Acknowledgements

Intellectual freedom is a treasure without price. I thank Gordon Nelson and James Kay for providing the non-conservative arena for my intellectual pursuits. I could not have chosen better advisors if I had planned it. I thank Gordon, for his probing, challenging, yet encouraging comments and questions and the license to pursue my own ideas and direction. In particular, I am grateful for the day he mused aloud his supposition that my thesis would be less than orthodox. I also thank James for his probing, challenging, yet encouraging comments and questions, and for creating an environment that encourages intellectual exchange at a stimulating level.

I thank Bill Shalinsky and Pierre Filion for taking on a 'challenging read' and asking some challenging questions in response. I also thank Henry Regier and Scott Slocombe for earlier comments on my work - and for setting precedents.

During the two-and-a-bit years of study I have been the fortunate participant in a system of friends stretching from Waterloo to Vancouver and Germany who have provided an invaluable mix of intellectual and not-so-intellectual support. This system (sympoietic of course!) includes the group from the 4th floor, the planning class I first joined, the first year gang (who will always be the first year gang even after they have all graduated and been working in the field for years), and especially the participants in the discussion group on post-normal science. Naming all would run into pages, so I note in particular: Ted for many discussions and comments, Soonya for redistributing the commas and other edits (sorry if they slipped back to their original position), Dan who was the first person I know who actually cited me, Christine who never got a chance to read the full draft, Beate and Emily for getting excited, and a host of others for just being around. I am especially grateful to all of those who continued to listen even when I was confusing and made their heads hurt - I'll keep working at it to make it easier to understand.

Throughout my thesis I cite many authors who have contributed to my work. Yet the knowledge I have gained through the years stretches far beyond. I acknowledge the wealth of ideas, concepts, and discussions I have drawn upon in pursuing the ideas articulated here.

Finally, I am grateful for support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Masters in Science Policy) for financial support during the period of my graduate studies.