What we know about effective public engagement on CRISPR and beyond

Dietram A. Scheufele (), Nicole M. Krause, Isabelle Freiling and Dominique Brossard
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Dietram A. Scheufele: Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, WI 53706; Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53715
Nicole M. Krause: Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, WI 53706
Isabelle Freiling: Department of Communication, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Dominique Brossard: Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, WI 53706; Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53715

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021, vol. 118, issue 22, e2004835117

Abstract: Advances in gene editing technologies for human, plant, and animal applications have led to calls from bench and social scientists, as well as a wide variety of societal stakeholders, for broad public engagement in the decision-making about these new technologies. Unfortunately, there is limited understanding among the groups calling for public engagement on CRISPR and other emerging technologies about 1) the goals of this engagement, 2) the modes of engagement and what we know from systematic social scientific evaluations about their effectiveness, and 3) how to connect the products of these engagement exercises to societal decision or policy making. Addressing all three areas, we systematize common goals, principles, and modalities of public engagement. We evaluate empirically the likely successes of various modalities. Finally, we outline three pathways forward that deserve close attention from the scientific community as we navigate the world of Life 2.0.

Keywords: public engagement; science communication; deliberation; political communication; public participation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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