New for 2007: MA Science, society and development
STEPS Centre press release - 1 December 2006
Who benefits from genetically-modified crops and whether there is enough water for people to survive the 21st century are just two of the pressing issues examined by a new MA for 2007 at the Institute of Development Studies.
The MA in Science, Society and Development focuses on the most vital health, environment and agricultural concerns of today. But it adds a unique new element: how science and technology can contribute to poverty reduction, social justice and environmental sustainability in the developing world.
While the study of science and society is among the liveliest fields in higher education and one of the fastest growing research areas worldwide, no course has linked science and society to development and enhancing the lives of poor people, until now.
Linda Waldman, IDS fellow and MA programme convenor, explains why the course launch is so timely:
“Today's world is filled with new scientific innovations - think of GM crops, vaccinations, biotechnology for affordable medicines. But these innovations take place within rapidly changing environments which cause uncertainty and risk, such as climate change, the HIV/Aids pandemic and bird flu.
“The great challenge is to find ways of regulating and using scientific innovation to benefit all of humanity. The need to link science with society and development issues has never been greater.”
The MA is linked to major new global research hub, the Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability Centre (STEPS), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
Based in the Knowledge, Technology and Society (KNOTS) team at IDS, the course
focuses on practical and policy questions and combines a solid grounding in development theories with an understanding of the politics and governance of scientific knowledge and policy.
- Full details about the new MA, including entry requirements and application forms, can be found at: http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/teach/mascience.html
- Interested students contact: Julia Brown, programme administrator T: +44 (0) 1273 678869 / E: teaching@ids.ac.uk
- Two full scholarships available for African students
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Images available upon request
THE STEPS CENTRE (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability) is a major new interdisciplinary global research and policy engagement hub uniting development studies with science and technology studies. We aim to develop a new approach to understanding, action and communication on sustainability and development. The STEPS Centre is collaboration between the Institute of Development Studies and SPRU Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Sussex with a network of partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. Find out more: www.steps-centre.org
The ESRC is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It provides independent, high quality, relevant research to business, the public sector and Government. The ESRC’s planned total expenditure in 2006/7 is £169 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. Find out more at: http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Julia Day, STEPS communications officer
T: +44 (0)1273 876814 / M: +44 (0)7974 209148 / E: j.day@ids.ac.uk
