Author
Daniel Sarewitz
Other affiliations: Columbia University, University of Washington
Bio: Daniel Sarewitz is an academic researcher from Arizona State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Science policy & Climate change. The author has an hindex of 33, co-authored 106 publications receiving 7201 citations. Previous affiliations of Daniel Sarewitz include Columbia University & University of Washington.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the idea that scientific inquiry is inherently and unavoidably subject to becoming politicized in environmental controversies, and conclude that the value bases of disputes underlying environmental controversies must be fully articulated and adjudicated through political means before science can play an effective role in resolving environmental problems.
1,045 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that the adoption of real-time TA can significantly enhance the societal value of research-based innovation.
646 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that better science portfolios would be achieved if science policy decisions reflected knowledge about the supply of science, the demand for science, and the relationship between the two, using the specific example of climate change science to illustrate how research on science policy could be organized to support improved decisions about the organization of science itself.
573 citations
TL;DR: In a Special Report Nature's news team sums up the document's main conclusions and assesses initial reactions to it.
Abstract: Renewed attention to policies for adapting to climate change cannot come too soon for Roger Pielke, Jr, Gwyn Prins, Steve Rayner and Daniel Sarewitz. The first volume of Climate Change 2007, the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), was published on 2 February. In a Special Report Nature's news team sums up the document's main conclusions and assesses initial reactions to it. Two related Commentaries look at some practical steps being taken in response to climate change.
499 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the limitations of sustainability science research to move the field beyond the analysis of problems in coupled systems to interrogate the social, political and technological dimensions of linking knowledge and action.
Abstract: Over the last decade, sustainability science has been at the leading edge of widespread efforts from the social and natural sciences to produce use-inspired research. Yet, how knowledge generated by sustainability science and allied fields will contribute to transitions toward sustainability remains a critical theoretical and empirical question for basic and applied research. This article explores the limitations of sustainability science research to move the field beyond the analysis of problems in coupled systems to interrogate the social, political and technological dimensions of linking knowledge and action. Over the next decade, sustainability science can strengthen its empirical, theoretical and practical contributions by developing along four research pathways focused on the role of values in science and decision-making for sustainability: how communities at various scales envision and pursue sustainable futures; how socio-technical change can be fostered at multiple scales; the promotion of social and institutional learning for sustainable development.
421 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the disaster resilience of place (DROP) model is proposed to improve comparative assessments of disaster resilience at the local or community level, and a candidate set of variables for implementing the model are also presented as a first step towards its implementation.
Abstract: There is considerable research interest on the meaning and measurement of resilience from a variety of research perspectives including those from the hazards/disasters and global change communities. The identification of standards and metrics for measuring disaster resilience is one of the challenges faced by local, state, and federal agencies, especially in the United States. This paper provides a new framework, the disaster resilience of place (DROP) model, designed to improve comparative assessments of disaster resilience at the local or community level. A candidate set of variables for implementing the model are also presented as a first step towards its implementation.
3,119 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review insights from history, sociology and psychology of risk, economics and political science to develop four propositions concerning limits to adaptation and conclude that these issues of values and ethics, risk, knowledge, attitudes to risk and culture construct societal limits, but that these limits are mutable.
Abstract: While there is a recognised need to adapt to changing climatic conditions, there is an emerging discourse of limits to such adaptation. Limits are traditionally analysed as a set of immutable thresholds in biological, economic or technological parameters. This paper contends that limits to adaptation are endogenous to society and hence contingent on ethics, knowledge, attitudes to risk and culture. We review insights from history, sociology and psychology of risk, economics and political science to develop four propositions concerning limits to adaptation. First, any limits to adaptation depend on the ultimate goals of adaptation underpinned by diverse values. Second, adaptation need not be limited by uncertainty around future foresight of risk. Third, social and individual factors limit adaptation action. Fourth, systematic undervaluation of loss of places and culture disguises real, experienced but subjective limits to adaptation. We conclude that these issues of values and ethics, risk, knowledge and culture construct societal limits to adaptation, but that these limits are mutable.
2,159 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that resilience provides a useful framework to analyze adaptation processes and to identify appropriate policy responses, and distinguish between incremental adjustments and transformative action and demonstrate that the sources of resilience for taking adaptive action are common across scales.
Abstract: Adaptation is a process of deliberate change in anticipation of or in reaction to external stimuli and stress. The dominant research tradition on adaptation to environmental change primarily takes an actor-centered view, focusing on the agency of social actors to respond to specific environmental stimuli and emphasizing the reduction of vulnerabilities. The resilience approach is systems orientated, takes a more dynamic view, and sees adaptive capacity as a core feature of resilient social-ecological systems. The two approaches converge in identifying necessary components of adaptation. We argue that resilience provides a useful framework to analyze adaptation processes and to identify appropriate policy responses. We distinguish between incremental adjustments and transformative action and demonstrate that the sources of resilience for taking adaptive action are common across scales. These are the inherent system characteristics that absorb perturbations without losing function, networks and social capit...
1,933 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a framework for understanding and supporting efforts aimed at "responsibly innovation" in emerging science and innovation, which is a major challenge for contemporary democracies.
1,826 citations
01 Apr 2009
TL;DR: Hulme as discussed by the authors uses different standpoints from science, economics, faith, psychology, communication, sociology, politics and development to explain why we disagree about climate change and shows that climate change, far from being simply an 'issue' or a 'threat', can act as a catalyst to revise our perception of our place in the world.
Abstract: Climate change is not 'a problem' waiting for 'a solution' It is an environmental, cultural and political phenomenon which is re-shaping the way we think about ourselves, our societies and humanity's place on Earth Drawing upon twenty-five years of professional work as an international climate change scientist and public commentator, Mike Hulme provides a unique insider's account of the emergence of this phenomenon and the diverse ways in which it is understood He uses different standpoints from science, economics, faith, psychology, communication, sociology, politics and development to explain why we disagree about climate change In this way he shows that climate change, far from being simply an 'issue' or a 'threat', can act as a catalyst to revise our perception of our place in the world Why We Disagree About Climate Change is an important contribution to the ongoing debate over climate change and its likely impact on our lives
1,691 citations