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Mediating science‐intensive policy disputes
Author(s) -
Ozawa Connie P.,
Susskind Lawrence
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of policy analysis and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.898
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1520-6688
pISSN - 0276-8739
DOI - 10.1002/pam.4050050102
Subject(s) - adversarial system , mediation , process (computing) , scientific evidence , ideal (ethics) , dispute resolution , distribution (mathematics) , political science , law and economics , law , sociology , computer science , epistemology , mathematical analysis , philosophy , mathematics , operating system
Public policy disputes involving complex scientific issues usually entail conflicts not only over those scientific issues, but also over the distribution of gains and losses. The presence of scientific or technical dimensions to a dispute should not be allowed to mask underlying distributional considerations. On the other hand, science‐intensive disputes require special attention. Merely resolving distributional conflicts without incorporating the best scientific judgment will produce unwise and potentially dangerous results. The usual adversarial approach that characterizes the handling of such disputes by agencies and courts is less than ideal for creating an understanding of scientific evidence or the resolution of scientific differences. A process of mediation, already applied in a number of significant cases, offers strong promise as a superior approach.