La confianza pública en las instituciones regLa confianza pública en las instituciones reguladoras del riesgo:tres modelos de confianza para tres desafíos del análisis del riesgo

Résumé

Social studies of risk have dignified the social resistance to scientific-technological progress by means of their analyses about trust relations between the public and institutions in charge of safety. These analyses have contributed remarkably to dismantle the idea that the social resistance to industry-based science and technology development is a consequence of an irrational public attitude toward the real risks of that development. The arguments used to this end can be classified in three models for the understanding of trust relations: competence model, cultural model and relational model. Each of these models refers to an essential challenge the institutional risk analysis has to cope with in order to be seen as legitimate. Respectively: epistemological challenge, axiological challenge and reflexive challenge. These challenges will be presented in the light of the European regulation of genetically modified organisms.