ABSTRACT
The debate on the economic and social implications of globalization has attracted increasing attention from public opinion and the mass media. Scientific research has managed to clarify a few specific questions raised in this debate but the light shed on global issues and their policy implications is still too faint. This is disappointing but not surprising, as global issues are awfully complex. In order to delve into them we need the convergent effort of different specializations belonging to different disciplines (as diverse as economics, sociology, law, and so on). Unfortunately the success of modern science is based on a growing division of intellectual labour that makes it increasingly difficult to coordinate the knowledge and empirical evidence necessary to tackle global issues. However science cannot seclude itself in ivory towers and abdicate from its social responsibilities ignoring issues that are vital for the future of mankind. Therefore science must struggle to overcome its existing limitations in order to clarify them and their policy implications.
