Science, Society and Power

A comparative ethnography of scientific and policy practice in African and Caribbean settings.

This book brings science to the heart of debates about globalisation, exploring the globalisation of science and its contrasting effects in Guinea, one of the world's poorest countries, and Trinidad, a more prosperous and industrialised island. It takes a unique ethnographic approach, drawing from anthropology, development and science studies.In this book, James Fairhead and Melissa Leach bring science to the heart of debates about globalisation, exploring transformations in global science and contrasting effects in Guinea, one of the world's poorest countries, and Trinidad, a more prosperous, industrialised and urbanised island. The book focuses on environment, forestry and conservation sciences that are central to these countries and involve resources that many depend upon for their livelihoods. It examines the relationships between policies, bureaucracies and particular types of scientific enquiry and explores how ordinary people, the media and educational practices engage with this. In particular it shows how science becomes part of struggles over power, resources and legitimacy. The authors take a unique ethnographic perspective, linking approaches in anthropology, development and science studies. They address critically prominent debates in each, and explore opportunities for new forms of participation, public engagement and transformation in the social relations of science.