Science Funding
Subtitle: Politics and Porkbarrel
By: Joseph Martino
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2017
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 406
ISBN-13: 9781351294768
Subjects: Research; Finance; Waste in government spending; Science and state; Dilapidation des fonds publics; Politique scientifique et technique
Description: "Americans have become resigned to seeing Congress vote money for porkbarrel projects of all kinds-roads, dams, post offices, military installations-in the districts of influential legislators. In recent years Congress has, almost without public notice, extended this form of vote-buying and pandering into a new domain: science. Where formerly scientific funding proposals were evaluated by outside experts on the basis of merit, there is now an increasing consideration of congressional districts and "fair" geographical distribution. In this ground-breaking volume, Joseph P. Martino offers a critical examination of special-interest funding and the danger it poses to the integrity of American society as a whole, as well as to its scientific component. Science Funding is distinguished by its comprehensive approach to the structural and historical background of the current situation. It examines the history of science funding from the early twentieth century through present, public vs. to taxpayers, instances of fraud, and the effects of government funding for research in universities. Martino's survey demonstrates conclusively that government has been inefficient in its funding capacity and that the shortcomings are inherent: political criteria for the support of science, congressional micromanagement, freezing out of innovative ideas, and the favoring of massive projects-Big Science-over small, but significant experimental programs. In his concluding chapter Martino provides an agenda for new thinking on the funding of science. He proposes alternatives that suggest a plurality of approaches is preferable to the current monolithic model, and shows how industrial support, philanthropy, and contributions from the public can be made more effective. Science Funding is a major work on the interaction of science, politics, and society. It will be of interest to sociologists, policymakers, and political scientist, and the research science community."--Provided by publisher
Table of contents: title: Chapter 1 Research--The Newest Porkbarrel  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 2 The Legacy of Vannevar Bush  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 3 People, Funds, Results  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 4 Stability of Support  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 5 Peer Review  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 6 Big Science  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 7 Control of Science Content  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 8 Control of Scientists  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 9 Indirect Costs  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 10 Red Tape  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 11 Innovativeness  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 12 Research as an Entitlement  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 13 Fraud  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 14 The Economics of Public Choice  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 15 R & D Support in the OECD Countries  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 16 American Science: Before World War I  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 17 American Science: The Inter-War Years  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 18 Defense-Sponsored Research  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 19 Subsidizing Industry  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 20 R & D Tax Credits  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 21 Industry Sponsorship of Research  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 22 Private Sponsorship of Research  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 23 State-Government Sponsorship of Research  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 24 Technology Transfer from Federal Labs  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 25 Technology Transfer from Universities  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 26 Why Should the Government Sponsor Research?  -- Joseph P. Martino; title: chapter 27 We Need Some New Thinking -- Joseph P. Martino.