Confidentiality vs. publicity: emerging tensions in science and technology during the Cold War

• Autores: Kristian H. Nielsen
• Localización: The Circulation of Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science. Barcelona, 18-20 November 2010 / coord. por Antoni M. Roca Rosell, 2012, ISBN 978-84-9965-108-8, págs. 869-874
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • One important tension involved in the military patronage of scientific research is that of confidentiality vs.

    publicity. While most military operations are based on controlling flows of information, it is commonly agreed that science needs open publishing, unrestrained communication among peers across national borders, academic freedom, and public understanding of science to flourish. With the spread of extensive militaryscience collaborations during the Cold War, the balancing of military needs and scientific norms became critical, not the least when it came to public understanding of science and science policy issues. This paper aims to explore the tension between confidentiality vs. publicity as a tool of Cold War Science historiography. Looking at scientific activities during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58 (IGY), the paper provides a few examples of how military bodies and scientific organizations in practice managed the tension.