ABSTRACT
How does scientific knowledge enter the international policy arena? For many scholars, the answer is, through epistemic communities. Epistemic communities bring scientists and experts together with policymakers, making their wisdom accessible to the government officials who, in turn, make the actual policies themselves. On its surface, AIDS is an ideal issue for promoting the emergence of an epistemic community – a new scientific problem requiring action by policymakers who themselves are not versed in the scientific complexities of the disease. Indeed, an epistemic community of AIDS researchers has emerged to provide advice and information to many members of the international community.
