ABSTRACT
Regulation shapes decision making and human behaviour. However, its impact-as it has often been argued-can encourage or stifle innovation, especially in relation to emerging technologies such as nanotechnologies. It is therefore not surprising that the regulatory debate in relation to nanotechnologies is highly contested. As an increasing number of products incorporating nanomaterials and nanoparticles make their way onto the market in an environmental of imperfect information, such debates have only intensified. The aim of this chapter is to introduce readers to the notion of regulation and illustrate how regulation in its many guises is currently being employed to regulate nanotechnologies.
