Local variation or global convergence in agricultural biotechnology policy? A comparative analysis

The history of attention to local variation in science and technology studies notwithstanding, there is a growing emphasis in the study of science policy on global convergence. In this paper, we undertake a multi-state comparative study of agricultural biotechnology policies, illustrating the continuing value of attending to policy variation and the factors that mold it. We acknowledge the growing influence of supranational entities and transnational cultural exchanges in shaping policy. However, our research does not indicate the homogenization of agricultural biotechnology policies across the globe. Instead, we find three broad models of agricultural biotechnology governance: ‘liberal science-based’ regulation, ‘precautionary science-based’ regulation, and ‘social values-based’ regulation. While states are constrained by global and local factors, they actively shape policies by blending parts of these three policy models in distinct ways. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.