ioannidis article’s explosive claims that most research claims are false. See
also the recent Slate article,
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/cover_story/2016/03/ego_depletion_an_influe
ntial_theory_in_psychology_may_have_just_been_debunked.html
What are the principal questions around how well research methods can reach their conclusions
according to the article? Do the same issues apply to both scientific and social scientific issues?
Can you suggest new ways to deal with the issues raised?
IV. Scientific Progress: Anything but Linear (Sept. 30)
-Lecture on Thomas Kuhn, basic vs. applied science; evolutionary vs revolutionary views
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Readings: -Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, read as much as you can, esp.
92-110, Q 175 K8 1970, multiple copies available.
Watch the Video: The Machine that Changed the World, on the origins of the computer, use a
google videos search
Tutorial: Why is technological progress so unpredictable? Using the video, select the key
inventions and innovations that led to the internet? What explains the timing of its
popularization? What lessons does it give for if an how policy can support innovation?
V. Science in Policymaking- Scope and Limits (Oct. 7)
-Lecture on scientific advisors
Readings: Roger A. Pielke, Jr., c. 2, 8-21 in the Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in
Policy and Politics, NY: Cambridge U. Press, Q 180.55 S62 P54 2007
Peter M. Haas, Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination
International Organization Vol. 46, No. 1, Knowledge, Power, and International Policy
Coordination (Winter, 1992), pp. 1-35.
Michael A. Nielsen, “Reinventing Discovery,” and “The Limits and the Potential of Collective
Intelligence,” in Reinventing Discovery: The New Era of Networked Science, Princeton:
Princeton U. Press, 2012, available on-line through SFU library and Q 180.55 M4 N54 2012.
Tutorial: Why are females underrepresented in STEM and what can be done about it?
-Reading: Corinne A. Moss-Racusin, John F. Dovidio, Victoria L. Brescoll, Mark J. Graham,
and Jo Handelsman, Science faculty’s subtle gender biases favor male students, PNAS, 109, 41:
16474-79.
VI. Scientific Funding: State vs. Private Approaches (Oct. 14)
-What is the appropriate role of the state in developing technology
Readings: Mariana Mazzucato, The Entrepreneurial State, Demos report, 29-62,
www.demos.co.uk/files/Entrepreneurial_State_-_web.pdf
Recommended: Mariana Mazzucato, The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private
Sector Myths, London: Anthem, 2013 HB 615 M372797 2013
Tutorial: Examine the famous story of the failure of the Avro Arrow. Was it a failure typical of
all state projects, or a failure of support?
Donald C. Story and Russell Isinger, The origins of the cancellation of Canada's Avro CF-105
arrow fighter program: A failure of strategy, Journal of Strategic Studies, 30,6: 1025-50.
VII. Science Policy in Canada (Oct. 21)
-Lecture on how scientific funding is organised in Canada; where Canada rates in terms of
innovation, and some challenges
Readings: ** (update when lib gets it) G. Bruce Doern, “The Granting, University, and LeveredMoney Domain,” c. 6 in Bruce Doern, David Castle and Peter Phillips, ed. Canadian Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy: The Innovation Economy-Society Nexus, Montreal: McGillQueen’s U. Press, 2016.
Tutorial: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of Canada’s science and technology policies?
How strong is Canada’s performance compared to similar nations? What changes could be
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made? Make a list of recommendations and how you would implement them, including funding
steps.
-Reading: State of the Nation, 2014, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council,
http://www.stic-csti.ca/eic/site/stic-csti.nsf/eng/h_00083.html
VIII. Challenges in Assessing Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (Oct. 28)
-Lecture on challenges of assessing technology and controversies about intellectual property
rights
Readings: David Guston and Daniel Sarewitz, “Real-time technology assessment.” Technology
in Society 24 (2002): 93-109.
-Edmund W. Kitch, The Nature and Function of the Patent System, The Journal of Law &
Economics, 20,2 (1977): 265-90.
- Michele Boldrin and Daniel K. Levine, The Case Against Patents, Journal Of Economic
Perspectives, 27, 1: 3-22.
Tutorial: Should knowledge be free flowing or restricted property? Consider the history of the
music business and digitization. What do you think is the right choice for compensating artists?
