Endorsements

Scientific governance in Britain, 1914-79, examines the connected histories of how science was governed and used in governance in twentieth century Britain. Bringing together leading scholars from the period, it makes the claim that scientific governance is key to understanding the overall story of British science in the twentieth century. British science grew dramatically in scale, reach and value through the mid-century period, due in no small part to the two world wars and their associated effects, notably post-war reconstruction and an on-going Cold War. As time passed, there were more scientists - requiring more money to fund their research - occupying ever more niches in industry, academia, military and civil institutions. In charting this history, the idea of scientific governance helps us to understand how invention and experiment have been managed in recent British history and provides a conceptual focus for the history of twentieth-century science within British society. Combining the latest research on twentieth-century British science with insightful discussion of what it meant to govern - and govern with - science, this volume provides both an invaluable introduction to science in twentieth-century Britain for students and a fresh thematic focus on science and government for researchers interested in the histories of science and governance.