Abstract
This article reports and analyses the method and findings from a 3-year interdisciplinary project investigating how the medium of law can support understanding of socio-scientific issues. Law represents one of the most important means by which society decides and communicates its values. Activities mirroring legal processes therefore have significant potential to inform, inspire and involve school students in exploring the conceptual, social and ethical issues relating to developments in biomedical science. This article focusses on an intervention-style study in which UK-based 16- to 17-year-old students role played a Supreme Court moot, developed by modifying a domestic appeal case concerned with whether the contemporary legislation covered the creation of cloned human embryos. We draw attention to how the science of cloning has been slightly misunderstood by the courts and in science materials provided to UK school students. We argue that moot-centred engagement activities offer great potential for science communication among post-16 students and, despite the limitations of the judicial process for addressing complex socio-scientific issues, such role plays aid development of scientific and sociolegal understanding, as well as enhancing students’ self-confidence and argumentation skills.
Highlights
It is two decades since the birth of Dolly the sheep was announced in Nature.1 She was to become the most famous sheep in history, because she was a ‘clone’ in the sense of being genetically identical to another sheep
The President of the United States was quick to denounce human cloning as ‘morally unacceptable’2 and the United Kingdom’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) soon declared that the technique required a licence under UK legislation and no treatment licence would be issued
In 2000, Sir Liam Donaldson, the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer, issued a report on stem cell research in which it was assumed that cloning fell within the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.4
Summary
It is two decades since the birth of Dolly the sheep was announced in Nature.1 She was to become the most famous sheep in history, because she was a ‘clone’ in the sense of being (almost) genetically identical to another sheep. Keywords Human cloning, statutory interpretation, mooting, student engagement, science education, somatic cell nuclear transfer
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
