Ensuring the social legitimacy of animal research: Comparing public and policy expectations

确保动物研究的社会合法性：比较公众和政策期望

• 批准号: 2271945
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Nottingham
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2271945
• 关键词: Ensuring; social; legitimacy; animal; research

This project seeks to explore how lay publics 'imagine' the governance of institutions that use animals for medical research in the UK. Of specific interest is how well aligned public expectations of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs) are with current policy and practice. All academic and commercial organisations using, breeding or supplying research animals must set up a localised AWERB. Amongst other tasks, these committees seek to 'define, develop and reflect their own establishments Culture of Care' (ASC 2018).Traditionally, public policy regarding animal experimentation has been developed in the politico-scientific sphere. However, there is increasing academic recognition that the traction of such policies is dependent on factors beyond the control of science alone (Nature 2015 :5). Public involvement is now considered a crucial prerequisite to democratic legitimacy and the doctrine of 'good governance' (McLeod & Hobson-West 2016 :792). In animal research, this is arguably required, given the 'tacit social contract between citizens, scientists and the state' (Davies et al 2016). As part of Home Office requirements for the establishment of AWERBs, the committees were tasked with providing 'a forum for discussion and development of ethical advice to the establishment licence holder', with the wider objective to 'help promote better understanding of the role and value of the AWERB' (RSPCA & LASA 2015 :50). However, as yet, preliminary research suggests that institutions find it difficult to achieve such objectives due to a lack of time/resources (Hawkins & Hobson-West 2017:5). While there has been a push from stakeholders (such as the RSPCA) to help improve the operation of AWERBs, little research has been conducted with regard to public expectations for, and understanding of, their role and remit. Thus, this project seeks to utilise the social sciences to enrich inquiry, to help understand the social and cultural processes that can enhance, impede, improve and refine the use of animals in medical research (RSPCA & LASA 2015 :50), thereby informing the maintenance of the 'social contract'.This studentship represents a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and the RSPCA. The DTP is for a 1+3 year programme of study in the Sociology pathway. Thus, the first year will be spent completing the DTP Masters in Social Science Research at the University of Nottingham. The following three years of doctoral study will consist of critical literature review of sociological insights into scientific, regulatory, and public understanding of the use of animals in research. This will be followed by further exploration of public attitudes through a series of focus groups. Currently, it is estimated that approximately 6 groups will be required, each consisting of 6-8 members of the 'lay' public. This studentship will be co-supervised by Dr Pru Hobson-West and Professor Dimitris Papadopoulos from the Institute for Science and Society at the School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham. Additionally, Dr Penny Hawkins, the head of the RSPCA Research Animals Departments will act as project mentor. The involvement of the RSPCA will provide the opportunity of an internship at the RSPCA headquarters, which will help develop understanding of animal research policy and governance in practice.It is anticipated that the project will lead to strategies to further and improve the role of AWERBs and animal research governance, by better understanding the relationship between publics and laboratory animal science.

该项目旨在探索公众如何“想象”在英国使用动物进行医学研究的机构的治理。特别感兴趣的是公众对动物福利和伦理审查机构（AWERBs）的期望与当前政策和实践的一致程度。所有使用、繁殖或提供研究动物的学术和商业组织都必须建立一个本地化的AWERB。在其他任务中，这些委员会寻求“定义、发展和反映他们自己的企业关怀文化”（ASC 2018）。传统上，有关动物实验的公共政策是在政治科学领域发展起来的。然而，越来越多的学术界认识到，这些政策的牵引力取决于科学无法控制的因素（Nature 2015:5）。公众参与现在被认为是民主合法性和“善治”原则的关键先决条件（McLeod & Hobson-West 2016:792）。在动物研究中，考虑到“公民、科学家和国家之间的隐性社会契约”，这可以说是必要的（Davies et al . 2016）。作为内政部对建立AWERB的要求的一部分，委员会的任务是提供“一个论坛，为建立许可证持有人提供讨论和发展道德建议”，其更广泛的目标是“帮助促进对AWERB的作用和价值的更好理解”（RSPCA & LASA 2015:50）。然而，到目前为止，初步研究表明，由于缺乏时间/资源，机构很难实现这些目标（Hawkins & Hobson-West 2017:5）。虽然持份者（例如防止虐待动物协会）一直在推动改善awerb的运作，但公众对awerb的角色和职责的期望和理解却很少进行研究。因此，该项目旨在利用社会科学来丰富探究，帮助理解可以加强、阻碍、改善和完善医学研究中动物使用的社会和文化过程（RSPCA & LASA 2015:50），从而为维护“社会契约”提供信息。该奖学金代表了诺丁汉大学和RSPCA之间的合作。DTP是一个为期1+3年的社会学衔接课程。因此，第一年将在诺丁汉大学完成DTP社会科学研究硕士课程。接下来三年的博士学习将包括对科学、监管和公众对研究中使用动物的理解的社会学见解的批判性文献综述。随后将通过一系列焦点小组进一步探讨公众的态度。目前，估计大约需要6个小组，每个小组由6-8名“非专业”公众组成。该奖学金将由来自诺丁汉大学社会学与社会政策学院科学与社会研究所的Pru Hobson-West博士和Dimitris Papadopoulos教授共同监督。此外，皇家防止虐待动物协会研究动物部门的负责人彭妮·霍金斯博士将担任项目导师。RSPCA的参与将提供在RSPCA总部实习的机会，这将有助于在实践中发展对动物研究政策和治理的理解。预计该项目将通过更好地理解公众与实验动物科学之间的关系，产生进一步和改善awerb和动物研究治理作用的战略。