United Kingdom Journals

Nano-technology special edition

In the term used by the less academic press, we have a 'bumper issue' in this current issue of the European Journal of Law and Technology. Joel D'Silva and Diana Bowman have secured the authoring services of no less than 27 experts in the field of the regulation of nano-technology, each looking at regulation from slightly different perspectives, giving us a rich overview of the field.

Sociologists and philosophers of science have for long been interested in how new technologies rise and how they are controlled by, or control their technological, social and political environment. Is technology a brute force which rampages across less effective technologies, or is it something which is amenable to societal control? It is clear that for many technologies the negative resultants are not that important - whether we have gas fridges or electric fridges, for example - but in a new field where the technology impinges upon environment and body, the dangers of an unregulated and damaging technology controlled only by the profit motive has more important consequences, perhaps a number of years down the line.

The EJLT is delighted to be the host to the work of these authors in this important field, and hopes that our open access route encourages debate and understanding beyond the confines of an academic audience. We are also delighted to have supported the not inconsiderable effort of D'Silva and Bowman in getting to this polished presentation of ideas.

Philip Leith, Editor

Abdul Paliwala, Founding Editor