Jack Stilgoe
Senior Researcher
Jack Stilgoe works on science and technology projects and specialises in issues of science, society and public engagement.
- Dialogue of the Defra Four of our People's Inquiry members and I went to Defra yesterday on the way home from work to chat about nanotechnology. All well and good and friendly doing public engagement. But it's a lot to ask people to head into a civil service corner office to chat to people all of whose waking hours are spent in the discomfort of nanotechnology policy. They played a blinder. The discussion was fascinating, and if it has no purchase on the emerging shape of nano, I will be interested to know why.Who... continue reading on 26th May 2006 in The Nanodialogues
- Whither the anorak? Charlie Leadbeater's doing a discussion at the ICA, following the work he and Paul did on Pro-Ams. Should be good. Other Speakers: D.J. Taylor, literary critic, biographer, and author of On the Corinthian Spirit: Marysia Lewandowska, London-based artist who has recently presented Enthusiasm. Films of Love, Longing and Labour, which included material from amateur film clubs in Poland and Georgina Henry, editor of The Guardian's new comment blog, Comment is Free. continue reading on 4th May 2006
- Not so magic nano The promise and reality of nanotechnology are dancing again. More and more nano products drop out of the future to challenge the governance of technology. I've just written a piece on "Magic Nano" for open democracy . Though it may or may not contain a nano-something, and this nano-something may or may not have been the cause, a bunch of people were taken to hospital hours after using Magic Nano, days after it went on sale. The immediate questions this sort of thing asks of policy are a drop... continue reading on 28th April 2006 in The Nanodialogues
- Drug Lords Outside the House of Lords, I was chatting to a policeman. He told me that a lot of people had been coming to watch the debate. He told me that he was particularly interested in the issue, as his son - he was very proud of his son - had behavioural difficulties. They had offered Ritalin, but he and his wife had refused. Son was now doing his A-levels, had just got his GCSEs with all As and Bs. All it had taken was early understanding of the problem and the help of some good teachers. Drugs not... continue reading on 21st April 2006
- Nanotechnology and You Nanotechnologies could revolutionise many aspects of everyday life, including the treatment of diseases and injuries, and how we produce our food and energy. But do people want these new technologies? What are the risks, and will they be dealt with properly?The BBSRC exhibit Nanotechnology and You explores some current nanotechnology research and highlights recent public dialogue activities that asked the public what they think about nanotechnology and its future applications.Nanotechnology... continue reading on 11th April 2006 in The Nanodialogues
- Knowing and Doing I'm dead excited about a new project we've just begun on experts and the public. The good folk of Defra have asked Demos and Liverpool University to consider how lay people can play a part in expert scientific advice.Many moons ago, when memories of BSE, GM, mobile phones and MMR were still fresh, I looked at this kind of thing as an academic. Social scientists have been saying for years that we need to think about expert advice differently. Thankfully, our project is being led by Alan Irwin... continue reading on 24th March 2006 in Experts Comments (1)
- The Friday Rant It's grey and cold, so I'm introducing a new Demos institution - the Friday Rant. Ahem. That new AA ad, yeah? Thousands of high-visiblity keen-as-custard gentlemen advancing over some moor to resuce a baby in an Espace. "You've got a friend", they sing. Problem is, looking for brevity and an assumed audience of Espace drivers cold turkeying from ritalin, they miss out all of the gaps between the words of the song - you know, the bits that make music music rather than just noise.Now I know not... continue reading on 17th March 2006
- Imagining people and the public imagination Madeleine Bunting has a very thoughtful piece in the Guardian today, drawing on our imminent Better Humans? collection. To many people, her imagination of future humans might seem far-fetched - more Gattaca than Grauniad. But this only demonstrates the poverty of debate about technologies that should force us to ask, in public, some very, very big questions. In the US, there's a bunch of people shouting quite loudly about the radical 'benefits' of new technologies for humanity. They do this... continue reading on 30th January 2006
- So it begins On Saturday, we managed to draw 13 people from East London, 3 from the Environment Agency, 2 scientists and one NGO representative away from their whale-watching to talk about the promise and peril of nanotech. It was the first day of a 3-stage People's Inquiry into nanotechnology and the environment. Seconds after pressing the start button, our People's Panel were asking important questions about the regulation and ownership of nanotechnologies.Over the next two sessions, the panel will... continue reading on 24th January 2006 in The Nanodialogues
- blue skype thinking We at Demos are now skypeable. We have received a few sets of headphones, signed up, and are ready to go. Charlie has just skyped me from 3 yards to my left to suggest I spread the word. So skype us, otherwise we will just skype each other. Or we will sit in silence with our headsets on. Like that guy from Blue Thunder. Thinking helicopter thoughts.Get in touch. Search for us on skype, or send us your skype names. continue reading on 12th January 2006