William Leiss

Queen's University at Kingston, Policy Studies, Faculty Member

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I was educated at 3 universities in the U.S., receiving my PhD in 1969 in Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego. I was a professor at 7 universities in Canada from 1968 to 2005, including Vice-President Research at Simon Fraser University, thereafter professor emeritus at Queen's University and Research Associate at the University of Ottawa. I am an Officer in the Order of Canada and a Fellow and Past-President of The Royal Society of Canada, and the author, senior author, or editor of 16 books and many journal articles and consulting reports, in the areas of social and political theory, communication, and risk management.

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Papers by William Leiss

Marcuse as teacher

Technological Rationality: Marcuse and His CriticsI

Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 1972

Under Technology's Thumb

Technology and Culture, 1991

Guidelines for Risk Communication

Communicating about Risks to Environment and Health in Europe, 1998

38 Risk communication — An overview

Toxicology Letters, 2003

s13 neurons in co-culture with glia to both gp120 and TMT results in an exacerbated neural death ... more s13 neurons in co-culture with glia to both gp120 and TMT results in an exacerbated neural death coupled with an increased production of IL-1β and TNF-α respectively. Treatment of the co-culture with an antibody against IL-1β during gp120 exposure or against TNF-α during TMT exposure prevented neural cell death. Neural survival was also promoted inhibiting cytokines production by pre-treatment of glial cell with antioxidants. These observations underlay the central role of IL-1β and TNF-α in sustaining neurodegeneration.

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The Social Function of Knowledge

Social Theory and Practice, 1970

Nuclear waste management at the interface of science and policy: The Canadian Experience

Energy & Environment, 2008

This paper reviews briefly the history of Canada's civilian nuclear energy program and the consid... more

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The limits to satisfaction : on needs and commodities

C. B. Macpherson

John Urry. Reference Groups and the Theory of Revolution. Pp. xii, 244. Boston, Mass.: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1973. $11.50

Ann Amer Acad Polit Soc Sci, 1974

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On the Vitality of our Discipline- New Applications of Communications Theory: The 1990 Southam Lecture

Canadian Journal of Communication, 1991

RICHARD NEUHAUS. In Defense of People: Ecology and the Seduction of Radicalism. Pp. 315. New York: Macmillan, 1971. $6.95

Ann Amer Acad Polit Soc Sci, 1973

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Smart Regulation and Risk Management

This paper places the discussion of "smart regulation" in historical context -first, the history ... more This paper places the discussion of "smart regulation" in historical context -first, the history of controlling health and environmental risks in modern economies, second, the more recent history of the preceding decade, during which reviews of regulatory effectiveness have taken place. The history of risk regulation itself is the story of how modern societies constructed an "invisible shield" around individuals and social groups, in areas such as finance and markets, criminal behaviour, family and child welfare, public health, and industrial workplaces. Taken as a whole, these protective measures have become a dense structure of overlapping provisions for personal security -what is referred to as a "risk regulation regime." This structure is dynamic and not static and is in fact changing constantly. It is also a dense and complex structure, and so any attempt to revitalize it (in terms of effectiveness and efficiency) must be done with due care and attention to public expectations. This is followed by a short explanation of the "risk-based approach," which lies at the heart of any risk regulation regime. Then we turn to the more recent history of regulatory review, which has taken us through concepts such as regulatory efficiency, regulatory effectiveness, and regulatory burden; "instrument mix" (referring to the array of policy instruments through which we seek to implement regulatory objectives); and the optimal policy mix. Each of these concepts is briefly explored.

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The Risk-Based Approach to Long-Term Management of High-Level Nuclear Waste in Canada Commissioned Comment

NWMO has commissioned a series of background papers which present concepts and contextual informa... more NWMO has commissioned a series of background papers which present concepts and contextual information about the state of our knowledge on important topics related to the management of radioactive waste. The intent of these background papers is to provide input to defining possible approaches for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel and to contribute to an informed dialogue with the public and other stakeholders. The papers currently available are posted on NWMO's web site. Additional papers may be commissioned.

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Political Aspects of Environmental Issues

ABSTRACT