Fashion of the times. The emergence and evolution of new research fields is as much determined by scientific interest as it is by social, political and economic pressures.

Abstract

Originally coined by social scientists as a term used to describe changes in industrialized countries at the end of the twentieth century, the ‘knowledge society’—in which knowledge and creativity are principal factors for economic and social development—has become the new catchphrase in political, scientific and economic circles. Its popularity might come from its optimism—after all, what is bad about knowledge? However, its widespread use also reflects the growing influence of science on almost every aspect of society, be it health care, reproduction, economics, politics or justice. Yet this is not a one‐way relationship: science, as the most important producer of knowledge, has also come under scrutiny. Society increasingly expects science to tackle problems in all areas, relies on scientists in decision‐making processes and takes a more critical view—not just in the negative sense—of the social relevance of research. “Science and business have been intertwined at least since the nineteenth century,” said Peter Weingart, Director of the Institute for Science and Technology Studies (IWT) at the University of Bielefeld, Germany. “The new aspect of today's debates is that the intensity of this interconnection is increasing and the growth of science plays an important role in this process.” Science is under increasing pressure to leave its ivory tower and have a greater role in society. This raises some important questions. Does the pressure to find a cure for a disease, or to find clear answers to questions about risk, influence the way in which scientists work? What role do commercial interests have in defining new areas of research? What is the fate of new and established research fields once public or commercial interest and funding fade? “When decisions on research topics are based on where you gain the greatest market advantage rather than based on a theoretical framework, this changes the whole …