Over the last decades, nanoscience and nanotechnology has been ascribed the potential to contribute beneficial applications in fields such as medicine, cosmetics, or environmental remediation. At the same time it is still contested whether engineered nanomaterials might be not one-sidedly good but may also entail negative side-effects for human health and the environment. To address this uncertainty, academic and political initiatives have sought to establish norms and practices to assess and govern nanomaterials.

Rooted in different disciplines such as ethics, ecology, law, social and political sciences, the chapters in this edited volume explore the normative approaches, societal practices, and legal mechanisms which have emerged in the nano-field over the last two decades. The chapters also present a broad variety of evaluative approaches that may assist societal actors in their attempts to actively shape and contribute to the debate about nanomaterials.

Iris Eisenberger is Professor at and Head of the Institute of Law at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria. Her research focuses on law and innovation, environmental law and research law as well as the didactics of law.

Angelika Kallhoffis a Professor of Ethics with special emphasis on Applied Ethics at the University of Viennas Department of Philosophy and the director of the Research Platform Nano-Norms-Nature. Her research interests are in the area of ethics, applied ethics, and political philosophy.

Claudia Schwarz-Plaschg is University Assistant (post doc) at the Research Platform Nano-Norms-Nature at the University of Vienna. Her research explores the co-shaping of emerging technosciences and society with a specific focus on the area of nanotechnology.

List of Figures and Tables

Preface



1.Rethinking Ethical, Legal, and Societal Frameworks for Assessing and Governing Nanomaterials

Angela Kallhoff, Claudia Schwarz-Plaschg, and Elias Moser


Part I: Evaluation and Standardisation



2.Ecocentric Evaluation of Nano-release

Risk, Precaution and Imagination

Angela Kallhoff and Elias Moser

3.Standardising Responsibility?

The Significance of Interstitial Spaces

Fern Wickson and Ellen-Marie Forsberg (reprint)

4.Standardisation and Patenting in Nanotechnology

Better Balancing for a Necessary Nuisance

Thomas Jaeger

5.Standardisation

Enabler for Nanotechnology Innovation

Henk de Vries



Part II: Norms and Regulation



6.Science Democracy Industry

Who is in Charge of Regulating Nanomaterials?

Diana M. Bowman and Lucille M. Tournas

7.Pros and Cons of Nano-Regulation and Ways towards a Sustainable use

Juliane Filser

8.Nanotechnology and Fundamental Rights

How to Regulate Dual Use Research?

Iris Eisenberger and Franziska Bereuter


9.Monitoring the Value of Responsible Research and Innovation in Industrial Nanotechnology Innovation Projects

Emad Yaghmaei, Andrea Porcari, Elivio Mantovani,

and Steven M. Flipse



Part III: Politics and Publics



10.The Politics and Public Imagination of Nano-Labelling in Europe

Claudia Schwarz-Plaschg

11.Emerging Technologies and the Problem of Representation

Lotte Krabbenborg

12.Nanotechnology

Democratising a Hyped-up Technology?

Franz Seifert



References

Index

Contributors