At the invitation of the government of the People's Republic of China, the National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists (NCLS), a joint committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Bar Association (ABA), will offer a short course in October 1988 to senior policymakers, scientists, and scholars in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing on the dynamic interactions of law, science, and technology. The primary Chinese organizations responsible for the arrangements and for choosing the participants include the State Council, the State Science and Technology Commission, the National People's Congress, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. A multi-disciplinary short course of this nature will provide the Chinese government with an enhanced appreciation of the relevance of law to science and technology, this at a time when China's goal is to harness science and technology to economic development. The furtherance of such an understanding will permit the leadership to apply complex conceptual concerns to making policy, formulating legislation, and training specialists. As importantly, it will also acquaint the leadership with social science theory and research relating to law, science, and technology and some of the ethical issues involved in the interaction between science, technology, and law.
