NOPR Collection:

Society, Politics and Nuclear Energy in Switzerland

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Society, Politics and Nuclear Energy in Switzerland Authors: Roten, Fabienne Crettaz Von Abstract: After the Fukushima accident, the Swiss Federal Council opted for withdrawal from nuclear energy in the horizon 2035. Considering that this decision cannot be studied in historical isolation, this article describes the evolution of the relationship between nuclear energy and the Swiss society by highlighting four distinctive periods: the social mobilisation of the seventies and eighties, the turning point of the nineties, the nuclear revival in the late 2000s and the Fukushima accident. To describe this relationship, we will analyse social mobilisation and the results of initiatives and empirical studies related to nuclear energy in Switzerland. Page(s): 101-118

The Role of Metadiscourse in Negotiating Trust in the Communication of Science by Blog

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Title: The Role of Metadiscourse in Negotiating Trust in the Communication of Science by Blog Authors: Souder, Lawrence G; Bradley, Jean-Claude Abstract: Advocates for open systems in science make claims for their efficient collaboration and transparent communication. Although these characteristics are consistent with the traditional norms of science, the implementation of open systems has had mixed effects, particularly on the role of trust. This case study of the published correspondence in research journals suggests that when communication moves from traditional print systems to open on-line systems, two levels of trust arise, one at the discourse level and another at the metadiscourse level. The coincidence and conflation of discourse in these two registers both ameliorate and trouble trust in the communication of science. Taken together, these methodological issues raise doubts about the validity of Wolfe-Simon et al.’s assertion … (Redfield, 2011). I don’t know whether the authors are just bad scientists or whether they’re unscrupulously pushing NASA’s ‘There’s life in outer space!’ agenda (Redfield, 2010). Page(s): 119-142

Negotiating Secular School Textbooks in Colonial Madras Presidency

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Negotiating Secular School Textbooks in Colonial Madras Presidency Authors: Venkateswaran, T V Abstract: The common sense assumption would inform that the textbooks produced and distributed during the colonial period ‘ought to be’, if not directly, at the least alluding to the religion of the masters. Further, post colonial studies of education often focus on the colonial purpose of the spread of education and bring to light the ideology ingrained in the content, pedagogy and structure of the school education. While it would be naïve to think of the spread of education during the British Raj as a benevolent act, albeit unintended, it would also be wrong to assume that the natives who were being governed had no say or hand in shaping it. The modern education was the contour by which social mobility was attained and it was an important instrument that engendered the nationalist movement. In recent times, Nehruvian vision is often derided in particular for its economic ideology — ‘licence-quota raj’¹ — along with it even concerns such as liberalism, secularism and scientific temper are questioned. Secularism is chided as ‘gift of Christianity’ having no roots or applicability in the Indian cultural milieu. This paper looks at the emergence of ‘secular’ textbooks during the turn of the nineteenth century in colonial Madras, and shows the active agency of the ‘natives’ in shaping the same. Page(s): 143-197

Enable and Manifest Scientific Temper in Tangible Development-oriented Outcomes: Go Beyond Rhetoric

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Enable and Manifest Scientific Temper in Tangible Development-oriented Outcomes: Go Beyond Rhetoric Authors: Gopichandran, R Abstract: Three facets of scientific temper are highlighted with respect to the scale and nature of impacts that can be expected through their expression in real-life contexts. These are aligned with a call to prioritize efforts targeting correlates of sustainable development and quality of life to enable and enhance scientific temper with the centrality of common good. Importantly, these could be useful entry points for larger scale sensitization because the benefits of well-informed action will be evident and mutually reinforce transformations. Some simple citizen-centred participatory models are also suggested to help realize the goals of infusing scientific temper. Page(s): 198-206