About the Author:
Steven Epstein is professor of sociology and director of the Science Studies Program at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author ofImpure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge and coauthor ofLearning by Heart: AIDS and Schoolchildren in America's Communities.
Review:
“In this fascinating book, Steven Epstein explains how beginning in the 1980s a variety of social movements prevailed in changing inclusion criteria of unrepresented research subjects in clinical trials in the United States. In a relatively short period of time, medical researchers were expected to include more women, racial and ethnic minorities, children, and elderly as research subjects. Epstein pays close attention to the historical precedents of the arguments used in favor and against this change in thinking about what kind of differences matter in biomedical research, its consequences for research, and its far-reaching implications for identity politics. The result is a convincing, widely-accessible, and well-written account of the legal, political, social, and scientific aspects of this change in policy and thinking.”--Stefan Timmermans, author of Postmortem (Stefan Timmermans 2006-09-25)
"Epstein's use of theory to demonstrate how public policies in the health profession are shaped makes this book relevant for many academic disciplines. . . . Highly recommended." (Choice)
"Inclusion offers a balanced analysis of the positive and negative effects of institutional changes on groups that are traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research and on biomedical research in general. . . . The lessons learned from this book may help researchers and policymakers who are involved in biomedical research rethink their conceptualization of human subgroups for analysis." (Elisa J. Gordon New England Journal of Medicine)
"A delightful read. Epstein's writing is accessible without oversimplifying, making the book a real option in both undergraduate and graduate courses. . . . Inclusion is exemplary not only for the compelling account it provides, nor just for the reams of compelling evidence Epstein incorporates, but also for its deftness in marrying together different disciplinary perspectives of Science Studies, Sociology, History, and Politics, to name a few. . . . A pleasure to read from beginning to end." (2007 Robert K. Merton Professional Award ASA)
"A masterful comprehensive overview of a wide terrain." (Troy Duster Biosocieties)
"Epstein's book bursts with theoretical insights. . . . Inclusion also vividly and concretely illustrates how power operates through state and scientific classificatory processes. . . . It will be of interest to many--scholars in science studies, critical studies of race and gender, social movement studies, political sociology, and social theory, as well as medical professionals and health policy advocates and experts." (Deborah B. Gould American Journal of Sociology)
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