1st Edition

Science Policies and Twentieth-Century Dictatorships Spain, Italy and Argentina

Edited By Amparo Gómez, Antonio Fco. Canales, Brian Balmer Copyright 2015
    244 Pages
    by Routledge

    244 Pages
    by Routledge

    Making a fresh contribution to the political history of science, this book explores the connections between the science policies of three countries that each experienced considerable political upheaval in the twentieth century: Spain, Italy and Argentina. By focussing on these three countries, the contributors are able to present case studies that highlight the characteristics and specificities of the democratic and dictatorial political processes involved in the production of science and technology. The focus on dictatorship presents the opportunity to expand our knowledge -beyond the more extensive literature about science in Nazi Germany and Stalinist USSR -about the level of political involvement of scientists in non-democratic contexts and to what extent they act as politicians in different contexts. Key topics covered include the new forms of organization and institutionalization of science in the twentieth century; the involvement of scientific communities in the governance of science and its institutions; the role of ideology in scientific development; the scientific practices adopted by scientific communities in different contexts; and the characteristics of science and technology produced in these contexts.

    Preface, Amparo Gómez, Antonio Fco. Canales and Brian Balmer; Science policy under democracy and dictatorship: an introductory essay, Amparo Gómez, Brian Balmer and Antonio Fco. Canales; The ‘social contract’ for Spanish science before the Civil War, Amparo Gómez; Spanish science: from the convergence with Europe to purge and exile, Francisco A. González Redondo; The reactionary utopia: the CSIC and Spanish imperial science, Antonio Fco. Canales; Broken science, scientists under suspicion. Neuroscience in Spain during the early years of the Franco dictatorship, Rafael Huertas; Cultures of research and the international relations of physics through Francoism: Spain at CERN, Xavier Roqué; The National Council for Research in the context of Fascist autarky, Roberto Maiocchi; Statistical theory, scientific rivalry and war politics in Fascist Italy (1939-1943), Jean-Guy Prévost; Science, military dictatorships and constitutional governments in Argentina, Pablo Miguel Jacovkis; Science policy in Argentina during the ‘Dirty War’, Diana Maffía; Appendix; Index.

    Biography

    Amparo Gómez is Professor of Philosophy of Science in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Education and Language of the University of La Laguna.



    Antonio Fco. Canales is Lecturer of Theory and History of Education in the same Department.



    Brian Balmer is Professor of Science Policy Studies in the Department of Science and Technology Studies, University College London.