Media, Risk, and Science

This is an exploration into an array of important issues, providing a much needed framework for understanding key debates on how the media represent science and risk. Stuart Allan weaves together insights from multiple strands of research across diverse disciplines. Among the themes he examines are: the role of science in science fiction, such as Star Trek; the problem of pseudo-science in The X-Files; and how science is displayed in science museums. Science journalism receives particular attention, with the processes by which science is made 'newsworthy' unravelled for careful scrutiny. The book also includes individual chapters devoted to how the media portray environmental risks, HIV-AIDS, food scares (such as BSE or mad cow disease and GM foods) and human cloning. The result is a topical text that should prove valuable to students and scholars in cultural and media studies, science studies, journalism, sociology and politics.