Social Movements and Nanoscience

Many have called nanotechnology the next industrial revolution. It is predicted to change the way we live, travel, eat, think, and interact with each other and with our environment. When dealing with such a radical change, it is not hard to imagine that there are many voices pushing nanoscience ahead and many other voices holding nanoscience back. People and organizations sharing the same viewpoints and seeking the same goals have come together to attempt to influence the future of nanoscience. Left to their own devices, competing social movements can cause divisions which prevent social progress. However, conscious effort is being undertaken to bring these debates out in the open to foster discourse. In this way, social movments are likely to affect the advancement and acceptance of nanoscience across various communities.

Social movements are group actions that focus on specific issues in order to promote, or resist, social changes. There have been many social movements that have brought about major changes in society, such as the American Civil Rights Movement. Given the nature of the promises nanoscience and nanotechnology hold, including promises of global destruction, there were initial competing reactions to nanoscience research which evolved into two social movements: those who oppose nanoscience research until it can be proven to be safe to humans and the environment (dystopian) and those in favor of minimal regulations in order to advance humanity to the next major evolutionary phase (utopian). As the science advances and the public has additional time to contemplate a future with (or without) nanoscience, there have been additional social movements encompassing those who call for regulation of the industry and those who have concerns regarding nanoscience, but nonetheless feel the science should progress with few regulations.

The various social movements concerned with Nanoscience are not comprised of homogenous groups of individuals with a wide variety of shared beliefs. In fact, one is likely to find members from across the sociopolitical spectrum within the various movements, with little other than a shared position on the advancement (or cessation) of nanoscience.