Whistleblowing, the War on Science, and the Impending Trump Administration: Methods of Assault and Defense in an Accelerating Conflict
Proceedings of the Conference of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, January, 2017
51 Pages Posted: 24 Jan 2017
Date Written: January 21, 2017
Abstract
A “war on science” has been extensively described in academic literature and press reports, but the descriptions tend to be historical and journalistic narratives. Using examples drawn from available literature, we develop concise classification schemes to document methods of direct and indirect suppression of science in government and of methods of resistance and counter-attack. Recent anti-science policies in Canada and the U.S. and more recent reversals of these policies are compared to identify the role that political systems and political culture may play in implementing, encouraging, or impeding “war on science” policies and practices. The comparison allows speculation as to likely policies of the newly elected Trump administration in the U.S. based on Trump’s position statements and presidential appointments. Future pathways in the development of scientific resistance are also speculatively described.
Keywords: War on Science, Whistleblowing, Suppression of Science, Donald Trump, Classification, Taxonomy
JEL Classification: E66, F55, G18, H77, H83, I31, M14, N42, P17, Q38, Q54
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation