Responsibility in the context of science, technology and society relations. New forms for an old issue?

Responsibility is currently an important issue in scientific research and technology development. This paper discusses the rise of responsibility from the perspective of science-society relationships. The first section shortly illustrates the significance of responsibility in two emerging technological fields and in EU science policy. The second section examines the notion of responsibility. The third part explores the changing features of sciencesociety relationships and the consequent transformations of responsibility in science and technology. Drawing on this analysis, the paper argues that responsibility can be better conceived as a changing element in the science and technology landscape rather than a new one