Ecological Theory and Pest Control Practice : A Study of the Institutional and Conceptual Dimensions of a Scientific Debate

Palladino, Paolo (1990) Ecological Theory and Pest Control Practice : A Study of the Institutional and Conceptual Dimensions of a Scientific Debate. Social Studies of Science, 20 (2). pp. 255-281. ISSN 0306-3127

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Abstract

During the 1960s, the relationship between ecological theory and pest control practice was the subject of controversy between two groups of entomologists, one based in California and the other in Canada. Both groups were committed to the development of an `ecological' pest control strategy based on the integration of `biological control' — the use of predators and parasites to control pest populations — and the dominant chemical approach. Yet, they disagreed on the precise details of the relationship between ecological theory and the formulation of guidelines for the development of this integrated strategy. Consideration of institutional and conceptual problems shows that these different perspectives were shaped, but not necessarily determined, by the institutional context within which they were articulated. Attention is therefore drawn to the complexity of the relationship between ideas and institutions, and to the need for a broader approach to historiographical practice.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Social Studies of Science
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1207
Subjects:
?? history and philosophy of sciencehistorygeneral social sciencessocial sciences(all) ??
ID Code:
49154
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
25 Jul 2011 13:16
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
16 Jul 2024 08:54