Abstract
Ensuring that science meets the needs of society and does so responsibly is a key aim of current European policymaking. Under the label of ‘responsible research and innovation’, European Union projects, such as the NUCLEUS project, have been funded to both study and stimulate practices for the development of responsible science–society relationships. The NUCLEUS project aims to define a broader cultural, international and enriched perspective on what a responsible science–society relationship entails. In this paper, findings from a comparative case study in China are presented. Practices are analysed at the conceptual, governmental, institutional and individual levels. Our findings show that social responsibility is the key to the science–society relationship, and that science popularization is a means to enhance scientific literacy.
Highlights
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) has been addressed frequently in recent years
The research questions for the cultural adaptation study focused on how RRI and other relevant concepts are implemented in those international contexts; what barriers and successes affect the future implementation of RRI; and what can be recommended for the future implementation of RRI in academic settings and research institutes
After presenting findings about the RRI concept and findings relating to the different practices of RRI at the governmental, institutional and individual levels, it examines the question of what Europe can or should do in RRI
Summary
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) has been addressed frequently in recent years. Within the European context, this academic discourse has often included calls for greater attention to science communication as part of building a more responsible relationship between science and society. During the 2000s, a debate on a new science–society relationship emerged from the nanotechnology field. A report published by the British Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RSRAE, 2004) discussed emerging nanotechnologies and possible strategies for dealing with them in the future. A prominent place was given to the identification of social and ethical issues involving nanotechnology, and the authors recommended that societal aspects be included when new technologies are developed. They argued for the promotion of a wider dialogue about
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