Jane Calvert
“Basic research” is often used in science policy. It is commonly thought to
refer to research that is directed solely toward acquiring new knowledge
rather than any more practical objective. Recently, there has been considerable concern about the future of basic research because of purported changes
in the nature of knowledge production and increasing pressures on scientists
to demonstrate the social and economic benefits of their work. But is there
really something special about basic research? The author argues here that
“basic research” is a flexible and ambiguous concept that is drawn on by
scientists to acquire prestige and resources. She shows that it is used for
boundary work and gives examples of the work it does in different situations
by drawing on interviews with scientists and policy makers on the category of
basic research and the changes they have seen in it over time.
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