Who Is Responsible? Nanotechnology and Responsibility in the Italian Daily Press

The chapter examines the news stories about nanotechnology in the Italian daily press to identify the different representations of responsibility in the coverage. The chapter extends the current research on the definition of responsibility by nanotechnology practitioners and highlights how responsibility is predominantly defined in the terms of the ‘traditional contract of science’. This implies that scientists’ responsibility is primarily to progress scientific knowledge and deliver to society the benefits promised by scientific advances. Also, the analysis shows that the division of labour underlying the ‘traditional contract of science’ limits also the number and variety of topics on which different social actors can be rightfully considered as sources for the coverage. More specifically, the discussion of radical uncertainties surrounding the nanotechnology enterprises, of precautionary measures, of new institutional arrangements for deliberation on science and technology, is left entirely to civil society organizations, citizens, and humanities scholars.