Waves of Controversy Gene Technology in Dagens Nyheter 1973-96 Anna Olofsson WAVES OF CONTROVERSY Gene Technology in Dagens Nyheter 1973-96 AKADEMISK AVHANDLING som med tillstånd av rektor vid Umeå universitet för avläggande av filosofie doktorsexamen kommer att försvaras i sal L 216, Mitthögskolan i Östersund fredagen den 24 maj 2002 kl 13.15 av Anna Olofsson * C/1 v o . v Umeå universitet Umeå 2002 Olofsson, Anna. Waves of Controversy. Gene Technology in Dagens Nyheter 1973-96. Doctoral Dissertation in sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Umeå University, 2002. ISBN 91-7305-236-1 ISSN 1104-2508 ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the public debate on gene technology, between 1973 and 1996, in one of the agenda-setting media in Sweden, Dagens Nyheter. Gene technology is one of the latest controversial technologies which characterise our present Western society. The main concern of the study is the dynamic of this mediated debate on gene technology, which represents variation in the intensity and content of the debate over time. Potential controversies in this debate have also been a major focus. The study is mainly based on a quantitative content analysis of all articles published by Dagens Nyheter with gene technology as the main theme, but also on a qualitative text analysis of a smaller amount of articles covering controversies within the same population of articles. The results show that the debate has ebbed and flowed in a more or less regular way, as four waves, and that the number of articles increases over time. Different themes have been in focus at different periods of time, each corresponding to a wave: Risk and safety in the late 1970s, ethics in the early 1980s, regulation in the end of the 1980s and finally applications of gene technology in the 1990s. Therefore, the 'RERA hypothesis' was formulated, suggesting that the overall themes of the public debate on a new technology will follow this specific sequence. It is also shown that the coverage is divided between two separate types of debates, or media packages, one reporting latest news and discoveries, and one discussing the technology more critically. This latter debate covers the explicit expressions of the underlying controversy between the scientific and the humanistic view of technology in society. The author's main conclusion is that the public debate on gene technology follows a wave-like pattern corresponding to cycles of attention given to the issue, and that the characteristics are context initiated. Real world events trigger the underlying controversy between the scientific and humanistic point of view, which, if it fits media logic, is exposed in the media. The media package characterised by controversy brings with it the coverage of general news, and as the controversy ends, interest cools off and so does media attention. Waves of controversy arise. Key words: Mass media, public debate, agenda setting, content analysis, society and technology, STS, public discourse analysis, gene technology, genetic engineering, biotechnology, scientific controversies, resistance to new technology, s-curve, life-cycle models. Department of Sociology Umeå University WAVES OF CONTROVERSY Gene Technology in Dagens Nyheter 1973-96 Anna Olofsson Doctoral Theses at the Department of Sociology Umeå University No 29 2002 Department of Sociology Umeå University Thesis 2002 Printed by Umeå universitets tryckeri April 2002 ©Anna Olofsson ISSN 1104-2508 ISBN 91-7305-236-1 Olofsson, Anna. Waves of Controversy. Gene Technology in Dagens Nyheter 1973-96. Doctoral Dissertation in sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Umeå University, 2002. ISBN 91-7305-236-1 ISSN 1104-2508 ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the public debate on gene technology, between 1973 and 1996, in one of the agenda-setting media in Sweden, Dagens Nyheter. Gene technology is one of the latest controversial technologies which characterise our present Western society. The main concern of the study is the dynamic of this mediated debate on gene technology, which represents variation in the intensity and content of the debate over time. Potential controversies in this debate have also been a major focus. The study is mainly based on a quantitative content analysis of all articles published by Dagens Nyheter with gene technology as the main theme, but also on a qualitative text analysis of a smaller amount of articles covering controversies within the same population of articles. The results show that the debate has ebbed and flowed in a more or less regular way, as four waves, and that the number of articles increases over time. Different themes have been in focus at different periods of time, each corresponding to a wave: Risk and safety in the late 1970s, ethics in the early 1980s, regulation in the end of the 1980s and finally applications of gene technology in the 1990s. Therefore, the 'RERA hypothesis' was formulated, suggesting that the