-Readings: Tom McCourt and Patrick Burkart, When creators, corporations and consumers
collide: Napster and the development of on-line music distribution. Media, Culture & Society,
Vol. 25: 333–350; and Markus Giesler and Mali Pohlmann, The Social Form of Napster:
Cultivating the Paradox of Consumer Emancipation Adyances in Consumer Research Volume 30
(2003): 94-100.
IX. Assessing Risk (Nov. 4)
-What is acceptable risk and how can it be assessed? When is it appropriate to allow for the
mass introduction of new technologies?
Readings: Ulrich Beck, c.1, 19-50 in Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity, NY: Sage, 1992.
-Brian Wynne, Uncertainty and environmental learning: Reconceiving science and policy in the
preventive paradigm, Global Environmental Change, 1992 (June): 111-27.
Tutorial: Examine what went wrong at Fukushima. What lessons are there, about nuclear energy
use? Do you consider to be safe? Why or why not? What does it say about how technology
risks should be handled?
-Reading: Sebastain M. Pfotenhauer, Christopher F. Jones, Krishanu Saha and Sheila Jasaanoff,
Learning from Fukushima, Issues in Science and Technology, 2012, 79-84.
Nov. 11 Remembrance Day- classes cancelled
X. Democratizing the Policy Process (Nov. 18)
-How can citizen input be improved to allow for a more consultative scientific policy process?
Readings: -Dirk J. Roux, Kevin H. Rogers, Harry C. Biggs, Peter J. Ashton, and Anne Sergeant,
Bridging the Science–Management Divide: Moving from Unidirectional Knowledge Transfer to
Knowledge Interfacing and Sharing, Ecology and Society 11(1): 4
-Frank Fischer, Citizen participation and the democratization of policy expertise: From
theoretical inquiry to practical cases, Policy Sciences 26 (1993): 165-87.
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Tutorial: Why do some parents refuse vaccinations for their children and should they be forced
to take them? What about euthanasia, raw milk or birth control in overpopulated countries?
How do we balance individual freedom with the need for healthy societies?
-Readings: Heidi J. Larson, Caitlin Jarrett, Elisabeth Eckersberger, David M.D. Smith, Pauline
Paterson, Understanding vaccine hesitancy around vaccines and vaccination from a global
perspective: A systematic review of published literature, 2007–2012, Vaccine 32 (2014) 2150–
2159; and Pieter Streefland, A.M.R. Chowdhury, & Pilar Ramos-Jimenez, Patterns of
vaccination acceptance, Social Science & Medicine 49 (1999) 1705-1716.
XI. Application 1: Climate Change (Nov. 25)
-Why is it so hard to get action on climate change?
Tutorial: What can be done to improve reaction to climate change? What kinds of changes do
you think are needed to create a sustainable economy? To what extent is the public willing to
accept them? What policies do you think are feasible over the short- and long-runs?
Readings: Irene Lorenzonia, Sophie Nicholson-Coleb, Lorraine Whitmarsh, Barriers perceived to
engaging with climate change among the UK public and their policy implications, Global
Environmental Change 17 (2007) 445–459.
-Anthony Leiserowitz, Climate Change Risk Perception and Policy Preferences: The Role Of
Affect, Imagery, And Values, Climatic Change (2006) 77: 45–72.
XII. Application 2: Cyberterrorism (Dec. 2)
-What are the appropriate boundaries between security and privacy in regard to internet usage?
Reading: Patrick F. Walsh and Seumas Miller, Rethinking ‘Five Eyes’ Security Intelligence
Collection Policies and Practice Post Snowden, Intelligence and National Security, 31, 3 (2016):
345-68.
-On Bill C-51: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/c-51-controversial-anti-terrorism-bill-is-nowlaw-so-what-changes-1.3108608
- http://thewalrus.ca/bill-c-51-the-good-the-bad-and-the-truly-ugly/
-http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/03/07/csis-used-bill-c-51-powers-several-times-todisrupt-suspected-terrorists-senate-hears.html
Tutorial: Under what conditions should law enforcement be allowed access to electronic
devices? What procedures should be followed? What if there is an imminent threat, such as the
wake of the Belgian bombing? What are the implications of different levels of access? Argue
your perspective.
-Reading: Apple encryption case, up to date links will be sent
Final Exam, time and place TBD
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