[ASC-list] Perth; UWA Science Communication Seminar: Sean O'Halloran "The role of scientific expertise in developing legislation addressing drugs and road safety"

[longneck at cyllene.uwa.edu.au]

UWA SCIENCE COMMUNICATION SEMINAR SERIES- 4th September 2009

Our speaker for next week will be Sean O'Halloran who will be speaking on
the topic of his PhD, "The role of scientific expertise in development  
of legislation about drug driving"

The story of the implementation of legislation dealing with the  
effects of drugs on road safety is an interesting case study at the  
boundary of policy and science. The story helps to demonstrate that  
science is not always the dominant influence in political  
decision-making, even when scientific issues affect the assessment of  
the problem or the solutions proposed.

Technocratic assessments of risk are necessarily balanced by public  
perceptions of risk, where politicians are under pressure to act, or  
at least be seen to be
acting, to combat perceived threats to community health and safety.  
Traditional
expectations of scientific expertise are also challenged by a  
'democratisation' of expertise, where 'appropriate' scientific  
evidence is considered more important than 'reliable' scientific  
evidence.

Rhetorical strategies for communicating the many scientific  
complexities surrounding the effects of drugs on road safety also help  
to demonstrate the framing of risk, not only of road safety, but in  
many different contexts - GMO, climate change or uranium mining, for  
example.  Risks associated with illicit drugs are often framed in  
value-laden and emotionally charged language where
science is co-opted to legitimise problem framing and legitimise invalidated
technological solutions.

__________________

THE IMPORTANT DETAILS

WHO: Sean O'Halloran: The role of scientific expertise in developing
legislative frameworks

WHEN: Friday September 4, 2009 at 4pm

WHERE: The University of Western Australia, Crawley campus Centre for
Learning Technology; Ground floor Physics building, near Fairway entrance #1
Enter via ramp between Physics and Geology, go down stairs to basement.

__________________

REMINDER FOR THIS WEEK...

WHAT: COMM3317 Practicum presentations by Jacqueline McNally ("Behind the
Scenes - Producing 'Eyes to Telescopes'") and Rita Costa (*"**Inside a
Greenie communication** **campaign*: a practicum with Save Our Marine Life")

WHEN: Friday August 28, 2009 at 4pm

WHERE: The University of Western Australia, Crawley campus Centre for
Learning Technology; Ground floor Physics building, near Fairway entrance #1
Enter via ramp between Physics and Geology, go down stairs to basement.

__________________

COMING UP

The schedule of upcoming seminars and events can also be found on the UWA
Science Communication blog: http://uwasciencecomm.blogspot.com

(Please note that some events later in the semester are still tentative but
will be finalised closer to the event date)

__________________

Stephanie Watts
On behalf of the Science Communication Seminar Coordinators
Email: uwasciencecomm at gmail.com
http://uwasciencecomm.blogspot.com


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UWA SCIENCE COMMUNICATION SEMINAR SERIES- 4th September 2009

Our speaker for next week will be Sean O?Halloran who will be speaking on
the topic of his PhD, ?The role of scientific expertise in developing
legislation addressing drugs and road safety?.

The story of the implementation of legislation dealing with the effects of
drugs on road safety is an interesting case study at the boundary of policy
and science. The story helps to demonstrate that science is not always the
dominant influence in political decision-making, even when scientific issues
affect the assessment of the problem or the solutions proposed.
Technocratic assessments of risk are necessarily balanced by public
perceptions of risk, where politicians are under pressure to act, or at
least be seen to be acting, to combat perceived threats to community health
and safety. Traditional expectations of scientific expertise are also
challenged by a 'democratisation' of expertise, where 'appropriate'
scientific evidence is considered more important than 'reliable' scientific
evidence.  Rhetorical strategies for communicating the many scientific
complexities surrounding the effects of drugs on road safety also help to
demonstrate the framing of risk, not only of road safety, but in many
different contexts - GMO, climate change or uranium mining, for example.
Risks associated with illicit drugs are often framed in value-laden and
emotionally charged language where science is co-opted to legitimise problem
framing and legitimise invalidated technological solutions.

__________________

THE IMPORTANT DETAILS

WHO: Sean O?Halloran: The role of scientific expertise in developing
legislative frameworks

WHEN: Friday September 4, 2009 at 4pm

WHERE: The University of Western Australia, Crawley campus Centre for
Learning Technology; Ground floor Physics building, near Fairway entrance #1
Enter via ramp between Physics and Geology, go down stairs to basement.

__________________

REMINDER FOR THIS WEEK?

WHAT: COMM3317 Practicum presentations by Jacqueline McNally (?Behind the
Scenes - Producing 'Eyes to Telescopes'?) and Rita Costa (*"**Inside a
Greenie communication** **campaign*: a practicum with Save Our Marine Life")

WHEN: Friday August 28, 2009 at 4pm

WHERE: The University of Western Australia, Crawley campus Centre for
Learning Technology; Ground floor Physics building, near Fairway entrance #1
Enter via ramp between Physics and Geology, go down stairs to basement.

__________________

COMING UP

The schedule of upcoming seminars and events can also be found on the UWA
Science Communication blog: http://uwasciencecomm.blogspot.com

(Please note that some events later in the semester are still tentative but
will be finalised closer to the event date)

__________________

Stephanie Watts
On behalf of the Science Communication Seminar Coordinators
Email: uwasciencecomm at gmail.com
http://uwasciencecomm.blogspot.com
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