overall themes of the public debate on a new technology will follow this specific sequence. It is also shown that the coverage is divided between two separate types of debates, or media packages, one reporting latest news and discoveries, and one discussing the technology more critically. This latter debate covers the explicit expressions of the underlying controversy between the scientific and the humanistic view of technology in society. The author's main conclusion is that the public debate on gene technology follows a wave-like pattern corresponding to cycles of attention given to the issue, and that the characteristics are context initiated. Real world events trigger the underlying controversy between the scientific and humanistic point of view, which, if it fits media logic, is exposed in the media. The media package characterised by controversy brings with it the coverage of general news, and as the controversy ends, interest cools off and so does media attention. Waves of controversy arise. Key words: Mass media, public debate, agenda setting, content analysis, society and technology, STS, public discourse analysis, gene technology, genetic engineering, biotechnology, scientific controversies, resistance to new technology, s-curve, life-cycle models. mormor Contents 1 Introduction 1 Aims 4 Structure 4 2 The public debate on technology and the role of mass media 7 A public debate in a public sphere 7 Mass media in contemporary western society 11 Media as agenda-setter 14 Media logic 18 Science and technology in media 21 The public debate, in conclusion 25 3 Science and technology from a social perspective 27 Social perspectives on science and technology 28 The technocratic approach 29 Social shaping of technology 31 Social perspectives on science and technology, in conclusion 36 Two middle range theories 37 Scientific controversies 37 Diffusion of innovation 45 Science and technology from a social perspective, in conclusion 52 4 Implications of theoretical choices for design and method 55 Theoretical point of departure 55 Methodological considerations 59 Introduction to the empirical section 63 5 The overall picture and development of the debate 65 Dagens Nyheter's picture of gene technology 65 Attention structure of the debate 67 Content of the coverage 69 Actors in the coverage 72 Valuations 74 Summarising discussion 80 6 The dynamic of the gene technology debate 83 The dynamic of Dagens Nyheter's coverage of gene technology 84 Variations between different phases within the waves 86 Waves of salience in the public debate 89 Summarising discussion 92 7 Four waves of coverage concerning gene technology 95 The first wave, risk & safety 96 Risk & safety in the end of the 1970s 97 Summary 99 The second wave, ethical considerations 100 Ethics in the beginning of the 1980s 101 Summary 103 The third wave, regulation 103 Regulation in the end of the 1980s 104 Summary 106 The fourth wave, human applications 106 Human applications in the beginning of the 1990s 107 Summary 109 Differences among waves, changes over time 109 Research and development in the coverage 110 Similarities among the first three waves 112 Gradual changes over time 113 Summarising discussion 114 8 Controversies in the debate 117 The first controversy: Heated voices pro and con 118 DNA-laboratories - risky or not? 119 The importance of facts and the role of experts 119 A new kind of risk 121 Control and regulation 122 Information and trust 123 The ending of the controversy 123 The three levels of the controversy 124 The second controversy, gene ethics - a threat to democracy 125 Gene technology — natural or unnatural? 127 How to, and who should, define ethics? 128 Urge for public debate 129 The end of the controversy 131 The three levels in the controversy 132 Pandora's box in the end of the 1980s 132 Runaway development 133 Public control before it is too late 135 Is all knowledge of good? 137 The end of the controversy 138 The three levels in the controversy 139 Summarising discussion 139 9 Gene technology - waves of controversy? 145 The public debate — society and technology in interaction 145 The dynamic of the coverage — waves, intensity and themes 146 Gene technology, a matter of two parallel debates 148 Controversies in the debate as well as in society 150 The public debate 152 Gene technology in the public debate, in conclusion 153 Suggestions for further research 155 Concluding remarks 156 References 159 Appendix 1-4 Preface Before 1996 when this journey began, I had not paid much attention neither to gene technology nor mass media theory. Over the years, my interest and knowledge has grown and today I'm grateful that I got the opportunity not only to participate in an international research fellowship (the Biotechnology in the public sphere-people), but also to do my PhD on a subject so interesting as the role of new technology in society. The international research group has provided scientific support and inspiration, and it has given me new friends.