Associations and Other Groups in Science

Book excerpt: Associations and Other Groups in Science: An Historical and Contemporary Perspective brings together a collection of texts on the subject of scientific associations and their role in science and society. It combines historical approaches, focused on the role that associations (and other groups) played in the development of particular scientific disciplines in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with contemporary analyses that highlight the involvement of associations in engagement with wider publics. A somewhat neglected subject in the social studies of science, scientific associations provide an opportunity for reflecting on and discussing wider issues in science, such as the place of scientific advice in policy-making, the structure of scientific careers, and the need for building bridges between the scientific community and society at large. Since all chapters examine the Portuguese scientific system, this book also contributes to acquaint international audiences with the history and the current situation of science in Portugal. Some of the research findings included here are valid across borders and may be used for comparative research. Though mainly aimed at the science and technology studies community, it has the potential to reach readers in other social sciences, as well as in the “hard” sciences, keen on the history of their disciplines.