%0 Journal Article %1 herdman_inventing_2012 %A Herdman, Roger C. %A Jensen, James E. %A Sproule, J. Michael %D 2012 %J Technological Forecasting and Social Change %K public-speaking rhetoric speech %N 4 %P 563--608 %R http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1625(96)00167-9 %T Inventing Public Speaking: Rhetoric and the Speech Book, 1730–1930 %V 15 %X The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) was established by statute in 1972. This action built on a long history in this country of interest in examining the wider societal implications of science and technology. More specifically, it followed a decade of work by (what are now called) the Science Committee of the House of Representatives and the Labor and Human Resources Committee of the Senate with the help of the private academic and industrial sectors, in particular the National Academy of Sciences. During the ensuing 23 years, under the guidance of an equally bipartisan congressional Board, ØTA\textbackslash evolved a structure and a process which provided analysis, information, and options to Congress and a reputation for nonpartisan, accurate and complete reporting. Importantly, ØTA\textbackslash also provided, through the intense use as advisers of experts and stakeholders from the nongovernmental sector, an open interface between many American communities and Congress. The description of the justification, history, structure, and procedures of ØTA\textbackslash affords a perspective on the abrupt abolishment of the agency in the first session of the 104th Congress. A number of explanatory factors rather than a single one were likely responsible for OTA's elimination and are noted. The implications of abolishing ØTA\textbackslash are also discussed.

@article{herdman_inventing_2012, abstract = {The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) was established by statute in 1972. This action built on a long history in this country of interest in examining the wider societal implications of science and technology. More specifically, it followed a decade of work by (what are now called) the Science Committee of the House of Representatives and the Labor and Human Resources Committee of the Senate with the help of the private academic and industrial sectors, in particular the National Academy of Sciences. During the ensuing 23 years, under the guidance of an equally bipartisan congressional Board, \textbackslash{\O}TA\textbackslash{} evolved a structure and a process which provided analysis, information, and options to Congress and a reputation for nonpartisan, accurate and complete reporting. Importantly, \textbackslash{\O}TA\textbackslash{} also provided, through the intense use as advisers of experts and stakeholders from the nongovernmental sector, an open interface between many American communities and Congress. The description of the justification, history, structure, and procedures of \textbackslash{\O}TA\textbackslash{} affords a perspective on the abrupt abolishment of the agency in the first session of the 104th Congress. A number of explanatory factors rather than a single one were likely responsible for OTA's elimination and are noted. The implications of abolishing \textbackslash{\O}TA\textbackslash{} are also discussed.}, added-at = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, author = {Herdman, Roger C. and Jensen, James E. and Sproule, J. Michael}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2330c217e8b12171fbd42df69055e5c77/jpooley}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1625(96)00167-9}, interhash = {59708db7b57bf22c7c447fd459d54917}, intrahash = {330c217e8b12171fbd42df69055e5c77}, journal = {Technological Forecasting and Social Change}, keywords = {public-speaking rhetoric speech}, number = 4, pages = {563--608}, timestamp = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, title = {Inventing {{Public Speaking}}: {{Rhetoric}} and the {{Speech Book}}, 1730\textendash{}1930}, volume = 15, year = 2012 }