Achieving Public Understanding of Research in Developing Countries

Abstract

This set of webpages documents a workshop on "Achieving Public Understanding of Research in Developing Countries." The goal of the workshop was to explore differences between how "public understanding of science" is perceived in the developed world and how it might be perceived and defined in the developing world. We were particularly interested in whether theoretical ideas about public understanding emerging from recent work in the developed world would have any relevance in the developing world. The initial proposal contains a full discussion of these issues and is included in the document. The workshop was held in Cape Town, South Africa, immediately following the 7th International Conference on Public Communication of Science and Technology, "Science Communication in a Diverse World." The workshop brought together more than 50 people from 16 countries on 6 continents.