Applied Science, Politics and Power: A conversation between Robert Bud and Sir Geoff Mulgan
Name
2025-05-05_ConversationRobertBudGeoffMulgan_Transcript_FINAL.pdf
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164.14 KB
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Creator (person)
Bud, Robert
Mulgan, Geoff
Date published
May 5, 2025
Abstract
‘Applied Science, Politics and Power’ was a conversation held at the Science Museum on 22 May 2024, between Robert Bud and Sir Geoff Mulgan. The discussion was moderated by the former BBC journalist Deborah Cohen and introduced by Scott Anthony. The event was organised under the auspices of the Museums and Industry: Long Histories of Collaboration project, with its interest in understanding the historical impacts of changing patterns of commercial and state patronage of science, technology, and museums of science and technology.
In Bud’s address he discussed the rise and fall of applied science, linking its fortunes with a larger story of political economy: applied science provided liberal politicians with an acceptable way of intervening in the economy without seeming to intervene in the economy. Sir Geoff argued that governing might increasingly be thought of as and applied science that not only requires high levels of scientific knowledge among policy makers but also the existence of scientists with the training and confidence to go beyond offering ‘disinterested’ domain specific advice. They go on to discuss how to design (and staff) institutions able to synthesise scientific and political knowledge, whether the decline in scientific productivity is reversible or not, and how the dominance of biomedical research impacts the funding of science and public perceptions of progress. They also address the role of museums in synthesising public understandings of scientific and technological research.
Project(s)
Museums and Industry: Long Histories of Collaboration
Funder
| Funder name | Awards |
Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage | |
Publisher
Science Museum Group
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In Copyright