French social science research on crisis has experienced strong evolutions over the past twenty years. Attention shifted from problems that the authorities had in managing industrial accidents and natural disasters, transportation accidents, to crisis associated with the idea of an 'affair' or...

In France studies on technological risks began to question errors, failures and vulnerabilities at the end of the 1970s, focusing mostly on analyzing major accidents as consequences of the increasing complexity of socio-technical systems. During the 1980s and 1990s, research studies carried out...

Some scholars have recognized the important role of publicly funded basic research (Salter, AJ and BR Martin (2001). Research Policy, 30(3), 509–532; Szulanski, G (2000). Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 82(1), 9–27) for the production of knowledge. Among the identified...

Purpose – The important role of publicly funded basic research has been widely recognized. The knowledge produced is made available to society, who could use it for innovation and in this way contribute to economic growth. Thus, it is important to support scientific activities. Proposes to...

More than ever before, science and technology play a significant role in modern society as evidenced by the development of nanotechnologies and the controversies surrounding GMOs and climate change. This book comprehensively explores the flourishing field of science and technology studies and...