Engaging in science policy controversies: insights from the US climate change debate

Nearly 40 years ago, sociologist Dorothy Nelkin began a series of case studies examining the nature of controversies over science and technology (1979, 1984, 1992). In the decades since, the multiple lines of research inspired by these original studies have identified a generalisable set of insights that inform our understanding of contemporary science policy debates and that provide guidance on how to engage decision-makers and the public effectively in such debates.