Public Understandings of Biotechnology in New Zealand: Factors Affecting Acceptability Rankings of Five Selected Biotechnologies Lesley M. Hunt John R. Fairweather and Fiona J. Coyle Research Report No. 266 December 2003 .---- LINCOLN ~ 6 ERU ~, ~_.IUVJf.Eu~. So ~.:.~ ~ ,g 80. h. lI~COl/lIINIVUSllY. (AllllEnuRY 1150. II[W ll~l.HO Research to improve decisions and outcomes in agribusiness, resource, environmental, and social issues. The Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit (AERU) operates from Lincoln University providing research expertise for a wide range of organisations. AERU research focuses on agribusiness, resource, environment, and social issues. Founded as the Agricultural Economics Research Unit in 1962 the AERU has evolved to become an independent, major source of business and economic research expertise. The Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit (AERU) has five main areas of focus. 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Information contained in AERU Research Reports may be reproduced, providing credit is given and a copy of the reproduced text is sent to the AERU. Studies in Innovation and Change Public Understandings of Biotechnology in New Zealand: Factors Affecting Acceptability Rankings of Five Selected Biotechnologies Lesley M. Hunt John R. Fairweather and Fiona J. Coyle December 2003 Research Report No. 266 Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit P O Box 84 Lincoln University Canterbury New Zealand Ph: (64) (3) 325 2811 Fax: (64) (3) 325 3847 ISSN 1170-7682 ISBN 0-909042-48-9 Contents LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... I PREFACE.............................................................................................................................. III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................V SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................................VII CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHOD ............1 1.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Method 2 CHAPTER 2 CONTEXT AND LITERATURE ...................................................................7 2.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................7 2.2 Historical and Contemporary Issues Framing the Debate About Biotechnology....7 2.3 Factors Influencing Attitudes to Biotechnology from the Literature.....................12 2.4 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................23 CHAPTER 3 THEMES FROM THE METHANE REDUCTION DEVICE FOR SHEEP EXEMPLAR ............................................................................................................25 3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................25 3.2 Background and Ratings of the Exemplar .............................................................26 3.3 Assessing the Impact of the Biotechnology: Risks and Related Issues.................27 3.4 Sense of Place: Perceptions of Nature and Natural................................................33 3.5 The Role of Personal Knowledge and Experience.................................................34 3.6 The Need for Choice..............................................................................................35 3.7 Words and Their Connotations ..............................................................................35 3.8 ‘We’ and ‘They’: Setting Up Oppositions and Responsibilities............................35 3.9 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................36 CHAPTER 4 THEMES FROM THE THROAT LOZENGE EXEMPLAR ...................37 4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................37 4.2 Assessing the Impact of the Biotechnology: Risks and Related Issues.................37 4.3 Sense of Place: Perceptions of Nature and Natural................................................41 4.4 The Role of Personal Knowledge and Experience.................................................44 4.5 The Need for Choice..............................................................................................45 4.6 Words and Their Connotations: Perceptions of Saliva ..........................................46 4.7 ‘We’ and ‘They’: Setting Up Oppositions and Responsibilities............................48 4.8 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................49 CHAPTER 5 THEMES FROM THE TOAD GENE IN POTATOES EXEMPLAR .....51 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................51 5.2 Assessing the Impact of the Biotechnology: Risks and Related Issues.................52 5.3 Sense of Place: Perceptions of Nature and Natural................................................57 5.4 The Role of Personal Experience and Knowledge.................................................60 5.5 The Need For Choice .............................................................................................62 5.6 Words and Their Connotations ..............................................................................62 5.7 “We’ and ‘They’: Setting Up Oppositions and Responsibilities ...........................64 5.8 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................66 CHAPTER 6 THEMES FROM THE USE OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS IN THE TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMERS EXEMPLAR .............................................................69 6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................69 6.2 Assessing the Impact of the Biotechnology: Risks and Related Issues.................70 6.3 Sense of Place: Perceptions of Nature and Natural................................................79 6.4 The Role of Personal Experience and Knowledge.................................................80 6.5 The Need for Choice..............................................................................................81 6.6 Words and Their Connotations ..............................................................................81 6.7 ‘We’ and ‘They’: Setting up Oppositions and Responsibilities.............................82 6.8 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................83 CHAPTER 7 THEMES FROM THE BIOREMEDIATION OF DDE EXEMPLAR ....85 7.1 Introduction............................................................................................................85 7.2 Assessing the Impact of this Biotechnology: Risks and Related Issues ................86 7.3 Sense of Place: Perceptions of Nature and Natural................................................91 7.4 The Role of Personal Experience and Knowledge.................................................92 7.5 The Need for Choice..............................................................................................92 7.6 Words and Their Connotations ..............................................................................93 7.7 ‘We’ and ‘They’: Setting Up Oppositions and Responsibilities............................94 7.8 Discussion and Summary.......................................................................................94 CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY OF ACCEPTABILITY FACTORS COMMON ACROSS EXEMPLARS ........................................................................................................................95 8.1 Introduction............................................................................................................95 8.2 Summary of Overall factors participants said they used to make their rankings ..95 8.3 Generic Themes Common to Rankings Across All Five Exemplars...................101 8.4 Discussion and Summary.....................................................................................118 CHAPTER 9 SUMMARY, DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ..................................121 9.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................121 9.2 Summary ..............................................................................................................121 9.3 Making Meaning in a Time of Uncertainty and Lack of Agency........................126